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EMA to be scrapped

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You make a good point I think.

 

The problem is that in my experience many children at the age of 16 are put under great pressure to leave school and go and get a job simply as the family need the money. The family does not feel that they can continue to afford for the child to stay in school, not contributing the the families finances.

 

EMA does in many cases allow for a child to make a contribution (often combined with a part time job) to the families finances and alleviate the pressure for them to quit school and find employment. This might not necessarily be in the form of buying school books, or paying for the bus to school. Don't forget children only get £30 a week if their families are earning less than £21,000 a year. It's not as if they are awash with money.

 

Dont you think this has always happened. My Dad won a scholarship to a grammar school. He was one of 12 children. The family couldn't even afford to buy him a briefcase. He went briefly and as the family couldnt keep him he had to leave and go and work down the pit. he ended up working all his life in the steel industry after that.

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Why on earth are people that bothered about EMA? What happened to young people working their way through college or University?

 

EMA is £10 - £30 per week. That's not a lot of work to do to cover it. At £10, that's only 2-3 hours work. Even at £30, it's only just over 6 hours work.

 

The question is, should the taxpayer be subbing these people when they can earn it themselves even by doing a paper round or some other delivery job, or even washing a handful of cars? Can this money be better spent?

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Why on earth are people that bothered about EMA? What happened to young people working their way through college or University?

 

EMA is £10 - £30 per week. That's not a lot of work to do to cover it. At £10, that's only 2-3 hours work. Even at £30, it's only just over 6 hours work.

 

The question is, should the taxpayer be subbing these people when they can earn it themselves even by doing a paper round or some other delivery job, or even washing a handful of cars? Can this money be better spent?

 

I agree.Not only that a job actually teaches them life skills.

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This is the annoying thing they are hitting the poor as it is easy to do and they are suffering.They won't be in power after 5 years but there will be a lot of pain to come before then.

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Why on earth are people that bothered about EMA? What happened to young people working their way through college or University?

 

EMA is £10 - £30 per week. That's not a lot of work to do to cover it. At £10, that's only 2-3 hours work. Even at £30, it's only just over 6 hours work.

 

The question is, should the taxpayer be subbing these people when they can earn it themselves even by doing a paper round or some other delivery job, or even washing a handful of cars? Can this money be better spent?

 

It's a fair point if the cut to EMA was taken in isolation. £30 a week might be useful to many families, but I agree that it isn't life and death.

 

But when you add to the EMA cut:

 

-£9000 a year tuition fees

-Shared room policy for anyone now in social housing up to the age of 35

-20%+ youth unemployment (16-25)

-Child Benefit cut

-Funding of youth services (youth clubs, training) cut by up to 70%

-End free swimming lessons and school sports funding

 

it all starts to look a little bit targeted towards young people. Are we all really in it together?

Edited by dell12

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This is a very valid point; I guess it helps to fiddle the unemployment stats.

 

Please note I don't consider ALL students to be layabouts.

 

Some other good suggestions on this thread, such as travel passes, meal vouchers. What about providing some sort of book vouchers as well?

 

I believe that my Daughter's school has a requirement that anyone wanting to join the sixth form have to also have a part time job or do voluntary work.

 

A book/stationary voucher scheme much like the Tesco books for schools scheme would be a good idea. I think a voucher scheme towards travel, college meals and stationary is a better solution certainly more so for people rural areas.

 

The problem with EMA scheme which is what I thought when it was setup is it has created a generation of young people who really do think "Why work when I can claim this and this". Unfortunatly for a minority who do genuinly need something like EMA will suffer were as others who never needed it the first place will just go and sign on.

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In my own experience the EMA i received got spent in the Varsity every Friday afternoon.

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It's amazing how many forum contributor's believe that a young person with absolutely no work experience can just walk into a part-time job these days. Even the voluntary positions carefully select their candidates now.

 

Rising unemployment? What unemployment!

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I've always thought about it as young vs old (or people who are less and more likely to vote Tory respectively)

 

The young are going to have to pay increased top up fees, lose EMA, lose the new entitlement to free school meals and lose the future jobs fund.

 

The old meanwhile are keeping their winter fuel allowance, free TV licences and Bus Passes irrespectively of how well off they are.

 

I agree with this statement. I am nearing retirement, but would give up my free bus pass. I don't know what was wrong with pensioners paying 40p.

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In my own experience the EMA i received got spent in the Varsity every Friday afternoon.

 

Well, that's your bad choice. My son's was spent on bus fares and meals ..allowing him to get a qualification in mechanical engineering at college.

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It simply goes on beer money, rarely goes on studying.

 

I should know, I'm a Lecturer at Sheff College.

 

Most courses simply pass the time on, until the students become pregnant by any one of a dozen fathers.

 

The Beauty Students - gobbing and swearing at the tram stops and also in the canteens

 

Thats a bit harsh! :o

 

They're not all like that I can assure you. My daughter did a foundation course in Child Nursing (and claimed EMA) and is now in her 2nd year at Sheffield Hallam, doing very well, thank you.

 

There will always be those who fall by the wayside though :(

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Well, that's your bad choice. My son's was spent on bus fares and meals ..allowing him to get a qualification in mechanical engineering at college.

 

I'm not complaining, just saying what i spent it on is all.

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