Education Maintenance Allowance - financial help for senior pupils

If you plan to stay on at school, attend college or are home educated, you may be able to get Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

EMA is a £30 weekly payment to help young people from low‑income households continue their education. It is paid every two weeks and depends on your attendance. School pupils are paid during term time only. If you are part of an Activity Agreement, you may be paid all year.

If you attend college and study a non‑advanced further education course, you must apply directly to your college.

Who can apply

You may be able to get EMA if you:

• are aged 16 to 19
• meet household income rules
• live with dependent children, if this applies to you

Age eligibility for 2025 to 2026

• From August 2025: if you turn 16 on or before 1 October 2025
• From January 2026: if you turn 16 between 1 October 2025 and 28 February 2026

You must apply by the deadlines to receive backdated payments. The final deadline is 31 March 2026.

Household income

Your household income must be within set limits. This is based on gross taxable income from:

• April 2024 to March 2025, or
• an estimate for April 2025 to March 2026 if your income has changed

You may need to give updated evidence during the year.

Income thresholds (2025 to 2026)

• £0 to £24,421 with 1 dependent child – £30 per week
• £0 to £26,884 with 2 or more dependent children – £30 per week

Dependent children include:

• those under 16
• those aged 16 to 25 in full‑time education

Other information

• If you are looked after by a local authority, you must provide a letter confirming this
• If you live independently, you must provide proof of your income
• You should normally have lived in the UK for at least 3 years, but we may still consider your application
• EMA does not affect other benefits