Further education learner support
Who is it for?
If you’re aged 19 or over, on a further education course and facing financial hardship, you could get learner support which can cover some childcare costs.
You must be:
- 19 or over
- studying at a learning provider funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (check with your college)
How does it work?
Your learning provider (for example, a college) decides how much you get. It depends on their scheme and your circumstances. Contact them for details.
Higher Education Childcare Grant
Who is it for?
You may be eligible for help with your childcare costs if you:
- are a full-time higher education student
- have children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs
- are eligible for student finance
How does it work?
The amount you’ll get depends on:
- your household income
- the number of children who are dependent on you
You can get 85% of your childcare costs or a fixed maximum amount, whichever is less (this varies by year)
Your grant will be paid into a Childcare Grant Payment Service (CCGPS) account. Your childcare provider will send requests for payment to the CCGPS, which you can approve through your account. You’ll usually need to do this every week. Your provider will be paid directly from the money in your account.
Find out more and apply for a Childcare Grant.
MOD Wraparound Childcare (WAC) Scheme
Who is it for?
All Service personnel in the UK.
How does it work?
The scheme is for children aged between 4 and 11 years old (up to 17 years if disabled), either attending school or being home educated whose parent must be Service personnel (Regular and Full Time Reserve Service Full Commitment) assigned within the UK or serving on an unaccompanied assignment overseas, involuntarily, with the family residing in the UK
Funding for 20 hours a week of capped by region funding for wraparound childcare (before and after school care) for each child during term time.
This can be used with any Ofsted approved childcare setting. The childcare provider must be able to accept payments from Tax-Free Childcare accounts.
Find out more and eligibility criteria.
NHS Bursary
Who is it for?
Healthcare professional students who receive an NHS Bursary
How does it work?
You may be able to get the NHS Bursary Childcare Allowance if you have dependent children.
How much you get depends on your circumstances and your household income.
To qualify:
- you must use a registered childcare provider
- your children must be under 15 on the first day of the academic year (or under 17 if they have special educational needs)
The allowance pays 85% of the gross actual cost up to:
- £128.78 a week for 1 child
- £191.45 a week for 2 or more children
Find out more about the NHS Bursary.
Employer childcare vouchers
Who is it for?
Parents and carers who were members of an employer voucher scheme when they closed to new applicants in October 2018 and have:
- stayed with the same employer
- made at least one payment into their account every 52 weeks (more than £0)
- not left the childcare voucher scheme to join Tax-Free Childcare
How does it work?
Childcare vouchers are operated through salary sacrifice. A salary sacrifice arrangement is an agreement to reduce an employee’s entitlement to cash pay, usually in return for a non-cash benefit.
Under the childcare voucher scheme employees may ‘sacrifice’ part of their pay in exchange for childcare vouchers, to save money on tax and National Insurance contributions. To avail of these savings employees can only use childcare vouchers to pay for registered childcare.
Each eligible parent can sacrifice a maximum of £243 per month from their salary into their childcare voucher account.
If you have been paying for childcare for other children with the scheme and now have other children to pay childcare for, as long as you meet the criteria above you can continue to use employer childcare vouchers.