Don't suppose anyone knows a definite date for when we get our EMA bonus this year? I know last year we didn't get it til about March, and the EMA site has nothing about it... Thanks all Sean
It varies for each establishment, I know my mates got theirs around Christmas but guys from my old school didn't get it 'til around mid January
I hate EMA because I was never intitled to it, apparently my parents were too rich, Oh and I went too a school with a kid whose parents had both retired at 40 because they had already made so much freaking money on the stock market, therefore they arn't less than £30,000 a year, therefore HE GOT EMA! stupid system
+1 on the anti-EMA side. For some people i can see how it can help, you know those which actually might need the money. But for most of the people i have encountered its a bit of a joke.
I like the idea of EMA, but the implementation leaves a lot to be desired. For one I find it insane that your parent could earn slightly less than someone elses so you either don't get money or get £10 less, or half the amount (£30,£20, and £10 bands). They do not take into account the number of children in the family either. So child A could be an only child with his parents earning within the 20ks, and he would get £20 a week (for low 20s) I think. But child B could be one of ten children and his parents earn slightly more so he gets nothing. They also do not take into account disability benefits, I know that if you are on these then you are usually entitled to them, but you can get quite a lot. So your house hold income could be well over 30k, but your taxed and there for EMA assessed income could be in the 20s. I was (I think) the first year of 6th formers/college students to get it a few years back (I barely scraped the £10 a week btw). I can say that from my own personal experience that I needed it, and a few others did. I didn't have a job, and the people who did have a job ended up quitting after the first year and working full time, or they finished their A levels and are working in supermarkets. I can understand the anti EMA argument, I sort of believe it myself. But I think it is a necessary for some people to be able to go through A levels, I think the amount of money you get is adequate if you don't have much to use it for everyday things. I don't see the point in saying it is for books, it is so the less fortunate can do the same things as their friends. A friend of mine dubbed EMA, Everybody's Money for Alcohol, not sure if he thought of it or not, I doubt it.
I think i was also the same year to first get it, was interesting hearing both sides of the story. But i do think the same as you matticus, in that it only takes income into account, i am from a family of 6, but my parents earned just over the amount for us to receive nothing, fair enough i thought. The thing that bugged me was that while these kids could just turn up to school and earn 30 a week, i had to get a part time job taking up my free time to earn said money, every kid should be doing this anyway, to expect the gov, your school or your parents to pay for everything you want / do is stupid. So to point i had a job while at 6th form, most of my friends did, and i didnt see them quit and join the supermarkets, most of them are now at university, myself included. What did you need the £10 a week for?
I saved it. I am not really bothered about money. Which is why I haven't worked since last summer I never work for the sake of getting money, because I see my friends in ways that doesn't really require money, and I don't waste it on crap. I have plenty of money in my bank to last me for the the rest of the year and next year very easily. But to be honest, I should get another job now, purely due to boredem, and because I could get myself a huge wad of cash to put me in good standings when I have to fend for myself. But it looks like a supermarket or similar is my only hope what with the lack of jobs in other areas at the minute.
I can see the point in EMA for seriously cash-strapped families, but the limit is far too high. And yeah, a bonus for going to school...
I left school straight after GCSE's, and hit an apprenticeship. I can't believe that's nearly 10 years ago. :O Why on earth would anybody give you money to go to school? Is it for lunch?
my year group was the last one before EMA came in, so i couldn't apply for it. Most college students just use the cash for driving lessons and clothes, which hacked me off as i had to work like a bitch.
It used to hack me off that someone could get £30 a week for turning up (especially because I didn't qualify for any EMA ) Its meant to be for school materials books, pens, paper. NO ONE i knew who got EMA spent it on that. I mean you would be hard pressed to spend £120 a month on school.
I used to spend around half that without EMA, I'm hard pushed to think how you could do really, even with extortionate transport cost.
A lot of people going to college kind of needed it. At my 6th form no one really needed it. 6th form was close enough to walk and to go home for lunch. College is 2 buses from where I live, so you get a megarider which is £10 a week, you might bring lunch, if not then you would buy it for say £2 a day*. So we are at £20 a week without even spending it on random stuff. College/6th form is about 39 weeks of the year, so if you are getting £30 a week, you get £1170 and I think 2 x £100 bonuses. So lets say £1400. You use £20 a week getting to college and eating so you have £600 left. You might buy a new bag, stationary and books, and you know that books can be pricey. I had to spend £30 each on 2 politics books because we were the guinea pig group for the course so it didn't have any/much funding. So lets just say you spend £100 for actual things you need. You are left with £500 over an entire year, which is about £9.60 a week (not school weeks). And that is if you get £30, if you get £10 or £20 then you are in negative figures. I can see the point in it, and I know that some people need it but the way it is implemented and accessed means that the system gets abused. I can also see the point that prior to this people got on with it and didn't have EMA, but I think if the government at the time was pushing education, education, education then it needed to be willing to help people achieve. £2 is a very conservative estimate as a drink is going to cost you between 50p and a £1, and crisps are going to be another 50p, a sandwich is usually between £1 and £2.50. A sausage roll is £1.20 for reference, and a hot drink is about 80p.
Man if were talking expenses here, why arent people paying us to keep us in uni?! Aside from that, i can agree with matticus in the sense that some places need it for transport and food for underprivalidged (sp) families, which can help lighten the burden of going to college. But i believe it would be better giving these kind of kids, not money, but say a free bus pass, and getting lunch for free, at least you know this is how they spend their money, and are being fed well. When a kid could easily not have lunch, effecting his work possibly, and spend the money on other things i wont mention.
Where do you live? I want to go there to learn Sandwich = (up to) £2.20 Crisps = 70p Toffee Crisp = 50p Crappy cup of milky coffee (or bottle of water/Vimto in the summer) = £1 £5/day, 4 days a week, plus most spend £15/week for bus fare (yes, I'm a freeloader and get that for free as well) EDIT: for the record, I do have a part-time job as well
[rant start] A going to school bonus.. interesting... now if only they would give something like that here to the bone heads that did drop out.. oh wait! We do need those brainiacs working at mcdonalds and those geniuses at every other retail crap job... gotta keep the paid-slave class a-goin'! Slavery was not abolished, it was mearly shifted into different terms with pay grades... [rant over]
