Wales is set to be the first UK nation to increase a weekly grant designed to support 16 to 18-year-old students from low income households with costs such as transport or meals. From this month the education maintenance allowance (EMA) will increase from £30 to £40 per week for eligible further education students in sixth form or college, the Welsh Government has confirmed.
Further education students are eligible for EMA if their household income is £20,817 or less if they are the only young person in the household or £23,077 if there is more than one young person in the household. The increase will be a commitment for the next two academic years while a comprehensive review into EMA is conducted.
Around 16,000 further education students in Wales currently receive the payment, which is paid every two weeks. You can keep up to date with the latest Carmarthenshire news by signing up to the local newsletter here.
