Help with childcare costs may be available if you are a parent or carer in education.
School or sixth form
If you are under 20, you may be able to get help with your childcare costs through Care to Learn.
You must be under 20 when you start your publicly funded course.
You can also get Learner Support if you:
- Are aged 19 or over
- Are studying a further education (FE) course
- Are facing financial hardship
Further education
Further education (FE) means study after secondary education that is not part of higher education. For example, it does not include an undergraduate or graduate degree.
You can find out more about financial support for further education.
Full-time higher education
If you are a full-time student with children, you may be able to get help with your study costs through Parents’ Learning Allowance.
You may also be able to apply for a Childcare Grant to help pay for childcare if you are studying in full-time higher education.
The Childcare Grant can help with childcare costs for children who are:
- Under 15
- Under 17 if they have special needs
Hardship funds and bursaries
Some colleges offer a one-off payment to students who are facing extreme financial difficulties.
Speak to your college’s student support team or welfare officer to find out if help is available.
For more information about childcare funding and other financial support, see:
Other funding
NHS Childcare Allowance
Health professional students who receive an NHS Bursary may be able to get help with childcare costs through the NHS Childcare Allowance.
For more information, visit the NHS website.
Professional and Career Development Loans
Professional and Career Development Loans are available to people aged 18 and over who are studying a postgraduate or vocational course.
The loan can be used to pay for costs related to studying and training, including childcare costs.
You will have to repay the loan.
A Professional and Career Development Loan could affect your benefit entitlement. You may also need to speak to a benefits adviser at Jobcentre Plus before applying.
For more information, contact the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900.
You can also find more information about Professional and Career Development Loans on GOV.UK.
Educational trusts and charities
Some educational trusts and charities may offer limited funding to individual students.
Your local library or college library may have information about organisations that offer funding.
The following publications may also contain information about educational and charitable trusts:
- The Guide to Educational Grants, published by the Directory of Social Change
- The Grants Register, published by Macmillan Reference Limited
- Charities Digest, published by Waterlow Information Services
- The Directory of Grant Making Trusts, published by the Directory of Social Change
The Educational Grants Search also provides information about funding for people studying in post 16 education in England.
For more information, visit the Family Action website.
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus may be able to provide financial support to help people move from benefits into education, training or employment.
Parents, particularly lone parents, should speak to their Jobcentre Plus adviser before starting a training course.
This can help you find out about the financial and other support you may be entitled to.
For more information about the support you may be entitled to, visit GOV.UK.