2008/09 EMA article discussion

bestpud

chuckie8888 wrote: »

hi. first time I have ever done anything like this but this EMA really angers me. This payment to some and not to others really is unfair. My sons go to school and I cant afford to give them £30 a week to study but their mates get it from the government.. It is discrimination!! I have twins and they are studying A levels. Our income is to high for one child to get anything but if split between two then they would get the full £30 each. The system do not take into consideration that there are two children from the same family staying on in sixth form. Our income is taken into consideration as one total for each child instead of splitting it in half and basing the award as a half for each application. HOW UNFAIR IS THAT! When they go to university the income is split evenly between each child when applying for loans so the same rule should apply here. Sorry if I rant but It is so unfair and it is very frustrating. Maybe we should become a disfunctional family. We would certainly be better off!! Does anyone know any different?
thanks for reading this anyway.

I'm not sure I see your point!

A family with one child doing AS levels and one doing A2 would only get EMA if the parents earned under the threshold - so why should it be different just because they are twins?

And, I think your comment about dysfunctional families is actually quite offensive! Believe me, there are plenty of dysfunctional two parent families!

Would you really be better off? What with two homes to run...?

bestpud

martinlewisfanclub wrote: »

Not sure of details but a friend of mine, single, full-time working mum, 2 kids at secondary school entitled to working tax credits and possibly other bits.
Older child turns 16 and is given £30 to stay on at school which she would have done anyway. She spends it on make up and sweets. Mum loses her benefits for this child but has the same outgoings for said stroppy teenager as she did when she was 15. Family tensions are running a bit high.

Your friend is either talking rubbish or needs to get onto tax credits and child benefit quickly, as she is stil entitled to both while her dd is getting EMA!

silvercar

Initially I thought there was an imbalance between those that get EMA and those that don't, as those without EMA don't generally get given £30 a week by their parents to spend on whatever they want.

Then I realised that the £30 a week has to fund more than the social life of sixth-formers. Those families where their child gets £30 a week will not be in a position (and certianly not willing, given the funding) to buy their children the things that better off families will do as a matter of course: clothes, text-books, stationary, mobile top-ups etc

The only real difference is that, without the introduction of EMA, a lot of these children would have stayed on at school anyway, though their families would have struggled to support them.

hm71_2

tomgman wrote: »

I have a part time job. On £3.50 an hour. I have to work my socks off for 8.5 hours just to get the £30 that a lot of students get just for going to 6th form! I have to work hard at 6th form for 25 hours a week and then give up my whole Saturday to work to earn any money.
I'm sure the work you do is good- but have you ever considered working elsewhere- my son was always adamant he would not work in a fast food place- untill he went for many interviews where they wanted to pay him £3.50 and hr- he ended up in burger king that paid just short of £5 per hr + lunch allowance + a card that entitled him to free BK in any brqanch he went in (not healthy I know but handy if he was out & about) They let him choose the shifts he wanted & provided great training , health & safety etc that stood him in great stead when he decided to move on.

Textbooks (Sociology - £15.99, ICT - £8.99, Economics - £21.99, History - £0)
School Subs (£10)- Your school subs are good- had to pay £75 for my son & daughter so £150 in total. this only covers basic books still have to buy a graphic calculator at £50.
Locker (£5)
General (Pens, pencils, highlighters, bags, folders, wallets, refill pads) £20+

It's a joke that people say the system is fair. The government is willing to pay £30 a week to some, so they can buy all that and go and socialize. When i have to work my ruddy socks off to buy all that. If i quit work i could do better in school, but then i wouldn't be able to buy the stuff i NEED.

My children certainly don't have enough after EMA to get all the things they need & socialise- EMA is for their education, their wages cover other expenses.

This isn't a snipe at you but I think people have a pre-concieved idea that EMA gives people an easy ride- it doesn't in our case my children were able to continue in education because of it.

hm71_2

chuckie8888 wrote: »

Sorry that my 1 spelling mistake got up your nose so badly but some of us didn't have the luxury of going to college like you and getting a better education due to the fact that if I didn't work then I had no money. I didn't have the luxury of EMA or dole money (I wouldn't have stooped that low anyway) or a family to fall back on. What is your problem? I voiced my opinion and a valid one at that. Is it a case of 'dont agree with kelvinhanratty then you are not allowed to post'!! Last time I looked this is a 'money expert' site not the 'kelvinhanratty show'.
And do I detect racial undertones with your comment 'You'll certainly not curry favour with such a abhorrent attitude'?Maybe all that tax payers money spent on educating you would be put to better use elsewhere instead of sitting in front of your computer day and night being arguementitive to others who just voice their opinion. Afterall this a democracy we live in isnt it???

