[molybecks]

Ok, so i get EMA, *waits for it*- as do lots of people in my college do.

However, if ever i tend to mention like 'the ema goes in today' (for example) you always get one person say 'your robbing the system', and i never really know what to reply as i don't really understand the system.

Now, on someone's status on facebook one friend had a status like 'grr ema is unfair, we should all have it', so i saw the comments and 1 person said it's for people's parents who cant put dinner in front of their kids, so i commented saying that's untrue and now loads of people are commenting saying how it's unfair we get ema etc .

Does anyone else get this sort of hassle? It's really quite annoying and making me seem like a thief!

[Charlie Coo]

Tell them to f off!

[humphryb]

Is it really worth getting worked up about?

[jamcake]

Originally Posted by molybecks

Ok, so i get EMA, *waits for it*- as do lots of people in my college do.

However, if ever i tend to mention like 'the ema goes in today' (for example) you always get one person say 'your robbing the system', and i never really know what to reply as i don't really understand the system.

Now, on someone's status on facebook one friend had a status like 'grr ema is unfair, we should all have it', so i saw the comments and 1 person said it's for people's parents who cant put dinner in front of their kids, so i commented saying that's untrue and now loads of people are commenting saying how it's unfair we get ema etc .

Does anyone else get this sort of hassle? It's really quite annoying and making me seem like a thief!

Robbing the system? Tell them to **** right off!!!!

Say to them, word for word:

"What is this, sour grapes? You have NO idea what I spend that money on and not all of us have daddy's wage to 'rob off'"

What a cheek.

Also, how is it your fault that the government have implemented this scheme? If you're not eligible for it, you don't need it - so why are they moaning?

[evamoo]

if kids arent getting ema, surely that means their parents are on a fair whack of money? poor little rich kids?

your not robbing the system, your getting what the system allows you.

[lovedoctor1978]

As far as I am concerned, if you are entiteled to it, take it. Its the ones who lie through thier teeth to get this, that and the other I have the issues with.

[poppypinkie]

Originally Posted by jamcake

Robbing the system? Tell them to **** right off!!!!

Say to them, word for word:

"What is this, sour grapes? You have NO idea what I spend that money on and not all of us have daddy's wage to 'rob off'"

What a cheek.

Also, how is it your fault that the government have implemented this scheme? If you're not eligible for it, you don't need it - so why are they moaning?

This!!

You get ema because you have been means-tested and you are entitled to it.

They don't get ema because they have been means-tested and aren't entitled to it.

While you're at it tell them to grow the f*** up!

[Hogzilla]

Jealous aren't they! Spend it on something great and FLAUNT it.

[Hypnodisc]

The EMA thing is a real mute point..

There are two main problems with the means tested system:

• Families who's income threshold is just slightly above 30k
• Kids (like I was) that only received £5 pocket money a week, despite my parents earning double the EMA threshold

[Barbella]

You are right to be offended.

You are entitled to that money, it is there to support you through your education.

Their comments are patronising and untrue, and fail to grasp that not everyone is fortunate to have two parents in full time, well paid employement to cushion their road through life.

Everyone takes from the state. In fact they have enjoyed a free state eduction , free medical care...

Tell them to keep their narrow minded, class riddled opinions to themselves and come back and talk to you when they have grown up.

[magnetictiger]

Benefits evoke very strong emotions in people, I'd just ignore them. If you feel that morally there isn't anything wrong with claiming, then what others' think shouldn't make you feel bad. That said, just don't have people as friends on facebook if they make you feel bad.

[poppypinkie]

Originally Posted by Hypnodisc

The EMA thing is a real mute point..

There are two main problems with the means tested system:

• Families who's income threshold is just slightly above 30k
• Kids (like I was) that only received £5 pocket money a week, despite my parents earning double the EMA threshold

Do you mean moot? Even if so, your point doesn't really stand.

There has to be a cut-off point for any payment. That's life. If you're income is just above it then tough shit. It's above the cut-off.

If you only got £5 a week pocket money that's between you and your parents. I trust you weren't paying for all your food, your keep, and your travel yourself?

[Hypnodisc]

Originally Posted by poppypinkie

Do you mean moot? Even if so, your point doesn't really stand.

There has to be a cut-off point for any payment. That's life. If you're income is just above it then tough shit. It's above the cut-off.

If you only got £5 a week pocket money that's between you and your parents. I trust you weren't paying for all your food, your keep, and your travel yourself?

I had to pay for some of the things ESA is designed to pay for - including transport (I got a lift there, but I had to make my own way back so I usually ended up walking for an hour and a half) rather than wasting what precious little I had on the bus.

Also I got my own materials etc.

The other thing that strikes me with ESA over other benefits, is the lack of fraud-checking. It's not part of DWP at all, and they are far less stringent. My friend had it and said that checks were really weak. Also there was someone in the class who's parents owned a business.. you wouldn't have imagined that would qualify them for ESA?

I'm not saying ESA is a bad thing, and I can't think of any practical solutions off the top of my head - but certainly I felt a bit disgruntled at the system at the time (although not at my friends or classmates)

[poppypinkie]

Originally Posted by Hypnodisc

I had to pay for some of the things ESA is designed to pay for - including transport (I got a lift there, but I had to make my own way back so I usually ended up walking for an hour and a half) rather than wasting what precious little I had on the bus.

Also I got my own materials etc.

The other thing that strikes me with ESA over other benefits, is the lack of fraud-checking. It's not part of DWP at all, and they are far less stringent. My friend had it and said that checks were really weak. Also there was someone in the class who's parents owned a business.. you wouldn't have imagined that would qualify them for ESA?

I'm not saying ESA is a bad thing, and I can't think of any practical solutions off the top of my head - but certainly I felt a bit disgruntled at the system at the time (although not at my friends or classmates)

That's between you and your parents.

