The way EMA is payed out should be changed

[GommeInc]

Lol before anyone starts to 'try' and sort the EMA system out, they need to sort their own systems out first. Also I dont know where you live but where I do, weekly bus passes are more than £10.

I never said that, I said £300 a year is alot for transport and equipment. Further going on that, a term pass (usually only 2 or 3 passes a year) do not cost alot, provided the transport systems you've got in your area aren't awful, seeing as alot of companies charge waaay too much

[alexxxxx]

I never said that, I said £300 a year is alot for transport and equipment. Further going on that, a term pass (usually only 2 or 3 passes a year) do not cost alot, provided the transport systems you've got in your area aren't awful, seeing as alot of companies charge waaay too much

trust me, mine's a good system, but you can't get a pass for a year for £300. where do you live where it's so cheap!?

[United-Clowgon]

Dam the Torries!

Dam the Torries if they came into power! Dam the Torries if they scrap the system. I want my £30! I don't mind if scrap it after i leave College but NOT now for the love of god!

On a serious note, i don't think they'll ever scrap it tbh, one of the main reasons it's was introduce was because not many ppl bothered to go to College, they could sign on if they wanted to.

The young people of this Country are the FUTURE of the Country. Without them. We WILL be doooooooooooomed.

[Tash.]

Not being rude, but the EMA is not meant to be a sort of income, it's for transport, equipment and educational reasons, handing it to your parents is more reason the EMA system needs changing :/ Besides, the parents will get some sort of benefit anyway :/

Whether or not thats what it is intended for thats how some people use it, and if it helps families get by then I don't see whats so wrong with it. Not being funny, and nor am I aiming this at you GommeInc, but usually the people who don't like the EMA system are the ones who don't recieve the money. I accept as we can see below in Undertaker's case that's not always true but from the people I encountered at college myself when I got it, the ones who didn't were awfully bitter about it. What they didn't realise is that it kind of takes away the freedom you get at college because you have to go and you have to be on time or you don't get the money.

It is not the job of the government to fund peoples lives. If anything was fair like it should be, we'd have lower taxes and a simpler tax system which would take the poorest out of the tax system altogether. EMA, and other schemes this government has introduced is just socialism; spreading around the wealth despite the other half not earning or being deserving of it. I get EMA as my Dad is unemployed at the moment, but I accept its just a total waste of money and needs to be scrapped.

Why does it matter then? If you propose to take out the poorest families from the tax system altogether, meaning they have more money presumably, what does it matter if the government gives them part of the money they take away? It's pretty much the same concept. I don't know your personal circumstances, but having been unemployed myself and not having any dependents I know it was hard for me living on the money I recieved so it can't be easy for your family right now either. So it strikes me as a bit odd that you're 'biting the hand that feeds you' so to speak with this issue. I'd like to bet that if that £10/£20/£30 that you get each week was taken away right now you'd immediately notice a marked difference in what you're able to do.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Why does it matter then? If you propose to take out the poorest families from the tax system altogether, meaning they have more money presumably, what does it matter if the government gives them part of the money they take away? It's pretty much the same concept. I don't know your personal circumstances, but having been unemployed myself and not having any dependents I know it was hard for me living on the money I recieved so it can't be easy for your family right now either. So it strikes me as a bit odd that you're 'biting the hand that feeds you' so to speak with this issue. I'd like to bet that if that £10/£20/£30 that you get each week was taken away right now you'd immediately notice a marked difference in what you're able to do.

It would mean the tax system (which according to Nigel Farage is the second most complicated tax system in the world) could be simplified, saving money and also reducing the bureaucracy and the costs that entails. It also means that rather than a family relying on the government to provide money for them to live, they would not need that anymore as they would be basically tax free (this would only apply to those who are poorest).

On my issue, no I wouldn't notice it at all;- I saved my money over the years and will always do so, I don't even spend my EMA money because I know that if I spend my money, I won't have any left and not to mention the fact I hate spending money. My Dad also saved when he was working incase anything like this did happen. When I first got EMA I actually felt bad because i'm taking money that I don't even deserve in all honestly, but then again my Dad has paid high taxes all his life.

Biting the hand that feeds me, maybe - but putting beliefs before money - always.

[Seatherny]

innit, i'm one of 5 but my parents earn 50-60k between them. i mean it's not LOADS, i know it's above average and all that but when you think i'm one of 5. 3 in college, one doing gcses and one at uni they have to pay loads for education but because they're seen as having a decent wage they get no help.

They are only paying for the kid going to uni ... :S
Yeah they have to pay loads over time, but its not at once.

[Nli.]

I think it's a bad system, but I'm not complaining. Still money at the end of the day.

[JackBuddy]

I'm gonna make this post and this post only. Last time I posted in a topic similar to this people didn't listen and it got annoying. The system needs to be changed. Fair enough if people don't have money for books, travel etc. Why doesn't the government top up some sort of debit card which can only be used for transport services, whsmith for stationary, book etc? The way people who get EMA don't bother working and just spend that £30 + christmas bonus on alcohol is a joke. Even if my parents earn over the limit, it doesn't mean i'd receive any of the money. At uni, people receive grants worth thousands of pounds while im still paying £6000 a year for tuition and acommodation whilst finding extra money for food etc. In that case, i'm in the same situation as people who get EMA/grants but don't receieve the benefits.

Before anyone calls me jealous, I am... who wouldn't be? Even if I did get EMA or a huge grant i'd be intelligent enough to know the system is unfair.

Done.

[Bun]

the system is unfair. i only just creep into getting £10 a week catergory but even people who get 30 do spend it on clothes/games/nights out. i know people who don't get ema and get nothing off their parents, and people who get ema, and so much off their parents, they don't even need to get a part time job.

PS HI JACK

[adaym]

Yep, they should change the way it's paid out. Ie not at all.

I feel cheated and robbed that my money is going to children getting drunk on weekends. AND YES, the majority do spend in on unethical things.