EMA

Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

The Educational Maintenance Allowance is a benefit which can help young people stay in learning.  It is paid into your bank account on a weekly basis and you will receive £10, £20, or £30 depending upon your circumstances.  

The amount that will be awarded is calculated on your household income however it must fall below £30,810 per annum for you to qualify for anything.

In addition to meeting the required amount of household income, you need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

·         You must be aged 16, 17, or 18 and must have left Secondary education. 

·       You need to be enrolled on a course in England which is either a full time course at a college or sixth form, a LSC funded diploma, an Apprenticeship, or an LSC funded Entry to Employment (e2e) course.

EMA does not affect any other benefits that your parents may receive.  Plus EMA would not be affected if you decided to get a part time job.

How do I apply for EMA?

The easiest way to apply for EMA is to request an application form from the following web address:

EMA Application

However, if you don’t have access to the internet you can telephone the Learner Support line on 0800 121 8989.  You can apply for EMA anytime in the year but you must apply at least 28 days before your course is due to start otherwise your payment may not start the week that you begin further education.

What information will I need to supply with my application form?

You will need to supply your own bank details and your parent or guardian will need to supply evidence of the household income for the relevant tax year (for 2009/10 EMA applications, the relevant tax year will be 2008-09).  This might mean your parent or guardian will have to supply their Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602), or P60

How will I find out if I am eligible for EMA?

You will receive a Notice of Entitlement through the post which will explain how much you are entitled to.  You will then take your Notice of Entitlement with you when you go to enrol at your further education provider. 

It is important that you keep your Notice of Entitlement safe – if you lose it you will not be able to apply for EMA!

How will I receive my EMA?

You must have your own bank account if you are receiving EMA, as it will be deposited here every week.  When you apply, you will need to supply proof of evidence of your bank account, for example, a bank statement or bank letter with your address on it.

For more information on EMA, please visit the EMA web-site - http://ema.direct.gov.uk/