EMA- How Fair is the System?
by About the EMA system and the impact it has upon teenager’s decisions to enter into post-16 education, and the effect this can have upon the learning of others.
So, where does this leave the students who don’t get EMA, who are actually going into college to learn and pass exams? With this being the system in place, the serious students are the ones who are missing out. Take, for example, a student who is fairly academically gifted, and wants to take 5 A Levels at college. This means that they have to attend college full time, and, with the guideline amount of work being 5 hours per subject per week for homework and study, would probably not have time for a job outside of college. If these students do not receive EMA, this could leave them at a serious disadvantage, as they would be the ones who wish to use their money on actual college supplies, rather than alcohol or cigarettes, as may be the case with some of the other students.
Not only this, but EMA could put students health at risk. Because of the way the system works, if a student is ill and takes a day off school, then they do not receive their payment. Due to this, some students are making a special effort to attend college not because they don’t want their education to suffer, but because they just wish to get their payment. It not only puts their peers health at risk, as the illness is being spread around college, but also their own health, as they do not have any time off college in order to recover. In my opinion, this is yet another flaw in the system which should be resolved.
You must understand that the system is not fair. It should be everyone or no-one, or at least the system should be more careful when deciding who receives payments and why.
It’s hardly surprising that teenagers are attending college for the wrong reasons; it’s surely up to the British Government to sort out their policies.
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Post CommentKatieLK
On February 3, 2009 at 6:02 am
Some good points. As a sixth former I didn’t recieve any EMA and didn’t feel it was fair that, whilst I was working hard and not recieving anything others were dossing around and getting paid for it. I think the scheme is a good idea in principal, but in reality the assessment system is unfair. Maybe there should be some sort of teacher assessment where by a student only recieves their ema if they are on target and up to date with their work.
Darla Smith
On February 3, 2009 at 8:03 am
Interesting and very informative.
Blade619
On February 12, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I think is should be all or none, I know people on all three brackets and as far as spending money goes I have the least… relying on parents to give their kids money to get everything with is absurd, especially on the levels of £30 a week, I get half of that a month!
sparkle
On February 13, 2009 at 11:50 am
I completely agree with everything you’ve said, I’m from a family of 4 children so my parents can’t afford to give me any money. I can’t find a weekend job either so I have no real way of earning anything, whilst my peers are getting £30 a week to spend on cigarettes. Alot of people only go to college to get EMA which disrupts lessons for the rest of us as they just don’t care about exams. Thyey should reduce the taxes taken away from our parents so parents can give their own kids £30 a week without it going to these low class louts!
C. S. Robins
On March 15, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Exactly. EMA is not the right solution for this probloem. It’s likle the government is lazy-they know there are problems with this but they just do this because it is easiest and most convenient whilst still looking like they’re doing something. It is like giving someone a bandiad when they need to treat a serious infection. It is also happening with vouchers.
Rudy A Davidson
On March 15, 2009 at 2:05 pm
This goes beyond simple government laziness. It just reflects the policy shared by many governments, including the British and American governments, and that is to throw money at the problem. Not sure who gets the money, so long as it’s thrown, things’ll be all right.
That’s why the Bailout is going to bust. That’s why colleges are going to collapse. That’s why we’re going to prove that America is, in fact, an experiment doomed to fail. And, remind me again, HOW many governments run on a constitution based on the US constitution?
It’s also a sign that the government feels that people cannot be responsible for their own money, because the government is taking one’s income, then distributing it throughout these services, which are intended to replace the standard, and that is to do it yourself. With all this income and even more expenses, no wonder the budgets are all whacked.
Leah
On March 26, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I completely agree and am currently in the proccess of writing to Gordon Brown adressing the issues of EMA and how its issued. I\’m a 6th form student, working my hardest to achieve my potential and find it so demoralising that some people can just turn up, and do the bare minimum and get paid £30 a week to do so! Im from a family with 5 children and feel the government has lost all common sense when outlining the requirements for EMA. My parents earn a couple of grand over the band to recieve EMA, but they have to split their earnings between 5 kids! Its just totally illogical! Some people at my school have also found another loophole in the EMA system, whereby their parents own their own business and have declared that they earn less than they actually do, so their children can recieve EMA. It just shows how people can abuse the system. I feel most of the benefits in place are a joke tbh! People always take advantage of other peoples money (through taxes)
Bilal Tahir
On May 12, 2009 at 9:41 am
some people have also find a loophole in my college whereby two friends who don’t get EMA get together and switch addresses to say that they live at each others houses…worked a treat…even one of my teachers sons did it…absolute disgrace tbh
Mark
On May 14, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I live with my dad, who is on an income of less then £14k a year before tax. He has to support himself and me aswell as paying the mortgage left over from before my mum left and also debts my mum left him to pay. My mum pays does not pay any money to support me or my sister. Moving house isnt an option due the the house still being in half my mums name.
