EMA is unfair..?

Question

I'm not intitled to EMA because apparently my parents earn too much.

They thing is, with 4 younger brothers, I never get ANY money off my parents, and they actually do struggle anyway.

I've been working since I was 15 everyday after school as we live somewhere remote and I have to get the train to college every single day, which costs around £400 per 3 months.

I pay for this all myself and also all my books i need during education, and due to this, i may have to drop out of college next september as I'm really not going to be able to keep affording it.

Yet my friend has a dad who lives in sandbanks and gets £500 pound into her bank account everyweek, but still gets the whole £30, due to her parents being seperated and her mum being self employed (although she earns more than my parents)

This is really just a moan.. as i dont find it fair..

the £30 i would get would go towards education.. and not new clothes.

Answer 1

Isn't it something like if your parents earn more than £30,000 then you don't get anything?

surely your parents should be well for money if there earning that much

i recon that girls probably lied to ema

if she gets £500 in her everyweek then she would certainly not be allowed any ema

and if her parents earn over £30,000 then she shouldn't be getting any money then!

i recon shes commiting forgery (don't know how to spell it) because she wouldn't get £30 if she got £500 everyweek anyway seriously

Answer 2

Her Mum is the main caregiver and probably keeps her salary low whilst taking the majority of her pay in dividends that are not part of her salary and therefore need not be included or declared.

EMA is not fair I agree with you. It shouldn't exist in the first place. The gift young people are getting is an education. If they don't want it then fine they need to go out and get a job. If the government wasn't wasting money bribing young people to stay on at school it could spend that money on buying books and materials and paying for travel passes for young people who want to be in education.

In many ways I feel that it's my generation that should apologise for making such a mess of the education system. Comes as no surprise that the man in charge is called Balls....how appropriate. At the end of the day you will become a much better person than your friend because you'll realise the value of what you have and the struggle will make the rewards much more sweet.

Keep in there.

Answer 3

I'm afraid that the moral of this story is, "life's a b***h", and as u go thro life u will find many more of these sorts of inconsistences i'm sad to say. but good luck, and well done for continuing with ur education, despite ur difficulties.

Answer 4

Yeah you will find that the system in the UK is set up to punish hard working people & penalise them in benefits & pensions.  The system actually pays more to people who don't deserve it.  

It's not how it should be at all but that's how it is.  The main people to lose out are those who work & on the lower income scale.

Answer 5

The Education Maintenance Allowance is unfair. I'm not able to claim EMA either as your parents wage has to be a very low wage. The Government seem to be penalizing the hard working and those that do bot all get lots of benefits.

Answer 6

It IS seriously unfair. i don't get ema, because my dad owns a buisness, but the wages they look at so i dont get ema, is the buisnesses money, they don't look at how much my dad has for income.

We are now selling our house as we can't afford to live here. I am working saturday jobs and throughout summer to be able to afford the college books and go next year.

It is seriously unfair, esp my friend whose parents are split, she gets ema and £100 pocket money. My mates are always out shopping with their ema and ema bonuses (£100 bloody bonus) and i'm stuck at home as i can't afford travel costs this summer.

Answer 7

I don't know if you've done this already, but your college and local council might have some fares assistance schemes, especially if you live in a rural area.