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Education Maintenance Allowance 2008-09
27/01/2010
Statistics on the school pupils and college students supported under the Education Maintenance Allowance scheme in the academic year 2008-09, were published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician in Education Maintenance Allowances 2008-09.
Key findings include:
- 39,000 school pupils and college students received EMA payments in Scotland in the academic year 2008-09. 54 per cent of recipients were female and 46 per cent were male. 63 per cent attended school and the remaining 37 per cent attended a college
- 40 per cent of all 16 year olds in Scotland received an EMA payment in 2008-09
- 39 per cent of all 16-19 year old school pupils in Scotland received EMA support in the academic year 2008-09
- Most EMA participants (81 per cent) were supported in the maximum £30 a week category. College students were more likely to be supported in this category than those in school: 84 per cent of college students had a payment level of £30 compared with 79 per cent of school pupils
- £35.4 million was paid out under the EMA scheme in the academic year 2008-09: £27.5 million in weekly payments and £7.9 million in bonus payments
- Young people from the 15 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland are more likely to be in the EMA scheme than those outwith; 16 per cent of 16-19 year olds in deprived areas received an EMA payment throughout the year in 2008-09, compared to 10 per cent of 16-19 year olds in non-deprived areas
- The total number of young people in receipt of EMA has increased by four per cent (or 1,520) from 37,480 in 2006-07 to 39,000 by 2008-09
- The amount paid out through the EMA scheme has increased by nine per cent (or £3.0m) from £32.4m in 2006-07 to £35.4m by 2008-09
- 68 per cent of those who were on the EMA scheme for the full academic year and were therefore eligible for both the January and the June bonus payments, received both bonuses. This has increased from 60 per cent of those on the EMA scheme in 2006-07
These statistics are collected by the Scottish Government from local authorities (school pupils) and the Scottish Funding Council (college students).
EMAs were introduced across Scotland from August 2004 for 16 year-olds. In the academic year 2005-2006 eligibility was extended to include all 17 year-olds and in the academic year 2006-2007 eligibility was further extended to include 18 year-olds. Full roll out to 19 year- olds was completed in 2007-2008.
EMA 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. They aim to increase participation in school and college among 16-19 year-olds from low income families.
Following satisfactory attendance and completion of a learning agreement, additional bonus payments of £150 are payable in January and June.
A times series for the academic years 2006-07 to 2008-09 is given in Section 4 of the publication using a consistent methodology for all three years. It includes a revision of the 2007-08 college data to resolve an issue with one college which meant there was an over-count by 545 students in last year's publication.
Data for 2006-07 uses the improved method for counting college students introduced from academic year 2007-08 onwards. The tables in this time series section should be used to make any comparisons across academic years rather than the statistical releases for 2006-07 and 2007-08.