Financial support for students with dependants

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.

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

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

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.