Save EMA is a progressive political campaign. It aims to provide a voice to over half a million of the poorest young people in Britain, who face the potential loss of the vital Education Maintenance Allowance.
About EMA
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a means-tested allowance of between £10 and £30, paid to 16- to 19-year-olds who stay on in education.
Rolled out nationally in September 2004, EMA is intended to help with the cost of books, travel, equipment or anything useful to the continuation of learning. It’s paid straight into the pupil’s bank account, not their parents or their college, giving them independence and forcing them to take charge of a small weekly budget. The payments are under the condition that they attend classes regularly. If the pupil works hard or achieves good grades, there is the opportunity to earn bonuses.
EMA is available to 16-19 year olds who come from low income families and whose household’s net income is below £30,000 pa. There is an additional grant for those students from families household income is up to and below £20,000 pa. EMA currently exists all across the UK although the administering of it is devolved to the regional parliaments of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
About Save EMA
The Save EMA campaign aims to:
- Get every party to be as clear as possible about where they stand on EMA;
- Get those parties who oppose EMA to change their policy;
- Give a voice to those students currently receiving EMA to enable them to express support for it;
- Increase awareness of EMA and its benefits.
- Get a vote on EMA in parliament, so it is shown the same attention as tuition fees.
- Fight the cuts to EMA by any peaceful means possible!
About what Save EMA has achieved so far…
Save EMA was set up in Novermber 2009 to protect EMA once the school leaving age is raised to 18, and we succeeded in lobbying the previous government to commit in March 2010 to keep EMA “up to and beyond” the time the school leaving age is raised. We also managed to get David Cameron and Micahel Gove on record to also commit to supporting EMA. Then once elected we managed to get Nick Gibb, the Tory Minister responsble for EMA to commit the new government to supporting EMA.
So you can see why we are angry! Because as of October 2010 in the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Tory-led government announced plans to scrap EMA by removing 90% of it funding.
We have succeeded in raising awareness of EMA, and making it a major issue.
There was not going to be a vote on EMA like the one on tuition fees in December 2010, because its classed as departmental spending. So we lobbied the Labour party to make sure there was one by an email campaign, and we succeeded. There was a vote on EMA on 19th January 2011, although we did not win the vote, the campaign continues by other methods now there is plans a foot for a legal challenge supported by our trade union colleagues to fight the government in the courts.
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I need eMA!
this would not be good this is to help me get to college by travel and it is to help me provide for the courses if i dont get my EMA i will not be able to continue my education meaning i woould not get to get the grades i need for universty meaning no future thank you peoplle who are helping and dont give up YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD NOT SUFFER ECSPECIALLLY THE POOR TEENAGERS OF THE UK
The idea of EMA is, in principle, a good one. In the words of the Learner Support Service, “EMA is intended to cover the costs incurred through attendance in learning”. In reality, a lot of students spend their EMA on going out, drinking, smoking and shopping. Don’t tell me that’s not true, I work in a college and I hear the students talking about it. I’d like to think it’s the minority, I do also hear kids that can’t afford lunch when their EMA is delayed.
I fully support EMA for those students that GENUINELY need it and will spend it on transport, lunch and books etc. My Mum’s single (low) wage just managed to pay for everything I needed when I went to college (before EMA existed). EMA would have been really nice so my Mum could have kept some of the money she spent on my lunch and transport etc. I resorted to getting text books for Birthday presents!
I would prefer a system that gave out the same amount of money but in vouchers/tokens that could only be spent on appropriate things. The regulations should definately be stricter.
I love EMA plaese dont take it away from me!
The problem is, most politicians have a Marie Antionette view on things. They’re upper class and have absolutely no idea how the working class live.
I mean, don’t they realise how many teens will drop out of school because of this?
