Just to clear this up, students no longer receive extra bonuses on-top of their EMA as that was axed earlier this year.
I am on the last year of a full time BTEC course, and rely on the security EMA gives me. Unlike the stereotype students have been getting in regards to spending money on drugs amongst other things, I spend my money on transport and other commitments such as my phone. A mere £10 a month is spent from EMA on my phone, but none the less I am under a contract so I am unsure about how I am going to cover it when EMA ends. The main thing EMA money gets spent on is transport. I like to go town to meet friends via the train, but that is expensive and my parents wouldn't give me the money for this. The way EMA is billed is wrong. Saying that EMA encourages students to come into college makes students look bad. I would want to continue in education even if there was no student funding, but this still doesn't mean it is possible without it. The reason EMA is so beneficial for myself is that my parents believe that I should get a job if I want money, and they have always stood up to that argument if I am ever to ask for money from them. My full-time course means that the only free time I get is on the weekend, yet my course is completely coursework based so I have to use a lot of my free time working on college work, let alone a job. I hope my comment is heard and the doubtful few realise how important EMA is to young students.

For people who say that teenagers who receive the
EMA only spen it on drugs, cigs and alcohol, stop
labelling all teenagers, because not all students
who receive the EMA do that! - I receive EMA, and
I am thankfull for it, even if I didn't get it I
would still continue on in further education, ..
Yes I agree, some students do abuse the EMA they
get like my friend she gets £30 and spends it on
make-up and clothes and other things that will not
benifit her acedemically; and she spends it as soon
as she gets it, I spend my EMA on books for my sociology
course, stationary and art supplies, I use my EMA,
carfully, and only when I need it, the rest I put
into a savings account, to help me use in
university; which I am hoping to get into.

I find it appauling that people (who are obviously from a middle class
Background) feel the urge to say that students who
Receive EMA spend it stupidly, yes some people do
But that is the small majority.

Another thing I disagree in, is that everyone should get EMA
EMA is given to those whose parents can't financially fund
Their children, with books and travel ect. So why should
Students, whise parents can; be given it? When they don't need it.

????

My daughter is working has a prostitute to send my son to Stowe. My daughter is on her back most nights and it works out well for everybody. Even her clients say she works hard. More people should get up off their arses and onto their backs.

Samuel
22 October 2010 at 01:35
Quire right sweetie tell them, what studnet has ever wasted their money on drink ,drugs, ciggies or girlies.Most of my grant goes on those cheap Penquin classics like Mill on the floss!

I expect that it will become compulsory to stay on in education until age of 18. Probably that's why they kept child benefit for 16+ year olds.

Child Credit is still there for 16-18 yr olds. Perhaps they will increase it to compensate for the loss of EMA. No I thought not!

One final point. It was the Conservatives that re-branded the former Polys as Unis so don't try and pin that one on Labour.

I'm still trying to work out how we ended up with a coalition government... Perhaps a few parents aka voters forgot to vote for LABOUR!

This government will do what the thatcher and all previous cons excuse the pun.. governments have failed to do remind working class stainless steel spoon people, not to forget thier roots vote labour no matter what!

Students who get ema there parents get enough fuckung benifits so make you stingy parents pay for you.. What did you do before you started college!! They fucking paid for you so let them carry on.. Why should working parents still have to pay fir their kids when benifits people get everything for fuck sake!!! Makes me sick honestly.

An excellent article highlighting the true facts about EMA. My members, and their families rely on EMA and as a result of this crass and reckless decision, we face thousands of young people with the possibility of dropping out of education altogether.

At a time of record numbers of young people not in education, employment or training, I want to know how Michael Gove can look a young person in the eye and tell them he made this decision in their best interests. He will fail miserably. We will be marching on November 10th in protest of cuts to education, and I can guarantee that this Government will face the biggest backlash amongst further education students that they have ever seen.

Shane Chowen
Vice President (FE)
National Union of Students

and the only reason these people, who get EMA, come to college IS TO GET EMA - so do the people doing the survey not realise that the students are going to be opposed against getting £30 from the state each week for doing sweet FA? It's a joke.

