What price for post-16 learning?

A Welsh Government review of Education Maintenance Allowance backs the Bevan Foundation’s calls. Director, Victoria Winckler, looks at the key messages.

April 2023 was a pivotal moment for 16-18-year-olds from low income families. After around fifteen years – fifteen years! – of Education Maintenance Allowance being frozen at £30 a week, the Welsh Government finally did the right thing and increased the rate to £40 a week with immediate effect.

The decision followed pressure by the Bevan Foundation, along with cross-party support in several Senedd Committees, to raise EMA. A debate in the Senedd in February 2023 prompted the then Education Minister to announce a review of EMA, with news of the uplift coming just 2 months later. 

The review has taken rather longer, with the findings released on 17th July 2024. The findings are worth the wait, and are based on careful and thorough research on the experiences young people and learning providers. For me there are two key messages.

Better learner well-being

When the Foundation called for an uplift in EMA, we knew that many young people were struggling to afford food, travel and college equipment, with some considering dropping out and a few actually doing so. We also saw the anxiety and stress that the low level of EMA caused. And this was before inflation rocketed! 

The review looked at learners’ experiences of managing on a low income and the difference that the uplift had made. It is incredibly pleasing to see that the increase in EMA had a positive impact on learners’ wellbeing, not only enabling them to pay for essentials but also allowing them some independence. The research concludes that:

The EMA alleviates financial stress and anxiety amongst learners and their families and plays a key role in contributing to learner’s wellbeing.

All this for just £10 a week!

Raise income thresholds

While the Welsh Government did raise the value of EMA in April 2023, it did not change the income above which a student is ineligible for the allowance. This has remained at £20,817 or less for learners with no other young people in the house or £23,077 if there are more than one young persons. Had the threshold kept pace with inflation, it would stand at around £30,000 a year today for a single young person household. 

The review found unanimous support across the board that the current income threshold is too low.  Many people interviewed were highly critical of the fact that the threshold had not been revised upwards to keep pace with rising incomes and inflation. It is therefore very welcome that the review says:

We would recommend that the Welsh Government increases the household income thresholds for awarding the EMA.

Other changes

The review also recommends other changes to EMA, including greater flexibility on attendance requirements. At present, a learner who misses a session – which may be the result of a school or college decision rather than student absence – loses their entire allowance for a week. It also calls for the inclusion of more groups of learners, including carers, and for greater consistency in the provision of transport and free meals across different types of learning centre.

What next?

The ball is now in the court of the Cabinet Secretary for Education. While there has been a change in personnel, the commitment to support learners from low income families must remain. There has so far been very little publicity about the findings (I only discovered them by accident!) and no Cabinet Secretary statement. 

Timing may of course be an issue, but when the Senedd reconvenes we look to Senedd members from all parties to press the Cabinet Secretary to make a statement on these recommendations with a view to implementing them as a matter of urgency. When the Welsh Government’s budget is up for scrutiny later in the year, the various committees – who previously backed changes to EMA – may well want to take a view as well. 

For too long, EMA has been a Cinderella allowance, overshadowed by higher education student grants. It must not be allowed to be forgotten again.

As an aside, 16-18-year-olds will be able to vote in the 2026 Senedd election.  Just sayin’.