Bevan Foundation welcomes Welsh Government’s response to our calls on EMA

Education Minister, Jeremy Miles commits to review the value of Education Maintenance Allowance 

The Bevan Foundation has welcomed a commitment made by Education Minister, Jeremy Miles, to review both the value of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and its eligibility thresholds. The Bevan Foundation has been calling for Education Maintenance Allowance – paid to Wales’ poorest 16-18 year old learners – to be up-rated for some time. At £30 a week, the allowance is unchanged since the mid 2000s. We have also called for the eligibility threshold – similarly frozen for more than a decade – to be up-rated. 

The commitment was made by the Minister in response to a debate led by Plaid Cymru MS, Luke Fletcher in the Senedd on February 15th. The Senedd voted in favour of the review by 37 votes to 13, showing the strength of feeling among members on this topic. 

The Foundation looks forward to following the progress of the review and are hopeful that action will be taken to put more money in the pockets of young learners across Wales.