The government is making life worse for those who cannot afford to lose things like this. I come from a family which needs EMA. Without it, I will not be able to get what I do today, money is already short in my home and without this we will really struggle. As well as this, they are also cutting up to 4,000 jobs or so I believe, including my mom’s work. If she loses her job we will not be able to afford to keep the house and will have no where to go.
Please, everyone save the EMA, and stop the governement making life better for those who are higher up in the money and worse for those who struggle… We need all your help…
I think that taking EMA away is the worst thing the government could do. I will have to drop out as my transport costs are paid using my EMA. I am not bothered about the £100 bonuses being scrapped but if they scrap the weekly payments it will affect the future for me. This is not a good idea as more students will not be able to go to college anymore, therefore less qualifications, no university (even that is becoming impossible as i won’t be able to afford that). The future economy will be damaged long-term.
I think people who moan about EMA are rediculous as they moan because they don’t get it and are jealous (we only get it if we qualify and if you didn’t qualify then you can obviously afford costs). Not everyone abuses it (i don’t waste 1 penny and i spend it on things like stationary and revision guides) so stop moaning as i, and many students out there actually need it and i don’t know what some students will end up like if it is scrapped.
It is not a good idea at all (even my economics teacher agrees!)
DO NOT TAKE EMA WE NEED IT WE LIVE IN BOXES JUST CUZ ALL THE MP ARE RICH DOE MEAN TO SAY THAT WE AM
VOTE LABOUR
If they took EMA from us students at college’s all around the borough will leave the course. They obvoisly need to have money to live on, so will have to there-fore end up working. Meaning that there will be way less nurse’s/doctors/police/etc. It’s not just us losing out it’s the whole of the community.
If my EMA is taken away from me I can’t afford to get into school, let alone pay for the books and equipment
EMA should not be stopped because people won’t want to come to college. I need my ema because this gives me an insentive to learn.
I feel that if EMA is taken away I would be more enclined to go and get a lower class job which would not help me in later life. EMA is an insentive for me to learn and I don’t want it to be scrapped.
I do not agree with the cuts that are being made and I don’t think it’s fair because my generation didn’t cause this problem and I don’t want us young people who are in education to lose out.
I only receive ten pounds of EMA a week so it doesn’t really effect me to much, but I still think it’s unfair to take it away and I think instead of it being taken away I should recieve more due to high cost of living in society today.
I think that I should be able to get money if i’m attending training it’s my insentive to learn.
I feel that if EMA is stopped people will leave education and find jobs, however people will not be getting an education and qualifications which would then have an inpact on our future.
I think that if EMA is stopped not a lot of people will go into further education. I know that if my EMA is stopped I will leave education and look for a job.
I am disappointed with the thought of ema being scrapped because this helps young people to take ownership of money.
I think that if EMA is scrapped nobody will want to learn. I wouldn’t attend college I would look for a job.
I think if Ema is taken away it will discourage young people to want to learn. EMA haelps to be responsible for my money.
I think that if EMA is scrapped it’s out of order as it helps me get by. I will not be happy.
I don’t recieve EMA but I don’t think it’s fair to be taken away as some people need it.
This should not happen because people need the money for books and stuff for college. This is not fair.
This can not happen because I feel that people rely on their ema this is my insentive to learn and having the ema helps me get by.
If EMA stops I will stopp attending college and go on the dole and that would then cost more.
It does bother me that ema might be taken away but I would still atteend my college but I would need to find a job.
i would be very disappointed if ema was to be taken away because this gives young people an insentive to attend college. i fink ema as help me maintain a good level of attendance.
The government is a disgrace. They should be encouraging young people to stay in higher education.. most people can’t afford to spend 2-3 years of their life in education with no support. I will be forced to drop out if EMA is dropped
Politicians obviously don’t know what ema does, without it many students wouldnt be able to provide themselves with the things they need for school, they wouldnt be able to go on different courses, this is restricting eduaction for the less wealthy, this is definatly not right for those who want to succeed but dont have the money. I myself as a student would suffer without ema, and so would many others, and then they go on about Anti social behaviour etc..?of course that will increase if students dont bother going to school,what else will they do? Im very annoyed at what they plan to do,and if they go through with it i know many people will not bother with their education as they dont have the money,and most likely drop out of school because of embarsment of not having the money.