And the thing about parents owning their own business and qualifying for ema, some businesses are small and not that profitable. If their salaries are lower than the cut-off then so be it, they qualify.

I don't know much about the checks but I don't think youngsters should be displaying sour grapes over others who do receive ema.

TBH its really only youngsters who would do such a thing.

They can't compute that a youngster receiving a few extra quid every week is not actually better off than those who live in a more comfortable, larger house in a nicer area with more disposable income coming into the house which usually means better food, driving lessons, nicer clothes, toiletries paid for by parents, family holidays etc.

[varialectio]

Originally Posted by molybecks

However, if ever i tend to mention like 'the ema goes in today' (for example) y....(

Thats called "Rubbing people's noses in it". You get something they don't, they think the systems unfair and get upset.

Learn sensitivity!

[birdsong]

Originally Posted by poppypinkie

That's between you and your parents.

And the thing about parents owning their own business and qualifying for ema, some businesses are small and not that profitable. If their salaries are lower than the cut-off then so be it, they qualify.

I don't know much about the checks but I don't think youngsters should be displaying sour grapes over others who do receive ema.

TBH its really only youngsters who would do such a thing.

They can't compute that a youngster receiving a few extra quid every week is not actually better off than those who live in a more comfortable, larger house in a nicer area with more disposable income coming into the house which usually means better food, driving lessons, nicer clothes, toiletries paid for by parents, family holidays etc.

Not every child who doesn't get ema is living in those surroundings though. How do they feel when they know that the student getting EMA is spending it weekly in Topshop, or that the other student getting EMA's dad has an executive job in London?

[poppypinkie]

Originally Posted by birdsong

Not every child who doesn't get ema is living in those surroundings though. How do they feel when they know that the student getting EMA is spending it weekly in Topshop, or that the other student getting EMA's dad has an executive job in London?

No, of course not. Some are though.

That I don't believe.

[birdsong]

Originally Posted by poppypinkie

No, of course not. Some are though.

That I don't believe.

It is a fact, the parents were divorced but nonetheless the natural father could afford anything the child might have needed.

I know that these cases are probably in the minority but they do account for why some resent those getting the EMA.

[Sarahnash1988]

Originally Posted by varialectio

Thats called "Rubbing people's noses in it". You get something they don't, they think the systems unfair and get upset.

Learn sensitivity!

Or the people that dont get it should just learn to grow up!!!

[Jay Bigz]

Tip 1 - Stop announcing this kind of information on your facebook account for everybody to see.

Tip 2 - Disregard these childish comments and laugh, or stand your ground and state the reasons as to why you need it.

[paul.fisher]

I personally don't think any child/young adult/whatever should be given an allowance by the governement to stay in education. If that is what the person choses to do then excellent, but get a part time job to subsidise your life during further education.

And if anyone starts questioning how do people fit in work and education then please don't bother. Thousands upon thousands have done so before this scheme and thousands upon thousands will continue to do so when the scheme is scrapped.

Funny, the government is planning on making cutbacks in education/health/transport etc etc, and yet they persist in giving away money like this!

The world is a mad mad place. Getting paid to be in school. What a lot of old s**t

(What I would say though is if you do get it, then great. I'm not saying people shouldn't take it if its given to them I'm saying they shouldnt have it in the first place!)

[jodzybob]

EMA was introduced to encourage bright kids to go onto further education instead of getting a job to help support the family. Its a good idea.
Granted, there are plenty of people who get it who don't necessarily need it, but thats not your fault. Tell them if theyve got a problem then sign a petition

[trevalyan]

i had never even heard of it until i wandered in here, i had to Google it

sounds like a good gig though

[MadameLaMinx]

Originally Posted by paul.fisher

I personally don't think any child/young adult/whatever should be given an allowance by the governement to stay in education. If that is what the person choses to do then excellent, but get a part time job to subsidise your life during further education.

And if anyone starts questioning how do people fit in work and education then please don't bother. Thousands upon thousands have done so before this scheme and thousands upon thousands will continue to do so when the scheme is scrapped.

Funny, the government is planning on making cutbacks in education/health/transport etc etc, and yet they persist in giving away money like this!

The world is a mad mad place. Getting paid to be in school. What a lot of old s**t

(What I would say though is if you do get it, then great. I'm not saying people shouldn't take it if its given to them I'm saying they shouldnt have it in the first place!)

While I can see your viewpoint, there are very few work opportunities for young people available. I dearly wish such a scheme had been available when I were younger. I could have been in a very different place than I am now.

[mel1213]

I can see both sides of this - I know there are people for who the EMA was really needed and was used to fund students' bus fares/lunches/supplies etc but then there were equally students who 'wasted' it on going out, buying new clothes etc. I'm at Uni now so it doesn't affect me any more but when I was at school my parents earned over the EMA threshold so I got nothing. I didn't expect them to shell out £30 of their money to me every week - they might have decent jobs and be able to afford to live a comfortable life but that doesn't mean they had a spare £30 a week for me and my brother and I don't like asking my parents for money, they earned it and it was up to them to decide if they wanted to give it to me, not for me to go asking for it.

My parents used to give me a monthly allowance of £50 - which I would use to pay my own way for pretty much everything outside of the "basics" and if I wanted any more money then I would have to pick up extra shifts at my part time job. So sometimes it would be frustrating to sit in school and listen to other students saying "Oh the EMA goes in today, I can get those new shoes and have some money to go out this weekend," while I was spending my weekend working to earn the extra money if I wanted to go out.

And before anyone accuses me of whining, I don't begrudge people the money but just because my parents earn more money and are therefore over the threshold doesn't mean that they will give the money to me.