I get ema to pay for my education i need this money i cannot turn to my parents and ask for money. I dont see why people get jealous when we get ema you can afford holidays clothes school trips ect we would much rather be in that situation its not fair if i dont get ema i cannot continue with my education i will need to get a job and will not have time for coursework

As soon as a 16 year old leaves school but wants to attend 6th form they are then classed as adults! They have to pay full fares on buses and trains. It costs my daughter £5 a day return just to get to school so that is nearly all of her EMA gone in one go. It is my understanding that all children have to stay on at school until they are 18 soon, so if they are stopping EMA, change the rules and give them free transport.

Heyy babe, Im gay too get in touch maybe we can talk a little and get to know each other if you know what I mean...

Why did Tony Blair make the ridiculous target that he wanted 50% of young people to go to Uni? This led to lots of useless degree courses starting off ( surfing !! ) and too many people going on to university that normally wouldn't have gone. This has back fired big time, as now we can't afford it. I feel really sorry for the bright people coming through school now who will decide not to go because the amount of debt they will be left with is far too high.I can't believe that any government can take this reckless action. Douglas " two brains " Willis or whatever he's called should be renamed " half a brain"! He calls trebling the tuition fees a good deal for students.

This is a silly risk- yes, there are teenagers that spend their EMA on drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, and slide through college rather than get a job, but I'd must rather we propped up that lazy minority (that are hardly going to overly achieve in life at a later date), knowing that bright young people with inquisitive minds and academic ambitions can pursue their quest for higher education.

If EMA stays, we get a few lazy college students living off a minute form of benefits, especially considering the benefits they could receive if they just took unemployment benefit anyway. If EMA stays, bright, underprivileged children will be allowed to flourish with a small, but significant, financial contribution.

If the EMA goes, these bright young stars of the tomorrow generation will not receive the opportunity to pursue higher education, and their ambitions will fester. If EMA goes, the lazy college student buying luxuries with their EMA and the intellectual from a working class background end up in exactly the same position- unemployed, disenfranchised and disillusioned. They shouldn't be in the same position because of the financial situations of their family; it is the government's social responsibility to promote education and increase the chances of intelligent young people getting into university, regardless of their background. Even a ruthless utilitarian can see the benefits!

To conclude, a ridiculous, misguided cut that I'm sure the government took all of ten minutes discussing amongst the other cuts, if that.

Frankly, I'm still undecided by EMA. I'm in my second year of college and I have a number of friends who pay for bus tickets and food with their EMA, the sole purpose of the money.
However, I know of a number of students who use their EMA for expensive and unnecessary clothes, alcohol and cigarettes. Plus, the reason they receive EMA in the first place is because their parents are divorced and they put forward only one household income. I also know of many people who aren't particularly hard up, but because they are an only child they get EMA.
There are obviously different cases all over the country, but I find that EMA generally needed at least a review, taking into account how many children are in the family and whether their parents are divorced.

"Will" you shut up! you really do have a very blinkered view of students receiving EMA. My son started this year at a music college to follow his dream of a career in music. i have no doubt that he has great ability and i want him to follow his dream. he doesn't smoke , doesn't do drugs and is very sensible and serious about the plans he has for his future. the £30 he receives in EMA , for which you have to attend every day be punctual and you have to make the required progress in your studies to be able to continue receiving this necessary benefit, otherwise you will be removed from the course of study you are followiing. my son is doing a 2 year B-TEC course in musicianship.he hopes to follow this by going onto higher education and gain a music degree. Will, i think you must be on drugs to have such a narrow-minded true blue view of teenagers today. you obviously haven't had a teenage life yourself. try speaking to some normal teenagers and stop reading the tabloids.

Here's one particular case from my experience that probably relates to many others.
My uncle and aunt are divorced and my uncle is a multi millionaire. He has a fancy car, big house in the suburbs, pool, tennis courts, you name it, but my aunt has an income of £13,000. My 3 cousins received £30 a week each in EMA through their education, Although they lived with both parents and my uncle supported them in any and every way with whatever they needed. How is that just? How is that fair? I'm glad it's gone. Good riddance.