I know people who rely off EMA, they need to give the £30 to their parents every week for food. How the government can take this away I really do not know. We’re the future generation to try and keep these countries on their feet, don’t take our helping hand away from us. I was planning to buy a car next year- but without EMA, with what money? It’s not like it’s easy for me to get a job in a small town whilst being on a full time level 3 course. Students need this money more than it’s realised.
My family do not have a lot of money, so this helps me with things like textbooks, travel and lunch.
Some people take advantage of it and buy things they are not supposed too. But others, like myself, rely on this money to stay in education – and in a time of such economical chaos would it not be better to encourage children to stay in school?
If this money was taken away from me, I would have to leave school, i could no longer go to Uni like I had planne, but would have to settle for another job – if i could even find one.
The government need to realise how many people need this money.
This is not right taking EMA away. My mum struggles atm to pay for bills… and now they’re cutting child tax credits and EMA
Most of my friends who get EMA will not be able to get to college, My friends who have to travel to and from cambridge rely on EMA to pay for bus fayre. And theres no way we will be able to get jobs as we get too much school work to do. This is absolutely rediculous, way to go tories, destroying everything, leaving us in a mess just like you did some few years ago…
My 16 year old son, who started college Sept 2010 applied for EMA in July of this year. He was told he did not qualify for EMA because our joint household income in the previous tax year was more than the means tested income allowed. However, in May 2010 I was made redundant, reducing our household income significantly and bringing us within the allowance where EMA would be granted. Show me the fairness in this assessment! When circumstances change and people are most in need, EMA assessment does not work. Although I accept that £10-£30 per week is certainly valuable to students, the way it is currently assessed is highly unfair and in my opinion needs to be reviewed anyway. DON’T scrap EMA but DO replace it with something that is fair for all!
Without it i would not be at Uni now and my brother would not be able to go to college. im doing it for my brother and sisters. SAVE EMA!!!!!!!!!!
Someone give me a good enough reason why EMA is being scrapped? £10-£30 a week is nothing compared to how much the goverment takes from our parents taxes. My parents havent got enough money to give me enough for lunch and travel to collage i have to provide for myself, homeless people are getting paid for what? sitting on the street and being alcoholics but yet again were not going to be paid for being in education and trying to make something out of our lives, unlike some people some off us want a career and thats not possible without the training and courses we take nowadays. THEY SHOULD KEEP EMA GOING BECAUSE I CAN HONESTLY SAY NO TEENAGER WILL BE IN EDUCATION EVERYONE WILL BE ON THE STREET MAKING TROUBLE COLLAGES WILL LOOSE OUT OF STUDENTS. WE GIVE UP OUR TIME AND EFFORT ON COMING TO COLLAGE TO HAVE A GOOD FUTURE, UNLIKE SOME KIDS FINISHING SCHOOL AND DOING NOTHING BUT GETTING IN AND OUT OFF PRISON.
I left college over three years ago but truly believe in The EMA.I would have applied for college regardless but It made life so much easier for me to go to college. Its 2010 everyone should have the right to an education. Give people a chance to make their lives better. Save the EMA.
I genuinely cannot imagine continuing sixth form studies if ema is cut, I just can’t see where the necessary money’s going to come from. We can’t get it off our parent(s) like other young people. This is attacking the poorest, whilst conserving the status of the privileged!
Don’t push us!
EMA IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON’T TAKE IT AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got £30 a week from EMA when i was at college. (im 19 and have gone into full time work)
Ema really did help! My parents have split up, i live with my mum (who dosn’t earn much at all) My dad is a Billingsgate Fishporter who is going to be me made redundant sometime in the near future.
