Publication - Statistics

Education Maintenance Allowances: 2024-25

Published: 17 March 2026
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 2024-2025.

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The number of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) recipients receiving at least one payment in 2024-25 was 21,240. This is a decrease from 21,540 in 2023-24 and continues the long term decreasing trend in the number of EMA recipients since 2016-17, when there were 31,675 recipients.
Around 11.9% of all Scottish young people aged 16 to 18[1] years received at least one payment in 2024-25. This is a decrease from 12.3% in 2023-24 and continues the long term decreasing trend in the proportion of the population aged 16 to 18 years receiving EMA payments since 2016-17, when 18.6% of 16-18 year olds received EMA.
The total amount spent on EMA payments for 2024-25 has decreased from £16.7 million in 2023-24 to £16.3 million in 2024-25.

[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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