EMA withdrawall

Mrs_Bones

I went in to 6th form as it was then and remember working at the local supermarket in the evenings and at the weekend. As at that time most of my friends who had left education were getting alot more than me from working in factories, I dropped out and got a full time job myself.

There were no benefits if you wanted to stay on at school then, so everyone unless they had well off parents everyone worked some sort of job. Having said that there were jobs to go to then. Part time work was seen as something people did for a bit of extra cash or pin money as it was know, it was for people at school, housewifes and mothers etc. There was full time work for those that needed a living wage. The whole world of employment has now changed, often there is only part time work and people are trying to juggle jobs and live on that and they are not as easy to get now as everyone is after them.

I think EMA was always going to go at some point as they are moving the age of leaving school up to 18 so why pay to encourage someone to say on in education when they have no choice in the matter. Yet people of this age are still going to need money, for social as well as for education costs, it's never been any different and we are back to how it was when I was that age. Many parents won't be able to afford to keep funding their kids at this age, so they will need to try and join the ever increasing fight for part time jobs.

Generali

doire wrote: »

I worked all weekend stacking shelves to have money when i was in sixth form.

Todays lot get it handed to them and spend it all on booze.

I got a Saturday job selling tvs and hi-fis and spent the money on booze and keeping an old banger on the road.

It's amazing. Aged 17 an old banger helped no end with meeting girls yet middle aged men go out and get a sports car or motor bike. What they need is a 15 year old Renault.

life_in_termoil

Its all well and good saying they should get a job, but where exactly ARE the jobs? When we were 16 jobs were easier to come by and if you couldnt get a job you got Supplimentary Benefit, the under 18s cant get any benefits what so ever and with unemployment so high theres more competition for the jobs and usually the people with experience will get them.

My son goes to college and gets his EMA, he cant get a job because we live out in the sticks with a limited bus service, there are a couple of shops here but nothing else, there are just no jobs in the immediate area. He could work in the local town but the last bus home leaves at 6.10. Theres limited bus service on a Saturday and no buses at all on a sunday. Im not making excuses for him and he earns money off others by babysitting but obviously its not a regular income. His EMA pays for his weekly bus ticket (£15) and the rest goes towards the materials he needs for college and his mobile phone.

Can I just point out that he doesnt smoke or drink so he "doesnt spend it all on booze!"

gravitytolls

doire wrote: »

I worked all weekend stacking shelves to have money when i was in sixth form.

Todays lot get it handed to them and spend it all on booze.

Really? Mine spend it on fares, books, the £250 compulsory trip etc. .... oh, he works as well, stuff's expensive, and yes, we support him too.

Some may get ratted on it, p'raps the media studies/NVQ
students....then again, p'raps there's just too many of you buying into the myth.

gravitytolls

life_in_termoil wrote: »

Its all well and good saying they should get a job, but where exactly ARE the jobs? When we were 16 jobs were easier to come by and if you couldnt get a job you got Supplimentary Benefit, the under 18s cant get any benefits what so ever and with unemployment so high theres more competition for the jobs and usually the people with experience will get them.

My son goes to college and gets his EMA, he cant get a job because we live out in the sticks with a limited bus service, there are a couple of shops here but nothing else, there are just no jobs in the immediate area. He could work in the local town but the last bus home leaves at 6.10. Theres limited bus service on a Saturday and no buses at all on a sunday. Im not making excuses for him and he earns money off others by babysitting but obviously its not a regular income. His EMA pays for his weekly bus ticket (£15) and the rest goes towards the materials he needs for college and his mobile phone.

Can I just point out that he doesnt smoke or drink so he "doesnt spend it all on booze!"

Quite.........................................

gravitytolls

Generali wrote: »

I got a Saturday job selling tvs and hi-fis and spent the money on booze and keeping an old banger on the road.

It's amazing. Aged 17 an old banger helped no end with meeting girls yet middle aged men go out and get a sports car or motor bike. What they need is a 15 year old Renault.

I had a Sat job and P/T barmaid (illegally till I turned 18), but still had to blag a childs weekly travel ticket and blag a free stop on the tube, as I should've paid for another zone.

Ah, those were the days ................ the days of the last Tory government. Oh yeah, but this isn't the tories, it's the coalition....... by any other name..............

DiggerUK

Graham_Devon wrote: »

I can never understand what we did at 16.
I'm sure we went to college, then worked as dishwashers, waiters etc etc in the evening....

I went to college as an engineering apprentice from work, getting paid.
All in full time college education got a grant.
And yes, we all worked part time as well; were are kids able to get part time work at the drop of a hat today?

ChelsieKSmith

I'm 17, when I was at College I was receiving EMA, £30, but not once did this go on going out, I used to spend mine on my art equipment, all my books, stationary, school trips, etc. Plus I had several interviews for jobs, but had to turn a few of them down, as it meant I would have no time for studying, as many of them required evenings as well as Saturdays... in the end, it all got too much, and I quit college! I am now in full time employment!

If I could go back in time, and change things, I wouldn't! I now have a brilliant salary (especially for a 17 year old), and a brilliant job!
I think if people are going to work hard in College for their EMA, then they should receive it! But I think it should be more of a reward for good work, and meeting standards, than just being paid to go to College.

[Deleted User]

julieq wrote: »

16 year olds managed before this existed. I did a Saturday job for example.

More entitlement culture

perhaps you were lucky and saturday jobs existed back then?
one n east college on C4 news estimated that upto a third of this years students wouldnt be returning in sept due to ema being withdrawn,if thats anywhere near true for the rest of the country then expect another 300,000 16-24 year olds on the dole

Oldernotwiser

It was pretty stupid politically to stop it in 2011 when it will become redundant in 2015 when everyone will have to stay in education or training anyway.