In response to some of the very ignorant remarks made on here:

1)E M A bonuses no longer exist

2)How fortunate that person who cannot understand why some young people "suddenly" need money for books and dinners and bus fares, when they attend college,is!
I take it they never had to stand in line for a free school meal (not available in college). Or consider where the bus fare (80p each way in Greater Manchester) is coming from to travel to college (now their parents are under no legal obligation to ensure their child attends daily). Or have to find approx £50 for course compulsary text books in the first 2 weeks of college, as the college do not provide them!

Basicly there are young bright people in society still today, whose parents cannot afford these things, and more disturbing the even poorer ones whose parents will not provide them. This is the reason the money is paid to the young person and not their parent/parents.

Finally I would just like to point out to those kids who were in the "unfortunate" group not to be deemed poor enough to get this free money (because we all know how tough it must be to be living in a household of over £30,000 a year compared to one on just £8000), that the removal of EMA will effect their education also come next September.
In my area as many as 70% of students are in receipt of EMA, and when this is removed many of these will not be able to attend in September. Where I live college courses must meet a minimum number per class (about 15) or after about 5 weeks the class is axed! Yes, that is right, so all you unfortunates from your over £30,000 families may well see yourselves having to finish college next Autumn with just half an A Level!

The expression "what goes around comes around" springs to mind.:-)

By the way I am not an student, with an axe to grind.

@ Jamie because they have things like school uniform which doesn't require constant replacement also text books are provided at school and poorer children have access to free school meals. College is a lot more expensive!

The majority of EMA is not spent on 'crap' at least not in the case of my son and his friends at college! And when since was needing to eat and spending EMA towards food 'crap'? Some people have an inflated sense of self-importance here. Look, so what if this is a bribe? Would you rather go back to the days when 45% of pupils dropped out of their college courses, wandering the streets and causing trouble instead? Where there was a real risk of an attack on a teacher or pupil? That 'bribe' has improved behaviour in class, has improved punctuality, has improved homework and discipline and has given a great incentive for kids to stay in college instead of dropping out. You who rail against EMA would be the first to shout if marauding youths were walking around bored witless and destroying your property instead of being in college as they should be. EMA is a brilliant idea and should be preserved instead of giving nearly 10 billion in foreign aid (not that I'm against aid)pinch off a bit of that and give it to our poorest kids.

I beg pardon. NINE billion in foreign aid whilst stealing our children's education. Complete disgrace. I don't say don't help others but at a time when we're being asked to tighten our belts, I think the government should cut the foreign aid budget by at least half and give back to our children's future. Foreign aid can go back up again when it is sensible to do so.

I think we need EMA to pay for food and college stuff as some mums dont get money for children when they turn 16. Also, for me and many otheres only go to college/6 form to get EMA so attendance will drop more if they get id of it. Have thye actually got rid of it then??

My daughter is 15 and doing her A levels a year early. Next year she would have been able to claim EMA, at the moment I stuggle to make ends meet and I was relying on EMA to help my child get through her 6th form years as I am unsure if I will be able to afford all of the things she will need. I am on a low income and my daughter is a high achiever, this is a real blow to us as a family along with all the other cut backs that will effect us!!!! Looks like the rich are trying to keep the poor, POOR!!!!

Today my 25 year old son had his PhD viva and passed, so now he has a bio-medical PhD and can be called Doctor :D If he hadn't been able to get EMA when he was younger, then he might not have been able to go to college as we were not able to help him, both his father (now deceased) and I were on a very low income, and we did not give him any money after the age of 16. So without EMA would he have been celebrating today?

I have a daughter who is 15, I am not in a position to help her either, widowed parents allowance isn't very much, does this mean she won't be able to go to college and university as she wants to? I don't know.

EMA helps alot of students out. currently i'm saving up all the money i can from EMA for uni since uni fees are going to go up to.

as for Osbourne proposing a 4 billion pound increase in foreign aid. Why can't we help the people who's country it really is before helping the other countrys??? we all may aswell swap countrys with africa all the african people move here all of us move there maybe then the government will be happy with a more "ethnic society" yay.