I think its disgusting that the goverment want to get rid of EMA. Without it further education will not be possible for thousands of students who want a good education. It’s not fair on those who want to go into a successful carrer later on in life.
Funding my college course was a struggle, without EMA i wouldnt have been able to continue further education.
I’m doing this for every student out there now and for students of the future
p.s sorry for any spelling mistakes lol
Why scrap it? I don’t think cameron has realised all of us are the future, we are what will keep the country going. If he doesn’t help us why should we help him?
Why have a conservative government in a recession?! People are losing jobs and having to scrape to make ends meet so why have a government that doesnt give a flying monkeys about the poor?! Basically we can all see how drastically ema affects peoples lives so we need to get that message across to the government. Seeing the protests today I was sorry people got heart but at least our voice was heard! That story will now make headlines tommorow, a peaceful march would be a column. Sorry about the rant but seeing all those comments brought out the lefty in me!
Always fight for freedom.
I agree with the concept of EMA completely. however i dont get it. i feel like i am loosing out when i look at my peers who have EMA and they are able to go out each weekend, or go shopping. i can do none of these things because im deemed “to rich” but i dont see how parents of 2 earning 42000+/year can afford to give their kids the equivilent of 30 pounds a week. i also know people who live with one parent, but have everything paid for them by their other parent who doesnt live with them. i find this unfair and think the money that goes to them should go to the lower end of the people deemed “too rich”.
EMA…. What is it… EMA is a support fund for people aged between 16-18 who are studying in Further Education which is for the use of transport, books and materails etc. Now yeah i’ll admit when I was at college on EMA, I used it for Petrol to help me get to college, buy resources and materials…. and on the odd occassion I used it for other things…. Now the thing EMA… how are you expecting LOW INCOME families to provide money to get their children to college? You say they can get a job, however there are no part time jobs which 16-18 yr olds can get. Why take away the EMA….. Shouldn’t we be looking at taking about something else such as BENEFITS which people don’t need they just pull the wool over the eyes of whoever agrees the application!!
SAVE EMA!! I work within a College where it is needed by students on a LOW INCOME and NO JOBS!!
It’s because of these massively unfair cuts that sums of money people desperately need will soon be no more. In our case, EMA is something we really need to live on; for many 16-19 year olds there is no other way for them without EMA and we need it to get by in our education.
i have to pay for my buspass whihc is £25 every month. without the ema i will not be able to buy this. and then there are a a load of books that i will be needing over the next couple of months. these books range from £20-£30. i dont see me getting 36 points in the IB if the EMA is stopped which mens that there wont be any computer science degreee for me
As a single parent with ill health and on a low income, my son depended on the full EMA allowance. It freed him to spend time on his studies and gave him a sense of independence. He gained 3 A levels at ‘A’ grade and then read English and Philosophy at Bristol University. Now 27, he works as a journalist and producer for an American news organization. His success depended entirely on gaining top grades at A level and therefore subsequent admission to a leading university – an impossible target, if he’d been struggling to combine both working and studying.
WE NEED EMA I THINK WITHOUT EMA THERES GOING TO BE MORE CRIMES COZ THEY DONT HAVE MONEY IF YOU WANT ENGLAND TO BE CORRUPT THEN GO AHEAD BUT I ADVICE YOU TO KEEP EMA
I am one of the students in college that actually use me ema to pay for transport! If EMA is stopped i will be dropping out of college therefore stopping education as i have no other way to oay for my transport. I think that a lot of people will have to give up their hopes of good jobs when they are older as they, like me do not have the money to fund our travel. EMA was probably the only good thing about the Goverment, even though the bonuses have been stopped this year!
I need EMA to get me through college, without it I wont be able to afford the things I need for my course. If this happens I will be kicked out and wont be able to get a job and deprivation levels will rise as Im sure im not the only person woth this problem.
If I don’t get ema I wont be able to afford collage and I definitely wont be able to go to university. If it stops my future is ruined.