When I asked what EMA was, I was informed, "It's money from the government for going to school." Eh? School pupils get paid to go to school? "Not everyone gets it," I was told, "depends on how much parents earn." A well-informed teenager proceeded to explain the intricacies of applying for EMA.
EMA is available to older school children throughout the UK and costs the taxpayer well in excess of £500 million. With today's financial problems this is one of these policies which should be binned. The handout is £30 a week for up to 42 weeks a year.
If a child doesn't want to go to school they won't go. Any youngster of 16+ will receive far more than £30 a week from unemployment benefit. Paying children to attend school (because this is an attendance payment, not a performance one), is teaching our young nothing about the value of money except it could well grow on trees.
I do want a socially responsible society and government but this is a step too far.
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