Education Maintenance Allowances: 2015-16

Summary of Key Findings

• 31,735 school pupils and college students received EMA payments in Scotland in the academic year 2015-16, a decrease of 4% (1,445) from 33,180 in 2014-15 ( Table 1).
• School pupils account for 68% of young people in receipt of EMA payment, with the remaining 32% being college students.
• Of all 16-19 year old school pupils in Scotland, 31% (21,620) received EMA payments in 2015-16. This is the same proportion as seen in 2014-15 (31%, 22,530).
• Of all full time 16-19 year old college students, 21% (10,115)* received EMA payments in 2015-16. This is the same proportion as seen in 2014-15 (21%, 10,650).
• The proportion of EMA recipients living in Scotland’s 20% most deprived areas in 2015-16 remained stable at 35% (11,015), although the actual number of recipients decreased by 575 from 11,590 in 2014-15 ( Table 3). Among school pupils receiving EMA, 33% (7,210) were living in the 20% most deprived areas, while 38% (3,780) of college students receiving EMA were living in the 20% most deprived areas.
• The total amount spent on EMA payments in 2015-16 was £24.8 million, a decrease of £1.7 million from £26.5 million in 2014-15. Of this, £17.4 million (70%) was paid out to school pupils, and the remaining £7.4 million (30%) paid out to young people attending college ( Table 4). This trend is consistent with previous years.

^*This was originally published as 11,015 (23%), representing an increase of 2pp. This has been corrected on 8th November 2017.