P.S Even when the uni system was a grant system rather than a loan system they still took into account others in the family and divided the income accordingly.

I don't know Kelvinhanratty but don't really think these to comments are required- some people need to recieve benefits or 'dole money' through no fault of their own to say that you would not stoop that low seems a little harsh and the saying 'to curry favour' has been around for years and certainly has no racial overtones. I think it again is a little harsh to make such a comment.

Oldernotwiser

tomgman wrote: »

I have a part time job. On £3.50 an hour. I have to work my socks off for 8.5 hours just to get the £30 that a lot of students get just for going to 6th form! I have to work hard at 6th form for 25 hours a week and then give up my whole Saturday to work to earn any money. I have to work really hard, practically on minimum wage, just so i can buy all my stuff for 6th form. You wouldn't think it, but a student has to buy a lot, this is what i have had to get so far;

Textbooks (Sociology - £15.99, ICT - £8.99, Economics - £21.99, History - £0)
School Subs (£10)
Locker (£5)
General (Pens, pencils, highlighters, bags, folders, wallets, refill pads) £20+

It's a joke that people say the system is fair. The government is willing to pay £30 a week to some, so they can buy all that and go and socialize. When i have to work my ruddy socks off to buy all that. If i quit work i could do better in school, but then i wouldn't be able to buy the stuff i NEED.

It's interesting that you blame the system for the fact that you have to buy your own textbooks and stationery. In your situation I would expect my parents to pay for this, particularly as they still receive various benefits for having a child still in full time education. It also seems a little unfair to quote one off expenses as if they represent regular expenditure. Less than £90 for a full year's school needs is not a great deal of money and will only have taken you 4 weeks' work to pay for these.

Davesnave

bestpud wrote: »

And, I think your comment about dysfunctional families is actually quite offensive! Believe me, there are plenty of dysfunctional two parent families!

Would you really be better off? What with two homes to run...?

I think you will find a large number of dysfunctional families have two parents present. Sometimes that is the real problem, as it is their interaction which is dysfunctional!

However, I also think chuckie was just having a bit of a rant and that some of you overreacted to it.

The system is rarely 'fair' all the time. Last year I qualified for a number of benefits, but this year I don't, though my income is lower, thanks to a series of unfortunate events which I won't bore you with.

chuckie8888

Davesnave wrote: »

I think you will find a large number of dysfunctional families have two parents present. Sometimes that is the real problem, as it is their interaction which is dysfunctional!

However, I also think chuckie was just having a bit of a rant and that some of you overreacted to it.

The system is rarely 'fair' all the time. Last year I qualified for a number of benefits, but this year I don't, though my income is lower, thanks to a series of unfortunate events which I won't bore you with.

However, I also think chuckie was just having a bit of a rant and that some of you overreacted to it.

thanks Davesnave, you hit the nail on the head. first time I had ever left a message on a forum and didnt realise how some take every word to heart. Next time will keep my thoughts to myself. At least the dogs only listen to my ranting and dont get unset.:T

The_One_Who

My tuppence worth:

In a socially and financially deprived area there are very few jobs going, if any. Public transport isn't good and if you don't have the luxury of a car then you're pretty limited to the work you can do. Where I live, for me to get a job in a supermarket or a fast-food place I would need to get a bus then a forty minute walk through a not very safe area (being a young female this isn't ideal) and then do the same back. How I get back at night is anyone's guess.

There has to be a cut off point somewhere. Yes, it's a shame if you just miss out, but that's life.

Of course there will be those who waste their money or those who abuse the system. There always will be. I used my money to buy clothes, not only for school, but for general wear too. The only time I got new clothes from my parents was my birthday, and even then it wasn't a lot. I saved some of my money so I could buy my train tickets to university, or so I could afford to go on open days.

silvercar

Where it is seen as unfair is that there are many students who would stay on at school regardless of EMA. Either because that was always the intention or because there are a limited number of jobs arounds. So these people are getting paid for a decision they would have made regardless.