I get £30 a week from EMA, and its the only way i can afford to stay in college. £10 of that a week is put aside for the bus, and then £10 for lunch at college. That leaves me with £10 a week for college supplys or anything els i may need, sometimes want. Im working towards going to university, but without EMA that would just be impossible.
I’ve been looking for a part time job since i left school at 16, and have had no luck at all.
I agree that the system can be improved, but please remember there are those of us who do actuly need that money to stay in college. It is somewhat annoying to see people complaing that they dont get it, even though they seem to get by just fine.
I do however see that some people who may claim EMA do just spend it how they want with no relevence to college.
Kim
On May 29, 2009 at 3:36 am
i go to college and dont recieve EMA because my parents are a few pounds over the limit to recieve it. My mum and dad struggle to afford for me to keep going college and it is a real struggle with out EMA. I think every one who goes into further education after leaving secondry school should be entitled to ema. Some students get ema and that all they come from i no people who dont actually spend the ema for college purpos and if they fancy a day off college all they need to do is ring up and get a ema code and at the end of the week they still get the money… it is totally unfair system.
amy
On September 28, 2009 at 9:16 pm
its so annoying when people say its not fair
i get £30 and i need it
£15 goes on bus fair per week just to get to college
then i only have another £15 for anything else
when i first found out about it
i thought wow £30 a week
but when it comes down to it
its not a lot
and a lot of my friends complain that they dont get it
but oh look they manage to get the latest phones,ipods and clothes all the time….
Becky
On October 3, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I am at sixth form and most off the people there get EMA. My mum doesn’t work but my dad earns more than the cut off. My dad has to pay to support me, my sister and my mum since she was made redundant. All of my friends get EMA and it’s really not fair at all. Just because my dad earns more than the cut off doesn’t mean he supplies me with £30 a week. There are no jobs available anywhere and i need one to fund myself. Also i think its really wrong that people like my dad are paying for other peoples EMA who some of their parents don’t even bother having a job because they get benifits (i know quite a few) It should definatley be all or nothing,
fi
On October 5, 2009 at 8:50 am
i agree that it should be everyone or no one!
i know lots of people who recieve it, it is purely a bribary to get kids to go to 6th form/ collage and when they do they just muck around in lessons!
personally i dont recieve it and i think its unfair!!!!
the goverment needs to sort thier act out!
Silent Writer
On December 17, 2009 at 11:08 am
amy- you may say you need it, but everyone has to pay for transport, and a lot of my friends had to get jobs during college to be able to afford the transport.
ok, so SOME people are from very rich families who can afford it, but others are from families with more than one child, or with family debt, or other problems, none of which are taken into account.
nobody resents you for getting help- it’s the government we have the problem with. nobody is doubting that you need it, other people do too.
not everyone can afford ipods etc, and if they do, maybe they have a job!
Alice
On March 2, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Totally agree. My friend lives with her mum who has a small job under the limit, but she gets 100 off her dad each ( Im still only in year 11) and she Is so rich, two houses tvs, computer, pool ytables, wiis etc etc. Im not saying I should get it (I get less than I would\’ve with ema-half) but people like her are abusing the system and scamming the government.
David Kay
On March 16, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I both agree and disagree with your point on divorced parents.
As a young person looking to study for A levels and get an EMA next i have divorced parents. I believe the EMA website is actually quite biased toward people with parents that are still together, eg I could not find any information on what i can claim on their site.
Of course i would like to receive the EMA, but as it currently stands if i were to say i lived with my mother i would get a higher EMA to that of the EMA i would get if i only lived with my father. Of course I do not want to commit fraud. I technically live an equal time between the two households and therefore do not know what i should enter on the forms.
As someone that lives between two households i do not feel that my family has a larger income to that of others for we my parents both have to pay mortgages and bills, equalling double to parents that are together. I would really like there to be be more information available for people like so we know whether to an what to claim for from the EMA scheme.
I find your views quite interesting and i would like to hear your opinions on what i should do.
Silent Writer
On March 18, 2010 at 8:01 am
Hi David,
I don’t know if you’ll ever check this again, but incase you do, I will offer some advice, as you said you’d like to hear my opinions.
