Could you cope if Education Maintenance Allowance goes?

Sam claims £10 a week from the EMA and says she needs the money for travel

Students who receive the EMA have told Newsbeat how they'd cope if it's scrapped.

The government in England will vote tomorrow (19 January) on whether to end the scheme, though Scotland plans to keep paying the allowance.

The EMA is a grant scheme which allows up to 650,000 students from less well off families to claim up to £30 a week.

Newsbeat's been finding out how students who claim it will cope if it ends.

Paige Wickham, 17

"I get £30 a week and it's useful to travel in by bus, and buy any books and stationery I need.

"My mum doesn't earn very much and can't really pay for me and my sister to come so she'll have to try to find some other way to get to college.

"It would be quite a big impact.

I'd have to try to find a way to get more money, either asking my parents or my Nan. Maybe I could manage without it, but I don't really consider it a luxury."

"If I couldn't find a way to get more money then yes I would find it difficult to get in."

Sam Kerr, 18

"I get £10 a week and as I don't have a job at the moment I really rely on that.

"If I need money from my parents that's quite difficult as both of them don't earn much either.

"It's not that much, I'd prefer to get more, but it does come in handy.

"It'd be a pretty big impact if it goes, my parents can't really lend me any money and if they did I wouldn't be able to pay them back.

"If I didn't have the money to get into college, I wouldn't be able to come to college any more because I wouldn't be able to afford to get in."

Lauren Seeney, 16

"I get £30 a week and I'm saving it at the moment so I can learn to drive when I'm 17.

"It wouldn't be that bad, but next year I'd like to get a car, and I won't really be able to get it if I don't have the money."

Wesley Reid, 16

"I get £30 a week, it comes in handy. I just save it, I get £20 from my parents.

"I spend it on clothes most of the time. Trackies and trainers and everything.

"I spend it on whatever I like."

Michael Breacker, 17

"If I didn't have EMA it'd be a lot harder to get to college.

"I'd either stop going in for days because I wouldn't be able to make it, or I wouldn't be able to get to college at all.

"People won't be able to get to college.

"People in courses such as photography or catering won't be able to pay for the equipment they need.

"It is very important. We are the future, if the government is not willing to put money in then they can deal with the consequences which will not be good."

Vote on plans to cut EMA grant