This document summarizes key points about extending the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to learners in Entry to Employment (E2E) and Preparation for Life and Work (PLP) programs: - EMA payments of up to £30 per week will replace the Minimum Training Allowance for new E2E/PLP starters from April 2006 to create a consistent level of financial support. - Learners must apply annually and have or open a bank account to receive direct payments after attendance is verified. Transitional arrangements are in place for existing E2E/PLP learners. - Providers, schools, and Connexions will help raise awareness and support learners through

1. Welcome
Education Maintenance Allowance
Extension to E2E and PLP Learners
Presented by
Greg Burke, Trevor Fellowes, Stephen
Gardner and Kevin Street

2. • Greg Burke, Head of EMA Unit
• Trevor Fellowes, Director of Learner Support
• Stephen Gardner, Director of Work-based Learning
• Kevin Street, Senior Policy Manager
Speakers

3. EMA: Background,
Basics and Context
01

4. WBL context
• Target to improve Apprenticeship Framework completions by 75 per
cent by 2008
• LSC now responsible for reducing size of NEET group by 2 per cent
points by 2010
• Target of 50 per cent of E2E leavers going on to positive destination
• Increase number of leavers who go on to further training
• An additional driver to encourage employers to employ PLP learners
• EMA is key product to support these aims

5. • Supports Government aims to improve skills and
promote social inclusion
• Supports Government targets
– boost number of 16-19 year olds ‘staying on’ in education
– ‘Level 2 at 19’ Public Service Agreement (PSA)
• EMA means that money is not a barrier to getting a
level 2 qualification
• Today, everyone needs a minimum set of
qualifications to get on in life
Where does EMA
fit in?

6. • Payment to encourage young people from low
income families to stay in post-16 learning
• Income assessed payment of £10, £20 or £30 per
week for households with income up to £30,000
• ‘Something for something’ agreement, with
payments to reward attendance
• Periodic bonuses for achieving positive results
What is EMA?

7. About the Extension
02

8. Why extend EMA?
• 16-19 Financial Review recommended extension
across age group
• Designed to create a level playing field of financial
support across schools/colleges and E2E/PLP
provision

9. Why extend EMA?
• Ensure learners’ families get additional benefits, for
example, Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit
– Maximum weekly value of complete support package to a family
is over £88 a week, compared with £40 under MTA
– Individual learners on Income Support can receive up to £74.05
a week
• Ensure learners choose the most appropriate form
of learning

10. What does this
mean?
• Minimum Training Allowance (MTA) and E2E
bonuses will cease for new starters on 9 April 2006
• From April 2006, starters on LSC-funded E2E or
PLP with learning providers can apply for EMA
• Payments will be income assessed; maximum
payment £30 per week

11. What does this
mean?
• Young people must have or open a bank account
• Annual reapplication will be required
• Travel continues to be funded as part of WBL
budget

12. How will it work?
• Application
• Notice of Entitlement (NoE) sent to young person
• Given to provider to authorise payments
• No payment until NoE ‘cashed in’
• Payment centralised by APB and EMASYS
• Paid directly into young person’s bank account
More on EMASYS from APB later

13. Our response to
Stakeholder Consultation
03

14. Application process
• Schools will raise awareness
• Connexions will raise awareness and offer support
• Learning providers should also support learners as
required
• Currently considering how to help partners support
learners through application process

15. Bank accounts
• Past experience proves this is less of a problem
than anticipated
• Research shows approximately two-thirds of
current E2E/PLP learners already have bank
account
• Solutions always found; work with your local
partnership and bank managers
• Please encourage people to set up bank account
before their course to give them head start

16. Study patterns
• Schools, colleges and E2E/PLP have very different
but comparable study patterns
• Authorised absences will continue to apply to both
• Approach to absence-management must be pre-
defined in learning agreement

17. Entitlement period
• Aim: for NoE to be valid until course ends
• Solution: if course extends beyond normal EMA
year, extension of 22 weeks available
• Process to encourage provider to ensure learner
has completed new application on time
• Application details retained to reduce burden

18. Transition
• PLP/E2E learners who sign up before 9 April 2006
can retain MTA until end of course or December
2006 (whichever sooner)
– Existing learners will need to become employed or transfer to
PLP by December 2006
– If learner drops out and restarts after 10 April, they must apply
for EMA
– MTA learners who progress on to new course must apply for
EMA

19. Transition
• From 10 April 2006 eligible new starters must apply
for EMA
• Additional allocations to July/December being
made to cover carry over allowances

20. Bonuses
• Flexible approach to PLP/E2E bonuses for learners
• 4 bonuses:
– 1 x £25 for agreeing learning agreement,
– 2 x £25 for achieving learning goals,
– 1 x £50 for E2E who progress to Apprenticeship, FE or a job; or
– 1 x £50 for PLP who progress to employer-led Apprenticeships
• Not triggered by course calendar dates

21. Questions?

22. Countdown to
April 2006
04

23. What do you need
to do?
• Read Learning Providers: Getting Ready for EMA
• Priorities before Christmas:
– Training. Nominate staff
– Work with your local LSC to prepare
• Look out for further guidance to be released in
January

24. Support activity
• EMA Extension Update can be downloaded from
http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/Lsc/2005/externalrela
tions/newsletters/ema-extension-update-nov-
2005.pdf
• emaextension@lsc.gov.uk
• Briefing key partners and stakeholders
• Marketing and communications

25. Thank you

26. LSC-I-NAT-050628