AQW 47298/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 28/05/2026
Answered On Date: 02/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the last time Education Maintenance Allowance was increased in Northern Ireland.

Answer:

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme in the North was last reformed in the 2013/14 academic year. These reforms included the introduction of a single weekly payment of £30, the removal of lower payment bands and the introduction of the current household income thresholds.

Since that time, the weekly EMA payment has remained unchanged. Officials from my Department are working with their counterparts in the Department of Education (DE) to ensure that EMA continues to be appropriately targeted and effective.