If you’ve got someone who depends on you financially or for care – whether it’s your child, someone else’s, a husband, wife, parent or some other adult – then you could be eligible for more wonga. It’s also worth remembering that any student who’s responsible for a child (or children) on the first day of the academic year will be treated as independent, which means the government will look at your income (and that of any significant others) rather than how much cash your parents have when deciding how much they need to give you.
Lone student parents and those whose partner is also a student should be eligible for the special support grant rather than the maintenance grant. Unlike with the regular maintenance grant, it won’t affect the amount of student loan you’re allowed to take out. It also won’t affect any entitlement to benefits.
Get hold of a copy of ‘Childcare Grant and other support for student parents in higher education’ from www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk or by giving the Student Finance information line a call on 0800 731 9133.
Childcare Grant
Just like it says on the tin, this is a grant for students with children in childcare (it has to be the real thing, registered and accredited). The idea is that it covers up to 85% of those costs - up to £148.75 (of an actual cost of £175) a week for one child and £255 a week (of an actual cost of £300) for two or more. The amount depends on your income.
Jobcentre Plus and the Housing Benefit people won’t count this grant when they’re working out your benefits so there’s nothing to lose. There’s no point applying if you (or your partner) claim the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit from the HM Revenue & Custom – you won’t be eligible for this as well.
Parents’ Learning Allowance
This is to help with student parents with course-related costs. The full grant is £1,470 a year, but it’s means-tested and how much you get depends on the income of you and your dependants (including your husband, wife or partner). Again, it doesn’t count as income for benefits purposes.
Child tax credit
Students with dependent children up to 16 (or 16-19 in full-time education) should qualify for a child tax credit, regardless of whether they’re working, studying or chewing a brick. Call 0845 300 3900 or visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/ to check eligibility and register.
Adult dependants’ grant
Up to £2,575 a year is available to those who have a partner (including, from 2005, a same sex partner) or adult family member dependent on them, but what you actually get depends on what your income is and the income of whoever it is that depends on you (if net income is below £3,700).
Others
Universities also often have crèches and nurseries – which may be subsidised or just plain cheap – and there may be a student parents support group.
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