2,647 young people in Brighton and Hove to lose EMA cash for study - news coincides with UK Colleges Week (8 - 15 November)

Caroline Lucas has slammed the Government's decision to scrap the educational maintenance allowance (EMA) for students from low income families, which is likely to affect over 2,600 young people in Brighton and Hove (1).

The EMA, designed to help keep young people from poorer backgrounds in education after the compulsory age of 16, allows students to claim up to £30 a week during term time.

As part of its programme of huge public spending cuts, the Government has revealed that it is to scrap funding for the allowances.  An estimated 2,647 students in Brighton and Hove currently claim the payment.

Caroline's attack on the Government's decision coincides with 'Colleges Week' (2), a nationwide initiative to provide students with information about colleges, and access to further and higher education.

The Green MP has pledged to support an Early Day Motion by Labour MP Nic Dakin criticising the EMA decision (3).

Caroline said: "It seems that this Government's assault on education funding for students from low income families knows no limits.

"First, the raising of the cap on university tuition fees to £9,000; now, the scrapping of a key lifeline which has helped keep thousands of young people in Brighton and Hove in education after the age of 16. Over 600,000 UK students currently receive EMA.

"We now face the risk of many being forced to drop out of the education system at a time of high insecurity in the job market.

"It's clear from the experiences of those already in the system that the EMA has supported increased participation in education and helped to broaden the horizons of many young people.

"The new proposal for an allowance to be administered by individual colleges or schools, the so-called ‘enhanced learner support fund', is woefully light on detail - and even lighter on funding. It's difficult to see how it will work - and will likely prove a nightmare for colleges, which simply don't have the resources to administer a means-tested benefit."

ENDS

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

1. The table below shows the number of young people in Brighton and Hove local authority area who have received one or more EMA payment over the course of a year, since 2004/05. The figures refer to EMA recipients who are resident in Brighton and Hove.

EMA take-up in Brighton and Hove local authority, 2004/05 to 2009/101

Notes:

During 2008/09, as a consequence of an issue with the applications process, a proportion of learners nationally were not assigned in the report to a specific location (35,236, 6.1% of the national total of 576,144 young people in receipt of EMA). The situation was improved for 2009/10 applicants but due to the EMA guarantee, a small proportion of those learners could not be assigned to a specific location (1,622 out of the national total of 635,211).

1. The table below shows the number of young people in Brighton and Hove local authority area who have received one or more EMA payment over the course of a year, since 2004/05. The figures refer to EMA recipients who are resident in Brighton and Hove.

EMA take-up in Brighton and Hove local authority, 2004/05 to 2009/10¹

 EMA was introduced in 2004/05 when it was available to all 16 year olds across England and to 17 and 18 year olds in former pilot areas. In 2005/06 it was available to all 16 and 17 year olds in England. In 2006/07 it was available to all 16, 17 and 18 year olds in England. Young people who are 19 are entitled to receive EMA in certain circumstances.

2. Colleges Week runs from 8-15 November:  http://www.collegesweek.org/

3. EDM 943 - http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41930&SESSION=905