Education Maintenance Allowances: 2014-15

EMAs provide financial support for 16 to 19 year olds from low-income households to overcome financial barriers to participation in appropriate school or college courses or an Activity Agreement. This release contains information on pupils and students in Scotland who received at least one payment under the EMA programme.


Summary of Key Findings

  • 33,180 school pupils and college students received EMA payments in Scotland in the academic year 2014-15, a decrease of 6% (2,290) from 35,470 in 2013-14 (Table 1).
  • School pupils account for 68% of young people who received an EMA payment, with college students accounting for the remaining 32%.
  • Of all 16-19 year old school pupils in Scotland, 31% (22,530) received an EMA payment in 2014-15. Of all full time 16-19 year old college students, 22% (10,650) received an EMA payment in 2014-15 (Table 1).
  • The proportion of EMA recipients living in Scotland's 20% most deprived areas in 2014-15 was the highest on record at 35% (11,635), although the actual number of recipients decreased by 540 from 12,175 in 2013-14 (Table 2). Among school pupils receiving EMAs, 33% were living in the 20% most deprived areas, while among college students receiving EMAs, 38% were living in the 20% most deprived areas. (Table 3).
  • The total amount spent on EMA payments in 2014-15 was £26.5 million, a decrease of £2.1 million from £28.6 million in 2013-14 (Table 4). Of this, £18.6 million (70%) was paid out to school pupils, and the remaining £7.9 million (30%) was paid out to young people attending college (Table 5).

Contact

Email: Ryan Scott

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