Education Maintenance Allowances Awarded in Wales, 2010/11

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 2010/11, as at the end of August 2011.

The data, based on applications received by 31 August 2011, are correct as at 5 September 2011.

The key points from the latest release are:

• A total of 38,365 EMA Wales applications were received for 2010/11, a decrease of 0.4 per cent compared with 2009/10.
• 36,460 (95 per cent) of applications received were approved, 915 (2 per cent) were rejected and 620 (2 per cent) were incomplete(1).
• 16,210 (44 per cent) of approved applications in 2010/11 were for 16 year olds, 14,150 (39 per cent) were for 17 year olds and 6,100 (17 per cent) were for 18 year olds and over.
• 51 per cent of approved applications in 2010/11 were from first year claimants, compared with 54 per cent 2009/10.
• 30,585 (84 per cent) of approved applications were from students with a household income of £21,885 or less and thus were entitled to the maximum EMA of £30 per week.
• Retention bonuses were paid in September 2010 to 17,440 students continuing their studies from 2009/10, an increase of 20 per cent compared with the previous year.

(1) These are applications that are “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

September 2012 (provisional - to be confirmed on 'Due out Soon' page)