Publication - Statistics

Education Maintenance Allowances 2023-24

Published: 4 March 2025
From: Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Directorate: Learning Directorate, +1 more … Lifelong Learning and Skills Directorate
Topic: Education

Statistics on Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) recipients and payments made in 2023-2024.

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The number of EMA recipients receiving at least one payment in 2023-24 was 21,540. This is a decrease from 22,225 in 2022-23 and continues the long term decreasing trend in the number of EMA recipients since 2017-18.
Around 12.3% of all Scottish aged 16 to 18 [1] years received at least one payment in 2023-24. This is a decrease from 13.0% in 2022-23 and continues the long term decreasing trend in the proportion of the population aged 16 to 18 years receiving EMA payments since 2017-18.
Total EMA spend for 2023-24 has decreased from the previous year’s spend of £17.3 million in 2022-23 to £16.7 million in 2023-24.

[1] As those aged 19 years only make up 0.2% of the total number of EMA recipients they are excluded from this analysis.

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