Wales first in the UK to increase Education Maintenance Allowance payment

Wales is set to become the first UK nation to increase the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) payment, announced the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles.

The announcement stated that from April 2023, the EMA will increase from £30 to £40 per week for eligible further education (FE) students in sixth form or college.

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EMA is a weekly grant intended to support 16 to 18-year-olds from low-income households with further education costs such as transport or meals. FE students can avail themselves of EMA if their household income is £20,817 or less, and they are the only young person in the household or £23,077 if there is more than one young person in the household.

The increase will be a commitment for the next two academic years, while a comprehensive review of EMA is conducted. Currently, around 16,000 further education students in Wales receive the payment, which is paid every two weeks.

In addition to the increase in EMA, Jeremy Miles also announced funding to allow free appeals for economically disadvantaged learners taking general and vocational qualifications in Summer 2023.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said that

"In Wales, we have continued to protect the Education Maintenance Allowance, with the increased payment helping with the reality of the cost of learning for students."

"while we work to undertake an independent review of EMA, this raise will provide additional help to remove barriers to learning. EMA and the free appeals system for students taking exams are part of a package of support we provide in Wales to eligible students. I would encourage young people to find out if they qualify."

NUS Wales President Orla Tarn expressed her pleasure with the announcement and stated that

"EMA is vital in supporting young people from low-income families with the cost of further education, however, in the context of the spiralling cost of living, it was clear an increase was needed to stop young learners from being priced out of education." She also emphasized the need to address the cost-of-learning crisis, stating that "any review of EMA should be grounded in how best to equip further education students to reach their full potential in our education system."

The increase in EMA payment is a welcome move for many low-income households in Wales who have been struggling to cover their children's educational expenses. The Welsh government's commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of EMA while providing additional support to eligible students is expected to have a positive impact on students and their families.