Is EMA fair?

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EMA helps pay for my bus fair to and from college, my college equipment (books, trips, resits, stationary...), saving for uni and then I help out with finance at home. Sometimes with bills or if I go shopping I don't ask for money. So yeah, I think it's fair. I need my EMA. Without it me and my mum would be in serious financial trouble. If your parents don't give you spending money and they earn a lot, that's not really the government's fault. They give money to the people who don't have the option of getting money from their parents. I agree it's not fair that people with 3 homes, or people who lie to get a good deal but that's just a fault in the system. Doesn't mean to say it's completely unfair.

And by the way. My mum has a degree and works hard. Not only does she work fulltime at a school but she does extra classes when she comes home. So I don't appreciate people assuming we're uneducated and lazy.

Reply 421

Laika

Funkymonk

Yes it is fair so get over it.

Reply 422

Nel48

Course it isn't - read the thread!!

Reply 423

Hanzing

Nel48

Course it isn't - read the thread!!

Course it is, read the thread.

Reply 424

username38546

Sorry cant understand how EMA can be deemed fair. Im not suggesting that there arent people out there that need it and use it legitimately. What I dont understand is why the government dont give me £30 a week to spend on fags and booze, like they give a collection of prats at college....
What is needed is some degree of control over what it is being spent on. All you people spending it properly cant complain at that, but it stops the toerags from spending taxpayers money on crap.

Reply 425

Laika

Cigarrettes and alchohol are important study aids for me.

Reply 426

Hanzing

Laika

Cigarrettes and alchohol are important study aids for me.

Ah see now I preferred to spend all mine on coke.

Reply 427

alispam

the drink or the drug?? :p:

Reply 428

Hanzing

alispam

the drink or the drug?? :p:

I'll let you decide :smile:

Reply 429

Jennifer87

Omg Ema is so stupid, I dont get it! I have to go to work for a whole day at the weekend. So I work 10-5 £25 which means that I have no time for myself at the weekends. Yet other ppl in my year do nothing and get paid more! Plus they all have cars and branded clothing! Its insane! Im not going to be voting Labour...ever! I just had to get that off my chest!

Reply 430

Hanzing

I used to work The entire weekend even with Ema. You can imagine how much fun that was!

Reply 431

ZanyZanny

No is the simple answer

Reply 432

Rooftopcowboy

I disagree with the concept of EMA...as I just think its a drain to the taxpayer.

and I disagree that £30 is going to prevent the people who (sadly) have to leave school at 16 and work (as they desperately need the money). You can earn far more than £30 working...so to me this scheme simply pays the people who would do A Levels anyway tax-payers money.

Ie it isnt enough to convince those who want to drop out to stay, so it merely pays those who would have stayed on regardless of there being an EMA.

Reply 433

Hanzing

Rooftopcowboy

Why have you chosen such an extreme example? Many people are not desperately in need of money, they just do not have the additional money to fund a child attending college.. EMA allows them to pay for transport, equipment, school rips etc to facilitate that. Bottom line is to say that EMA should not exist is to deny many people the right to be able to participate in further education due to their circumstance. If were talking about whats 'fair' then that wouldn't be would it?

Reply 434

Emily_123

i think it is completely unfair, i go to a private school so surely people hu can afford to pay to go to the school r hardly poor? every person i no on ema in my school has car! but i or my parents cant afford to buy me a car!

Reply 435

Laika

Emily_123

Poor thing :eek:

Reply 436

Rooftopcowboy

Hanzing

in a lot of cases it gets used just for going out etc though, I know many at my old 6th form, who just used it to buy CD's each week.

and I dont see why the tax payer should fund higher education.

education up to 16 should be funded yes..but no-one 'needs' to have education further than GCSE, theres no need for the public to fund people to do A Levels. I also disagree with child benefit for similar reasons, I dont see why people who cant have or dont want kids should pay for everyone elses. Like if I choose not to have kids in the future, thats my choice, but a % of my earnings each year will be spent on giving people with kids money. I dont think its fair.

Reply 437

kellywood_5

Emily_123

You seem to have contradicted yourself there. If your parents can afford to send you to private school, surely they could afford to buy you a car? In any case, the point of EMA is not so that people can buy cars, but so that they can fund their education. The people at your school who get it must be either on bursaries/scholarships or have other relatives such as grandparents who pay their fees.

Reply 438

giacommo

elrudd1

well i dont think that its fair just because your parents can support you, doesnt mean they do. mine dont give me anything. i have to earn it all myself. i also dont see why EMA students should get a £100 bonus everytwo terms or whatever for good behaviour and good grades. Im a three A grade student and i dont see my parents giving me £100

TOTALLY agree. I'm exactly the same, maybe not straight A's tho! I don't think anybody should have it unless there is a legitimate reason, perhaps disabilitys or the death of a parent meaning that the family income suffers.

In a way I'm kind of glad I don't get it. At least I'll know the meaning of work and the real world, I've got what I have off my own steam not from being lazy and relying on government hand outs. I have numerous friends that are 18 and have never lifted a finger in their lives. Whose going to suffer in the longrun? What do they do when the EMA runs out?!! Oh wait they'll probably go on the doll and get jobseekers or work partime just to claim tax credits!!!

This country social welfare system is absolutely atrocious.

Reply 439

Hanzing

giacommo

In a way I'm kind of glad I don't get it. At least I'll know the meaning of work and the real world, I've got what I have off my own steam not from being lazy and relying on government hand outs. I have numerous friends that are 18 and have never lifted a finger in their lives. Whose going to suffer in the longrun? What do they do when the EMA runs out?!! Oh wait they'll probably go on the doll and get jobseekers or work partime just to claim tax credits!!!

This country social welfare system is absolutely atrocious.

Another stereotypical response, Im really getting bored of these. So because I get EMA im Lazy, and will never know the meaning of real work. Thats a laugh, I Have worked throughout my GCSE's, ASlevels and A-Levels to be able to get by, and still managed to achieve top grades and get into university. My Parents are both hardworking to earn the money they do for me. In an ideal world Im sure they wish they wouldnt need help, But we dont live in an ideal world. Not everyone has enough money, not everyone can afford to send there children to school. And why shouldnt they go to college? Again denying people a furthur education on the basis of income is not fair. And you know what, Every person I know on EMA went onto a successful university place. But I suppose that doesnt fit in with your theory.