Wales are considering changing the Education Maintenance Allowance for 16-18-year-olds. The decision comes during the cost of living crisis and how the fund has been frozen for almost 20 years. Discussions are will involve moving the threshold so more are eligible for the EMA increase.
The Welsh government are reviewing a weekly allowance that has not changed since 2004. Concerns during the cost of living crisis have caused ministers to say they will back the notion to increase the amount given and who will receive it.
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but not to those in England.
Ministers Will Back EMA Increase For Welsh Students
Educational minister for Wales, Jeremy Miles, says that the Welsh government will be backing the motion to increase the EMA.
As it stands, the allowance gives £30 a week to all 16-18-year-olds in further education whose household incomes are below a threshold. For households with one young person, the amount is £20,817, increasing to £23, 077 if households have another young person.
These requirements have not changed in 12 years, with the amount students receive frozen since 2004. Speaking to parliament, Miles said the government must do what it can:
“We will continue to use every single lever available to us to support our young people and ensure that we do all that we can to reflect the principle that money should never be a barrier to accessing education.”
He went on to say that without support, Welsh students would have to work and leave their education.
Plaid Cymry, Labour and Liberal Democrats submitted the motion yesterday (February 15). Leading the debate was Mike Fletcher of Plaid Cymru, who wants the EMA increased to £55 a week.
Labour Senedd member Mike Hedges is a former teacher and spoke of the positive impact of the EMA.
“Without EMA many students would not have been able to undertake their studies,” he said, going on to confirm that many now had well-paying jobs in IT because of the funding.
More Funding Is Needed Due To The Cost Of Living Crisis
Though the EMA increase will be for those in further education, funding and student loans have not been enough to help those in higher education either.
Maintenance loans for university students have not kept up with inflation. Some institutions have offered the use of food banks for students, as well as short-term employment to help them build up money. Everybody is suffering during the cost of living crisis, but it appears young people are often forgotten about.
The NUS has called upon the government to do more to support students, with fears they will drop out of university amid increasing costs. Already, students are prioritising working over studying to make ends meet.
The proposed EMA increase is a step in the right direction for Welsh students. Yet, more must still be done to support all students and their futures.