Falkirk Council

The Education Maintenance Allowance is a scheme introduced by the Scottish Government to encourage young people to stay in further education and gain qualifications that will enhance their job prospects.

What is an EMA?

An EMA is a weekly allowance of £10, £20 or £30 per week payable to eligible students who have achieved 100% attendance per week. It is payable in arrears on a 2 weekly basis.

Two bonuses of £150 each are also available for attendance and achievement, and are payable in January and June.

Do you qualify for an EMA?

Were you born between 1 March 1989 and 29 February 1993?
Are you willing to participate in an approved learning agreement at school?
Do you attend school for a minimum of 21 guided learning hours per week?
Do you attend a Falkirk school?
Is your household income £32,316 per annum or less?

Students attending college full time may also be eligible for EMA but should contact the college direct for further information or to obtain an application form.

How to Apply for an EMA

If you attend a school outside the Falkirk Council area, please do not submit applications or other correspondence to Falkirk Council as we will be unable to help with your enquiry. Please contact your school or the Local Authority for that area. EMA England, Northern Ireland or Wales is unconnected to Falkirk Council. For Learning Centres in England, Northern Ireland or Wales, please refer to the central website www.direct.gov.uk/ema|.

Falkirk Council Secondary School students can pick up an application form from the following points:

Any Council One Stop Shop
Any Falkirk Council Secondary School
By downloading the form and guidance notes from this page
By contacting us.

An Employer and Pension Certificate can be downloaded from this page and can be used if your parent/carer does not have other proof of income.

Completed applications can be posted to Education Services (EMA) using the address given in the Contact Us panel.

Once your application is approved you will receive a letter of Award and Pupil Handbook. Please refer to this handbook for information on payment dates, procedures etc. A copy of the handbook can be downloaded from this page.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the deadline dates for this term?

Applications for 2008-09 should be submitted as soon as possible.

Birthdays between 1st March 1989 and 30th September 1992 are eligible for payment from the start of August term. Applications received before 30th September 2008 will be paid from the start of term. Those received after this date will be paid from date of receipt.

Birthdays between 1 October 1992 and 28 February 1993 are eligible for payment from the start of the January term. Applications received before 28 February 2009 will be paid from the start of that term. Those received after this date will be paid from the date of receipt.

No applications will be considered if received after 31 March 2009.

What happens if an application is incomplete?

All incomplete or unsupported applications will be returned to the applicant with a letter detailing what further information is required.

What if I am unable to provide all the information required?

A provisional award is made when you or your parents/carers have been temporarily unable to supply details on which a final assessment can be made. Acceptance of a provisional award must be on the clear understanding that the award remains to be finalised. Finalisation of an award may result in any overpayment being reclaimed by the authority.

Can applications be made from more than one child in the family?

Yes, if they qualify under the above criteria.

How is EMA paid?

Payments are made direct into a bank account in the student's name. If you don't have a bank account you will need to open one which accepts direct BACS payments – please check with your bank or building society if you're unsure.

Will I be paid for school holidays?

No, you will only be paid for weeks in attendance at school. In-service is not considered as a holiday for EMA purposes and payment can be still made for any such days providing 100% attendance is attained for the rest of that week.

Does my performance at school affect the EMA?

Yes, payment can be withheld without warning. If your attendance falls below 100% in any week, no payment will be made for that week unless all absence has been covered by a medical certificate or has been approved by education staff. A Self Certification form can be downloaded from this page. Lateness can also affect payments as can attainment and conduct ie if conditions in the Learning Agreement are not met.

What if my circumstances or personal details change?

An award may be re-assessed if your circumstances change eg. through redundancy or separation etc. Please contact us for further information. If you change address or bank account you must inform us in writing as soon as possible. Failure to do so could result in a delayed or missing payment. A Change of Address or Bank Account advice can be downloaded from this page.

What period does the application cover?

If an award is made it will be for one school year only and a new application must be submitted each year.

Leaving School?

You will no longer receive weekly EMA payments but may still be eligible to receive a Bonus payment if you are considered under Scottish Government guidelines to have completed your course. Please contact us or your school if you need further information.

Moving to Further Education in College?

You may still be eligible to receive EMA but should not apply to Falkirk Council.

Please contact the College direct for further information about EMA or other student financial support.

Moving onto Higher Education?

Other forms of financial support may be available for Higher Education at University or College.

Further information is available from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland www.saas.gov.uk| if your usual home address is in Scotland. www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk| may also be of interest if you intend to study or have your usual home address in England.

Downloads Available (in .pdf format):

Please note that for Data Protection reasons we may only be able to discuss certain matters with the EMA pupil and not their parent / carer. These include individual award amounts, confirmation of payment or reasons for withheld payment.

This information is given as a general guide and should not be regarded as a statement of statutory position or Council policy.

For more information visit www.emascotland.com| or contact us.

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