Education Maintenance Allowances: 2013-14

3. Analysis and Interpretation

3.1 Recipients of EMA

In 2013-14 there were 34,955 young people who received EMA payments, a decrease of 1.6% (560) from 35,515 in 2012-13. The majority (69% or 24,195) of EMA recipients accessed the scheme while studying at a Scottish school, with the remaining 31% (10,760) attending a Scottish college (see Table 1). Of the EMA recipients whose gender was recorded during the 2013-14 academic year 49% (16,920) were male, compared to 51% (17,625) that were female^[1].

Of all school pupils in Scotland aged 16 to 19 years old, 34% (24,195) received an EMA payment in 2013-14 (see Table 1).

3.1.1 Gender

Figure 1 below allows comparison between the number of males and females that received an EMA payment according to which type of institution they attended.

Figure 1: Young People in Receipt of EMA by Institution Type and Gender: 2006-07 to 2013-14

[See Table 1]

Figure 1 shows that the difference between the number of male and female EMA recipients has been gradually decreasing since 2008-09 for both school and college students, to almost equal levels in 2013-14. The total number of school pupils receiving EMA in 2013-14 is the highest level seen in the last four academic years. At the same time, the number of college students receiving EMA has continued to steadily decline. This may be linked to the increase over recent years in the number of pupils staying on at school to S5 and S6.

3.1.2 Age

Figure 2 shows a time series of the different age groups that receive EMA in schools and colleges. Young people cannot receive EMA until they reach school leaving age. For data collection purposes age is recorded on 30^th September each academic year, therefore there are some 15 year olds recorded as receiving EMA.

Figure 2: Young People in Receipt of EMA by Age: 2006-07 to 2013-14

[see Table 2]

As in previous years, the majority of EMA recipients were 16 years old (16,670 people: 48%). 18-year-olds make up the smallest number of EMA recipients (1,935 people: 6%).

There was an increase in the number of 16 year olds receiving EMA in 2013-14 (up 2%, 395 young people) when compared to 2012-13. However, there were decreases across all other age groups; 345 less 15-year-olds (down 6%), 420 less 17-year-olds (down 4%), and 240 less 18+-year-olds (down 11%).

3.1.3 Deprivation

The majority of those in receipt of EMA are from non-deprived areas and therefore patterns for this group have tended to drive overall trends in EMA figures over the years. The proportion of EMA recipients living in Scotland's 20% most deprived areas in 2013-14 was the highest on record at 34.0.% (11,875). This is an increase of 1 percentage point since the previous year and 5.2 percentage points since 2006-07.

Figure 3 shows the numbers of EMA recipients by deprivation area.

Figure 3: Young People in Receipt of EMA by Institution Type and Deprivation Background: 2006-07 to 2013-14

[see Table 3]

3.2 EMA Spend

3.2.1 Total Spend

The total spend on EMAs in 2013-14 was £28.2 million, an increase of £0.4 million from £27.8 in 2012-13. The increase was driven by an increase in spend for school pupils (up £0.9 million from £19.5 million to £20.4 million), while spend for college students decreased over the same period (down £0.5 million from £8.3 million to £7.9 million). The proportion of EMA spend paid out to school pupils in 2013-14 was 72% compared to 70% in 2012-13 (Table 5).

3.2.2 Average Spend (excluding bonus payments)

Figure 4 charts the development of the EMA scheme's average annual spend per person (student/pupil) in each of the last eight academic years. Average EMA spend was calculated by dividing the total weekly payments paid out by the number of people who received an EMA payment each year. Weekly payments have been used instead of total spend to allow comparisons with previous years' data. This is because bonus payments ceased as of the 2010-11 EMA scheme (detailed in Tables 4 and 5).

Figure 4: Average EMA Spend (3) per Person by Institution Type: 2006-07 to 2013-14

[see Table 5]

The above graph shows that the average EMA spend per person increased in 2013-14 (£25 higher than in 2012-13). Average EMA spend has steadily risen in previous years, with the exception of a slight dip in 2012-13. At £808 per person, the average spend is 19% higher than in the 2006-07 academic year. The differences in average spend between 2006-07 and 2013-14 are summarised in the table below.

Table A	2006-07			2013-14			Increase
	Number	Weekly Payments	Average Payment	Number	Weekly Payments	Average Payment
School	24,430	17,975,080	£736	24,195	20,374,920	£842	£106
College	13,050	7,455,005	£571	10,760	7,859,705	£730	£159
Total	37,480	25,430,085	£678	34,955	28,234,625	£808	£129

One explanation for these average increases is the removal of the £10 and £20 payment levels after 2008-09. Since all students now receive the maximum £30 weekly payment, the average spend per person would be expected to be higher in subsequent academic years.