Education Maintenance Allowances Awarded in Wales, 2011/12

This Statistical First Release presents a final update on the number of Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) awarded to students in further education in academic year 2011/12, as at the end of August 2012.

EMA is a weekly allowance linked to satisfactory attendance, paid fortnightly to eligible students aged 16–18 attending learning centres in Wales. Students qualify for an award depending on household income and family circumstances.

From academic year 2011/12, the criteria for new EMA students receiving the £30 award has changed, and the £10 and the £20 awards are no longer available. Students who received EMA in 2010/11 who are returning to education and meet the same eligibility criteria as for 2010/11 will continue to get their EMA, be it for £10, £20 or £30 per week. No further bonus payments will be made to any students.

The data, based on applications received by 31 August 2012, are correct as at 3 September 2012.

The key points from the latest release are:

Overall, approved applications for EMA were down 11 per cent on last year, whilst the total number of applications received was down by 12 per cent.

• A total of 33,880 applications were received for 2011/12.
• 32,520 (96 per cent) of applications received were approved, 935 (3 per cent) were rejected and 410 (1 per cent) were incomplete(1).
• 13,075 (40 per cent) of approved applications were from 16 year olds, 13,435 (41 per cent) were from 17 year olds and 6,010 (18 per cent) were from 18 year olds and over.
• 14,625 (45 per cent) approved applications were from first year claimants and were therefore entitled to £30 per week due to the change in the EMA criteria.
• £30 awards accounted for 92 per cent of all approved applications of which 51 per cent were from new claimants, with £20 awards accounting for 5 per cent and £10 awards accounting for 3 per cent.

Notes

(1) These are applications that are either “missing information” (e.g. no date of birth included) or “missing evidence” (e.g. birth certificate).

Further information

StatsWales website.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 1514
E-mail: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

12 December 2012