This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Education Maintenace Allowances 2005-06
14/11/2006
Statistics on Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) for the academic year 2005-06 are published today.
EMAs were introduced across Scotland from August 2004 for 16 year olds. In academic year 2005-06 eligibility was extended to include all 17 year olds.
To satisfy the age criteria to receive EMA from August 2005, students had to be born between March 1, 1988, and September 30, 1989.
Students born between October 1, 1989 and February 28, 1990 became eligible to join the programme in January 2006. In the coming year eligibility will be extended again to include 18 year olds.
EMAs are means tested payments of £10, £20 or £30 per week to young people attending school or further education college on a full time basis. Following satisfactory attendance and completion of a learning agreement, additional bonus payments of £150 are payable in January and June.
Prior to national roll-out in August 2004, the EMA scheme was tested in four local authority areas1, As a result, the whole age range in the pilot areas have already been eligible since 2004-05.
The main points are:
- 36,460 students received EMA payments in Scotland in 2005-06, an increase of 54 per cent on the number of students on the EMA scheme in 2004-05. 55 per cent of the 2005-06 total are females and 66 per cent are at school
- 26,450 of these students were, or turned, 16 during the academic year. This represents around 41 per cent of all 16 year olds in Scotland
- Most EMA participants (80 per cent) received the maximum weekly payment of £30. The proportion of college students that receive £30 per week is higher (84 per cent) than for those in school (78 per cent)
- Around £29.3 million pounds was paid out in EMA support in academic year 2005-06. This was made up of £23.6 million in weekly payments and £5.7 million in bonus payments
- 62 per cent of all students who attended for the entire year (and were therefore eligible for both bonuses) received both bonus payments. 13 per cent of the students who attended for the entire year received neither of these bonuses
- In contrast with the 2004-05 figures, male EMA recipients were marginally more likely to receive at least one bonus than females in 2005-06. 88 per cent of males attending for the entire year received at least one bonus, with 87per cent of females receiving at least one bonus
- Of the group of students attending for the entire year, those entitled to the £30 weekly payment were less likely to receive at least one bonus than students in the £10/£20 group. On average, 86 per cent of students in the £30 category received at least one bonus (compared with 91 per cent for students in the £10 or £20 group).
- Bonus uptake among 16 year olds in 2004-05 and 2005-06 was relatively unchanged. In both academic years, 62 per cent of eligible 16 year olds received both bonus payments
- In 2005-06, 88 per cent of 16 year olds received at least one bonus payment, compared with 87 per cent in 2004-05. 12 per cent of 16 year olds received no bonus at all in 2005-06, compared with 13 per cent in 2004-05
- Students from deprived areas are represented proportionately more on the EMA scheme (approximately 17 per cent of all 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland are from deprived areas, whilst 21 per cent of EMA students attending for the entire year are from these areas)
- Of the students in the £30 group, 24 per cent come from the most deprived areas
- 90 per cent of EMA students from deprived areas receive a weekly payment of £30, significantly higher than the overall percentage of 80 per cent. Further still, 91 per cent of college EMA students from deprived areas receive £30 per week