Pupil premium plus is special funding for schools in England to promote the education of pupils who are or have been in the care of children’s services.
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
Young people in Wales aged 16 to 18 can get financial help to support their full-time education.
This advice applies to: Wales
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What is Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)?
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a weekly payment of £40 to help 16- to 18-year-olds in Wales with the costs of further education. The payments are made every 2 weeks, as long as you have met the attendance requirements of your school or college.
Who is eligible for EMA?
You can apply for EMA if you’re between the ages of 16 and 18, you are a UK citizen living in Wales and you meet the household income requirements.
Your course needs to be an academic or vocational course, up to and including Level 3. Examples are:
- GCSEs
- AS-Levels or A-Levels
- BTEC, GNVQ, NVQ
- Basic Skills courses
- Independent Living Skills courses
Your course doesn’t need to take place in Wales. However, the school or college does need to be involved in the EMA scheme.
If you are studying at school, your course must be full-time. If you are studying at college, your course must last at least 10 weeks and you must be studying a minimum of 12 guided hours per week.
To meet the household income requirements to apply for EMA, your household income must be:
- £20,817 or less if you’re the only young person living in the home
- £23,077 or less if there is more than one child or young person, including yourself, living in the home
You can use the Further Education calculator from Student Finance Wales to work out whether you can get EMA based on your household income.
How and when to apply
Because EMA is awarded on an annual basis, you need to apply for the allowance before your course starts.
You can read more on how and when to apply, including guidance notes, on the Student Finance Wales website.
Related advice and information
Caring for a SEND child is rewarding but can be challenging. It’s important to understand what your family is entitled to so you can make the right choices when choosing a school for your child.
Stepping up to raise a child can be expensive, and money worries are common for kinship carers. Find out what financial support and benefits are available to you.
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