If you have children or support a dependent adult, you could get extra financial support while you study.

Childcare Grants

  • You need to be studying full-time to be eligible​ and have a child (or children) under the age of 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs​
  • The amount you get depends on your household income and the number of children who are dependent on you​
  • You can get 85% of your childcare costs, or a fixed amount, whichever is less​
  • Your grant is paid into a Childcare Grant Payment Service (CCGPS) account; you’ll get an email telling you how to set this up​
  • Your childcare provider will send requests for payment to the CCGPS, which you can approve through your account – so your provider will be paid directly from the money in your account​
  • You can only approve these once your course has started and you can’t use it to pay for upfront costs such as deposits​. ​

Parents’ Learning Allowance​

You don’t need to be paying for childcare to qualify, and may be eligible if you’re a full-time student with children.​

​Adult Dependants’ Grant ​

  • If you have an adult who depends on you financially, you can get help with the extra costs you might have – usually this is your husband/wife/partner or civil partner or a relative such as a parent or grandparent​
  • You’re not eligible if the adult dependant is your child​
  • The amount that you get depends on your income, the adult dependant’s income, your personal circumstances e.g. if you’re married or have children, and what other grants you’re receiving​

Universal Credit

  • If you currently get any of these benefits, then you will need to report your change of circumstances to the Department for Work and Pensions​
  • How much Universal Credit you get depends on your earnings​
  • Your universal credit payment is made up of a standard allowance and then any extra amounts that apply to you, for example if you have children, have a disability or health condition, need help paying your rent.​ ​