Grants company loses its contract

Published: 16 December, 2008

Liberata, the company behind delays in students' education maintenance allowances, has lost its contract. The Learning and Skills Council said Capita, the company that formerly administered EMAs, would take on its full range of learner support services.

Chief executive of the LSC Mark Haysom said it was "unacceptable" that young people had had their EMA payments delayed and the LSC was "delighted" that Capita had taken the contract on.

Capita will bring in a new senior management team to oversee the staff and operations in Coventry, Manchester and Darlington.

The loss of the contract had resulted in Liberata losing future revenues of over £60m.