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EMA to go?

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  • Racheya
    Racheya Posts: 103 Forumite
    'I never liked EMA because I didn't get it and now everyone else can suffer hahahaha ner ner' isn't really a compelling argument for either side of the issue I'm afraid.

    I'm not seriously that petty. I didn't get it, and therefore I got to see the side of the fence for those who didn't have it but still needed it. I had to manage living on the £5 a week my grandma gave me, if I hadn't chosen a college in walking distance I would have been screwed!

    And you're saying that not being able to go buy new clothes or go out every week is suffering? Hearing 'Oh no, I've only got £200 left!' from a 16 year old is ridiculous.

    Not only that, but my college was FULL of people going JUST for the EMA. They didn't want to learn, they disrupted lessons and only came in for EMA, it's just a poor system all round.
  • I believe you poet, my son says the same. My worries are about the effect on the other 25%. I could understand a cut, even to £10 or £15 a week, but the current measure is very worrying. My main concern is that rather than targeting individuals, funding will go only to councils or colleges in area identified as being deprived or disadvantaged, leaving a great many other families out altogether.
  • Gleeful
    Gleeful Posts: 1,979 Forumite
    'I never liked EMA because I didn't get it and now everyone else can suffer hahahaha ner ner' isn't really a compelling argument for either side of the issue I'm afraid.

    I don't think that was what she was saying!

    I didn't get EMA either as I was at sixth form 10 years ago, but I managed alright without it. Just had to get a job for that extra money!
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    poet123 wrote: »
    As a tutor who listens to the conversations of my students as I sign the EMA forms, I can estimate that at least 75% of them have it as pocket money rather than use it for fares, books, lunches in college etc.

    But it's purpose was to encourage kids to stay in education so spending it on a social life, clothes etc was always going to be a more effective inducement than spending it on fares.

    I can't believe how quickly some families seem to have become reliant on EMA after only 6 years!
  • Wicked_witch
    Wicked_witch Posts: 722 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    edited 23 October 2010 at 11:37AM
    Okay, racheya, seeing your point better now and I apologise. I do actually think your idea of free lunches at college is a pretty good idea, apart from the stigma that would probably arise and I do think its wrong for students who are not lucky enough to live in London (thankfully we do) to have to pay bus fares.

    Sounds like your college did need to toughen up, at my son's they get sent home for the least little thing (seriously, he was sent home in his third week for carrying a wrapped sandwich through a No Food area) and lose their money for the week, so discipline is pretty good.

    ETA wanted to give you a thanks for your last post but your button has vanished :-/ Ahaha it has returned!
  • Madmonk
    Madmonk Posts: 507 Forumite
    Trouble is the few that abused the system (and I know of a number of families that did!) has probably meant the end of it for the children that used it correctly! From what I've managed to find out the targeted help will be for the 10% who get free school meals! Which are usually the families without wage-earners ! Oh and my son will be leaving school at the end of this year for Uni so it won't effect him - I'm concerned for the families in the future who will lose it not myself!! Unfortunately as a family earning just around £18,000 we seem to be on the borderlines for all benefits - not entitled to HB,CTB,WTC prescriptions,eye tests,dental treatment etc (apart from my children). The government needs to listen to some of us "working" poor before they make decisions based on miss-informed rhetoric and myths!

    MM
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    Racheya wrote: »

    Not only that, but my college was FULL of people going JUST for the EMA. They didn't want to learn, they disrupted lessons and only came in for EMA, it's just a poor system all round.

    Then that was really the college's fault. There are perfectly effective mechanisms in place to use the withdrawal of EMA for poor behaviour/attendace/timekeeping etc and these should have been enforced.
  • ONW, may be partly because part time jobs are so hard to get in some areas for teenagers. My son couldn't wait to get to 16 so he could finally get a job! Ten months later and he hasn't even had an interview. Most places have told him flat out that they don't employ under 18s, I assume for insurance etc purposes?
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    ONW, may be partly because part time jobs are so hard to get in some areas for teenagers. My son couldn't wait to get to 16 so he could finally get a job! Ten months later and he hasn't even had an interview. Most places have told him flat out that they don't employ under 18s, I assume for insurance etc purposes?

    Sorry, not sure what post this relates to, although I'm sure it's partially true.
  • Sorry, was referring to why some families are so dependent on ema after such a short time. If my son had a job, I wouldn't even expect him to get ema, let alone be bothered about losing it.
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