Teenagers in the North East are the biggest users of education maintenance allowances, writes Danny Blackburn of PA.

Latest figures show 75,197 teenagers in low income families in the region have signed up for EMAs since September, giving them up to pound;30 a week to stay in education after the age of 16. In Cumbria, 4,122 have signed up and 56,895 have in the South East.

The payments are only made to children in families with an income under Pounds 30,810.

Trevor Fellowes, director of learner support at the Learning and Skills Council, which operates the scheme, said: “Money is one of the main reasons why young people drop out of education and training, so we are delighted that over 460,000 across England are currently benefiting from EMAs and have given the chance to stay on in learning with this support.

“We are extremely pleased to see the positive impact EMAs have had, but we would also like to call on more young people to return to learning, claim EMA and better their prospects in the long run.”