Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

10.37
10.38
10.39
10.40
• Many women re-enter education in adult life via the women’s sector, therefore
statutory funding should be provided to women’s organisations to support women
into education and training with clear but fair targets and progression routes
Education Maintenance Allowance
Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) were payments of up to £30 a week given to
students from low-income households to cover books, travel and so on. The aim of EMA was
to encourage more young people to participate and progress in age 16-19 education. The 2010
Spending Review stated that “EMAs [were to be] with locally managed discretionary funds to
target support.” 65 However, from 2010 EMA has been replaced by a bursary scheme which
colleges and schools will be able to distribute at their discretion and funding has been cut from
£560m to £180m. 66
In its Section 31 assessment 67 of the Treasury’s spending decisions, the EHRC found that the
Government had not paid sufficient regard to equality when making the decision to cut EMA
funding, ignoring earlier equality impact assessments carried out by the previous government. 68
An assessment by the DfE in 2009 showed that EMA was particularly important in helping
teenage mothers and young people with special needs stay in education and had a positive
impact for BME girls and young women. 69 Therefore, a thorough equality impact assessment of
the decision to cut the EMA should have been undertaken.
Recommendation:
Consider reintroducing the Education Maintenance Allowance, or find an alternative
measure to encourage and support teenage mothers and young women with special
needs to participate in education from 16-19
A number of nurseries at universities and FE colleges are threatened with closure. This will have
a particular impact on women who study or work in Further or Higher Education. 70
23% of disabled people have no qualifications compared with 9% of non-disabled people. 71
Adults with impairments are twice as likely to say their education opportunities are limited (17%)
compared with adults without impairments (9%). 72 Cuts to Further and Higher Education may
also prevent disabled women obtaining educational qualifications as increased fees for HE and
reduced support for FE impact particularly on disabled women who have additional Higher
Education (HE) support costs. (See Appendix: 36 for further information)
65. HM Treasury (2010) Spending Review October 2010 http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_completereport.pdf
66. Coughlan, S. (2011) ‘£180m bursary scheme replaces EMA’, BBC News Education and Family, 28th March 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
education-12881747
67. Equality and Human Rights Commission (2012) Making Fair Financial Decisions Final Report. EHRC: London http://www.
equalityhumanrights.com/legal-and-policy/inquiries-and-assessments/section-31-assessment-of-hm-treasury/the-assessment-finalreport/
68. Department for Education (2009) Equality Impact Assessment. EMA Replacement Scheme: 16-19 Bursaries and associated transitional
arrangements. http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/1/ema%20replacement%20scheme%20%20%20equality%20impact%20
assessment.pdf
69. Department for Education (2009) Full Equality Impact Assessment. Education Maintenance Allowance http://media.education.gov.uk/
assets/files/pdf/e/equia%20education%20maintenance%20allowance.pdf
70. NUS Connect (2010) ‘Press release: NUS, UCU and UNISON launch joint campaign to save nurseries in colleges and universities’, NUS
Connect website, 4th May 2010 http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/6108/141/
71. Papworth Trust (2011) Disability in the United Kingdom 2011: Facts and Figures http://www.papworth.org.uk/downloads/factsandfigures_
disabilityintheuk_july2011_110721132605.pdf
72. Office for National Statistics (2011) Life Opportunities Survey Wave 2 interim results 2010/11 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/los/lifeopportunities-survey/wave-two-interim-results-2010-11/index.html
Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 93