Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

To those going into college/sixth form- does the scrapping of EMA affect you?

I was just wondering whether having no EMA will actually have an impact on people who are entering Year 12.

For me personally, I am trying to find a part-time job just so I can pay for travel/food/books/clothes and other necessary things. I could ask my parents but sometimes they have financial difficulties so I don't really want to bother them.

There is also the bursary but a lot of people won't qualify for it so I am not depending on it.

Most people don't seem worried about having to pay for stuff without EMA, so, if at all, how does having no EMA affect you?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

Johnnyfive

Supposedly the scrapping of the EMA caused the riots.

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/08/ema-recipients-education

Reply 2

Moscardini

They're not scrapping EMA they're changing it -.-

Reply 3

IB_19

I'm at a state comprehensive and if the students complain about the scrapping of EMA their reasoning often goes along the lines of "I don't have enough money for Friday night" or "I can't afford those fags". I never hear "I can't afford the revision guide".

Those students were the ones who have failed their AS-Level exams this year. Not because their EMA was scrapped, but because of their poor attitude towards their studies.

I didn't receive it and I am very glad that it was scapped. Too many people were going to sixth-form to receive "extra money" as they called it. These are cases within my state sixth-form and I am sure it continued throughout the country. There may have been genuine cases, however there are plenty of solutions.

Sadly, there was too much of an outcry from the public. Perhaps they became too used to Labour for 13 years.

Reply 4

kidoo

As the above individual said - Most of the people from my college spend it on booze or fags, there probably was a very small portion (maybe 20-30%) of EMA receivers who actually put it to study related use or transport rather than personal commodities.

E: At least the new EMA targets people from specifically poorer backgrounds who are far more likely to use it on transport / food / books.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

k3ro

I'm not going into college (just leaving, actually) but WTF is it they're doing with the ema?

I got a letter saying that because i was born in 1992 (and taking into account my household income obv), I'd be eligible for £30 a week still. Thought it was weird since I'd previously thought they were getting rid of it, but ah well. Didn't really affect me because I wasn't staying at college.

My brother got the same letter, but now he's only eligible for £20 a week - just because he's born in 1990. Wtf sense does this make? :s-smilie:

Reply 6

deltabomber

It was a must for me, traval to unis for open days, books, food at lunchtime etc and i had to give some to my dad each week

Reply 7

darkred

EMA actually really helped me last year in college. I think most people spend it wisely - of course it's easy to maybe buy something for yourself once or twice. But I used a lot of it on travel and books, and saved the rest (there wasn't much left over I guess).

I think people are focussing too much on the minority of those who spend it completely on fags and booze etc etc. The people who do spend it as it's supposed to me spent but aren't really being seen.

Yes, there was a problem with people misusing it. But inevitably it did get people to atleast go and attend college/sixthform. I think they should have made the requirements per week stricter and focussed on actually achievement of the student rather than the attendance, for example, if the student drops below their teacher's expectation on them (not everyone irl is aiming for As like TSR seems to be :colonhash:

) then they wouldnt get EMA for that week.

That would motivate them (even if it might be for the wrong reasons) to work harder, and at the end of the day there should be an improvement.

BUT I understand why EMA was introduced - to help those from poorer backgrounds stay in further education, and help them out with travel and books, but inevitably it had become a system where many students (not all of them, a minority) would only come in for the money.

I think the new system will disadvantage a lot of people, but to those who received £30 last year and are getting £20 next year (like me), how will those who have abused the system before be stopped from abusing it again? The new bursary system seems like a good idea, but I know my 6th form has a very strict set of rules for getting it; even I wouldnt get it and I got the highest amount last year.

I agree there were and will probably still be problems but I do think that a system of support for students should atleast be available, especially when young people today are opting out of further education.

/long boring post

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 8

Willum Infanta

I'm going to get still get EMA next year because my mum is disabled and my dad got the choice to either lose his job or work half the time he was before.

I'd be absolutely screwed without it unless I have a job.

Reply 9

lukas1051

I've finished year 12 and going into year 13, under the current policy I'll still be receiving it next year (albeit a lesser amount). I just thought I'd give my opinion anyway.

It really did help me last year. I mostly spent it on lunch, so it relieved a lot of pressure on my mum - she doesn't have a lot of money, so not having to buy lunches helps financially. Whatever was leftover usually just got saved up. I did actually spend it on textbooks when needed, but obviously you're not buying £30 of books every week. I paid for school trips myself, so the money went towards that as well. Yes, I could have lived without it, but it would have been harder. I imagine it's going to be difficult for people who have to get a bus to sixth form/college.

Yeah there will always be that bit leftover, there will always be the people who don't really need it or use it wisely, but you can't expect the government to hand pick every person, and allocate them the exact amount needed a week. As a system though I think it works - putting children through another 2 years of education can be expensive, so it really takes the strain off parents who don't have a lot of money.