Introduction
If you:
- you are a full-time student pursuing a degree in higher education
- have children under the age of 15 years old if they have special needs.
The amount of the award:
- is not required to be repaid
- is paid in addition to any other student loans you may have.
To register for a Childcare Grant, you must be a student with financial aid.
You will receive the following for Childcare:
You’ll be paid based on the following factors:
- the total income of your family
- the number of children reliant on you
The academic year 2021–2022.
You will get up to 85 per cent and above of your daycare expenditures or a set ceiling, whichever is smaller.
You can only get the following maximum:
- One youngster can earn up to £179.62 each week
- for two or more children, up to £307.95 per week
Example
If your childcare for one child costs £100 per week, you’ll receive £85, or 85% of your costs.
You’ll get £179.62 if your childcare for one child costs £220 per week. It is because 85 per cent of your charges are £187, which is more than the maximum weekly allowance.
You must pay any remaining costs.
The academic year 2020-2021
You will get up to 85% of your childcare costs, whichever is smaller.
You can only receive the following as a maximum:
- £174.22 per week for one child
- For two or more children, up to £298.69 each week
Example
If you spend £100 per week on daycare for one child, you will receive £85, or 85% of your costs.
You’ll get £174.22 if your child’s childcare costs £220 per week. It is because 85 per cent of your expenses come to £187, which is more than the maximum weekly allowance.
You must pay any outstanding charges.
How much money do you make?
Your award will be deposited into a CCGPS account. There is an email that will send to you with instructions on how to do so.
Payment requests will be sent to the CCGPS by your daycare provider, which you can approve via your account. It is something you’ll have to do every week in most cases. You will use the money in your account to pay your supplier immediately.
They can only approve payments to your daycare provider once your course has begun. The Childcare Grant cannot be used to cover upfront costs like deposits. They will remit any remaining funds to Student Finance England at the end of the academic year.
A Childcare Grant does not affect income-related, unemployment, or housing benefits.
Eligibility
To be qualified for this, you must meet the following requirements:
- You are a full-time student.
- Your child must be 15 years old and below if they have special needs.
- You receive undergraduate student aid depending on your home income or
- You are eligible to receive it.
- You won’t be qualified for a Postgraduate Loan.
- You live in England permanently.
- Your grant application includes children who are financially reliant on you.
- They checked them with your childcare provider to see if they are included on the Ofsted Early Years Register or the General Childcare Register.
- If your child is being loved at home, the caregiver cannot be a relative and must be registered with an appropriate body – consult Student Finance England for further information.
- Neither you nor your partner is qualified for the Tax-Free Childcare; Working Tax Credits childcare component or Universal Credit’s child care component.
- Neither you nor your partner is qualified for National Health Service assistance with childcare fees (NHS)
The Childcare Grant is not the same as free childcare for 15 or 30 hours. You will not be able to use it to cover those hours.
How to Make an Application
Follow these guidelines to apply for a Childcare Grant:
- Submit an online application as part of your overall student loan application.
- Present proof. When you apply, it will notify you of what proof you’ll need.
- A letter will be issued to you stating the amount of Childcare Grant you will get.
- Register for the Childcare Grant Payment Service and create an online account (CCGPS). They will send an email to you with instructions on how to do so. It is where they will deposit your grant money.
If you’d rather use a paper form, do so instead:
- I have applied for student aid but have not received it
- I have applied for a childcare grant and wish to apply for another child
The form is available for download from the student financing form finder.
To send the form to Student Finance England, log in to your online account or mail it.