ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT PARENTS For many parents and carers, learning and training is the first step back into paid employment. There are a number of options to explore for help with childcare costs: THE CHILDCARE GRANT The Childcare Grant is available for full-time higher education students who have dependent children and a low household income. This includes students who are lone parents and students married to other students. If you have children under 15 (or 17 if your child is registered as having special educational needs), the grant pays a set rate of 85% of your actual childcare costs throughout the whole year. For students in their final year, the Childcare Grant can be paid until the last day of the final term. How much help you get will depend on your income and that of your dependents. A similar Childcare Grant is available as part of the full-time Further Education Awards. The Social Security Agency or Housing Benefit offices should not take account of any payments you receive through the Childcare Grant. You cannot get this grant if you or your partner receives the childcare element of the working tax credit from HMRC. Your childcare provider must be registered for you to receive the Childcare Grant, and you do not have to repay it. For more information contact your local Education & Library Board (ELB) or visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk PARENTS LEARNING ALLOWANCE The Parents’ Learning Allowance helps with course-related costs for full-time higher education students with dependent children. How much you get depends on your income and that of your dependents (including your husband or wife or partner). A similar Childcare Grant is available as part of the full-time Further Education Awards. The Social Security Agency, Housing Benefit and HMRC should not count this grant when they work out your benefit and tax credit entitlement. You do not have to repay this grant. For more information contact your local Education & Library Board (ELB) who will decide your actual entitlement based on your circumstances. CHILD TAX CREDIT Students with dependent children are eligible for Child Tax Credit from HMRC. Students receiving the maximum amount of Child Tax Credit (and no Working Tax Credit) are entitled to free school meals for their children. Student Loans and grants to meet the costs of tuition fees, childcare and other course-related costs are not treated as income in new claims for tax credits. Students with children will be entitled to claim Child Tax Credit whether or not they are working or studying. To qualify for Child Tax Credit, you must be aged 16 or over and be responsible for a child under 16 or for someone aged 16 to 19 in relevant (full time non advanced) education. You qualify for Child Tax Credit at a higher rate if your child or one of your children is under one year old or is disabled. The money you get depends on your circumstances and will be paid from HMRC directly into your bank account every week or every four weeks. Contact the Tax Credits Helpline on 0845 603 2000. EXTRA HELP FROM YOUR COLLEGE – ‘SUPPORT FUNDS’ Support Funds are discretionary and are available through your University or College and may provide help if you need extra financial support to stay on your course. You may be able to get extra help through the Support Funds if the Childcare Grant does not cover all your childcare costs and the Parents Learning Allowance is not enough to meet all of the study costs of your course. Full-time and part-time (studying at least half of an equivalent full-time course) students are eligible to apply and will be assessed according to individual need. Contact your student services department. CARE TO LEARN The Care to Learn scheme aims to provide childcare support for 16, 17 and 18 year old parents who are in, or want to return to, Further Education. To be eligible a student must during their course of study be, or become: - A parent, and
- At least 16 years old, and
- Under 19 years of age at the start of their course of study
- Living in the NI
The scheme is open to full-time and part-time Further and Higher Education students in Further Education provision pursuing vocational and academic courses. Assistance under Care to Learn will not be available to any student until their 16th birthday. Students under the minimum school-leaving age who are studying at an FE college will not be eligible, but should refer to the Education Welfare Service of the local Education & Library Board. A student receiving assistance under Care to Learn who becomes 19 during their course of study may choose to remain on the scheme or to apply for assistance under the discretionary Support Funds (see above). For further information contact the Principal or Director of your Institution. FURTHER INFORMATION To request a copy of the Childcare Grant and Other Support for Student Parents in Higher Education booklet, contact the Department for Employment and Learning Student Finance Branch on 028 9025 7746 / 7715, or visit the website on www.delni.gov.uk/studentfinance Booklets entitled A guide to Financial Support for Higher Education Students and A guide to Financial Support for Part-time students in Higher Education are available on the Department for Employment and Learning website www.delni.gov.uk or visit the ELB student support website www.studentfinanceni.co.uk For information on Further Education Awards contact Studentfinanceni, Further Education Awards Section, 1 Hospital Road, Omagh, BT79 0AW; telephone 028 8225 4546. The Adult Learner Finance Project (NI) (ALFP) is a partnership between the Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA) and the National Union of Students – Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI). The service is aimed at adult learners and mature students entering or returning to learning. They have produced a series of information sheets on financing further and higher education and educational trusts, copies are available from the ALFP(NI) duty Information Officer on 028 9024 4274 or email info@egsa.org.uk or on the project’s website www.money2learn.com
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