[Boothy]

EMA will close to new applicants from January 2011. Learner support funds will be available through schools, colleges and training providers to help students who most need it to continue in learning. If you currently get EMA you will continue to receive it for the rest of this academic year, but you will not receive it next academic year

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio.../EMA/index.htm

Hope they replace it with something though. I get EMA and haven't spent a penny of it this year, saving it all so I can do work experience in America once I'm at uni. I don't need it but I'm not gonna say no to free money.

Having said that, there are people who I know who genuinely do need it. Granted, not £30 a week, but I'm pretty sure they'd struggle getting to and from college, buying all their books and stationery without some financial help. Instead of giving students cash in their pocket, they should give them free bus/train passes and provide them with stationary and paper. Something like that.