First of all, I wasn’t saying that you’re better off financially because your parents are divorced. I was merely stating that someone with the same income whos parents live in the same house would get less help from the government, as both parents income would be taken into account, rather than with divorced parents where only one is considered.
I would write to them about your situation, and see what they suggest. It is a couple of years ago now since I started college (well, a fair few years actually) so they may have changed policies by now. But, if they’re anything like what they were like, they’ll say that you have to provide the financial income for whatever house you’re legally registered as living in. All that you can do is fill in the form and wait to see what they say. But they really do need to take their methods into consideration, as family income alone isn’t enough to decide whether or not that person will struggle for money at college.
Hope I helped
Sam
On May 14, 2010 at 1:26 pm
The system is a joke. Just because my parents may earn more than the threshold doesn’t mean I get to see any of that money. There are also massive loopholes in the way they access the system. I know people who certainly shouldn’t be entitled but because one or both of their parents are self employed they can submit an unrepresentative figure of their income. One girl I know gets the full entitlement, even though her parents are property developers in their spare time, they are both self employed so they aren’t submitting accurate figures. Someone who has the money to do that on top of supporting their familly in a good manner doesn’t deserve the entitlement above some-one over the threshold.
I think that a major thing that puts some people off of going into higher education is the cost of transport. It would be much fairer to provide all students with the cost of their transport, or to invest more to make it cheaper for students. My journey to my nearest college is a 16 mile round trip, without my discount card a return would cost me about £7, which quickly adds up if your lessons are spread over a five day week. This, as far as I can see would be the most important economic barrier to attending college as there are few other costs relating to college.
SJ
On May 24, 2010 at 10:12 am
Coming from someone who is eligable/claims the full £30 – EMA should be means tested on an individual basis, not simply based on household income. The bonuses are unnecessary and should be scrapped altogether.
The first year i received it, it was a necessity. I had to resit my GCSE’s in another town(no i’m not thick, i was seriously ill and missed out on 3 years education) as nobody where i lived would take me on. Every penny of it went straight on travel (£120 p/m railcard) i was using it for its intended purpose.
This year i have no real use for it as i’m now at a local 6th form. 30 quid a week isn’t much, its nice to have when you’re having a very hard time finding a job, but i really don’t need it. I’m not one of those people who only comes in for the money – being 3 years behind is enough motivation to try hard. I can’t claim it next year as i am now 19 and i can’t see how that will affect my studies at all.
Before my Dad loaded us with debt and abandoned us, he was earning well above the threshold. To be perfectly honest there was very little difference between the massive amount he was earning, and the relatively low income we’re living off now. I can see why people from more ”well off” families are annoyed.
Its clear that some people do need it for genuine reasons(such as myself last year), but the majority don’t – hence why it should be means tested.
J
On May 24, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Its also based on the last tax year, my father was unfairly dismissed from his job in my last year of college – I couldnt claim it because the previous year we was over the limit, leaving just my mums job which is like £14k a year to support 4 kids and her husband who now cant get another job as employers feel hes too old still doesnt have a job almost 2 years later
How is that fair?
Francesca
On August 28, 2010 at 6:35 am
Just because the family is earning over the 30,00 mark doesn’t mean that they will give their child £30 a week!?
This really annoys me because my family earns over this but I have to do a lot of housework just to get £20 a week when people can just sit there and do nothing to get £30, it should be everyone or no-one.
Will Harrison
On September 28, 2010 at 2:51 am
I hate this system. When I was at college my parents has just split up and I didn’t get any money and I was living with my mother who was in the £30.00 a week band however EMA wouldn’t re asses my situation. All of the other people on my course would spend half of the day with the ‘EMA Lady’ moaning because their last payment was 20mins late.
Another issue with the system that really makes my blood boil is the face that I know some people at Ampleforth College, A private school which costs about £30,000 a year per student and they get EMA as their parents don’t work…. That is pure stupid.
Will Harrison
On September 28, 2010 at 2:51 am
I hate this system. When I was at college my parents has just split up and I didn\’t get any money and I was living with my mother who was in the £30.00 a week band however EMA wouldn\’t re asses my situation. All of the other people on my course would spend half of the day with the \’EMA Lady\’ moaning because their last payment was 20mins late.
Another issue with the system that really makes my blood boil is the face that I know some people at Ampleforth College, A private school which costs about £30,000 a year per student and they get EMA as their parents don\’t work…. That is pure stupid.