Changes to your EMA application
If your details have changed in any way, your Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) application may need to be reassessed. However, you must send your change of circumstances form and all requested evidence by 31 August at the very latest, to be eligible for a reassessment for this academic year.
Changes of circumstance
If your circumstances have changed you may be entitled to a reassessment of your original EMA application.
Providing evidence of your change in circumstances means your situation can be reassessed. You can then be paid the amount of EMA you are now entitled to.
When to apply for reassessment due to change of circumstances
You can apply for a reassessment of your EMA application form if one of the following applies to you:
- there is now more than one dependent child in your household and your household income is £22,500 or less
- you are now responsible for a child of your own
- you are now living under local authority care
- you are now financially supporting yourself through employment/ self-employment earnings, taxable social security benefits or Income Support/ income-based Employment and Support Allowance in your own name
- there has been a permanent drop in household income if one or both of your parents have died/ one or both of your parents are now disabled or your household earnings or benefits have recently changed
To get a change of circumstances form and guidance notes, or for further information, contact the EMA customer services team.
You will need to provide evidence to support your reassessment.
You should apply for a reassessment as soon as your circumstances have changed. However at the very latest you must send your form and all requested evidence by 31 August or you will not be eligible for a reassessment.
Allowable deductions
If you have already applied for EMA and feel that you should have allowable deductions subtracted from your household income you should complete Section 8, part D of the EMA application form. You will also be required to attach the evidence to support your reassessment and send this to the EMA Customer Services Team.
The allowable deductions' evidence you will need to provide are:
| Income type | Description | Original evidence required |
|---|---|---|
| Private pension contributions | This is a personal policy you take out from an insurance company or financial institution and into which you pay contributions. |
|
| Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) | AVCs are additional contributions that you pay into a pension plan to bring your pension savings up to the maximum amount that the government will allow. |
|
| Wages for domestic help because of incapacity |
This is money you received to pay out for domestic help. |
|
| Any other expenses connected with employment (if allowed for tax purposes). | This is any other expenses you have as part of your job for which you claim tax exemption. |
|