Department of Health and Social Care - Childcare Allowance

What the Childcare Allowance gives you

During your studies, you will receive financial support towards the costs of registered childcare. This covers up to 85% of your actual weekly childcare costs, with the upper limit set at 204.03 GBP per week (about 235 EUR) for one child and 349.80 GBP per week (about 405 EUR) for two or more children. The exact amount depends on your household income. You will receive this funding in three instalments spread across the academic year, alongside your other scholarship payments. The funding is provided by the Department of Health and Social Care. It forms part of the NHS Scholarship, which provides financial support to medical and dental students in England.

Who can apply

• Course: You are studying medicine or dentistry at a university in England.
• NHS Bursary: You are already receiving the means-tested part of the NHS grant. Receiving only the tuition fee grant or the non-means-tested part will not be taken into account.
• Your children: You have dependent children aged 15 or 17, provided they have special educational needs; the calculation is based on the first day of the school year.
• Registered childcare: Your childcare centre is officially registered, for example with Ofsted in England or the relevant authority in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
• No double funding: You do not currently receive childcare allowance from any other source, such as Universal Credit or tax credits, and the hours in question are not fully funded by the government’s free childcare scheme.
• Currently studying: You are currently a student and are not on maternity leave.

How to apply

First, apply for the means-tested NHS grant via your online grant account. When you then apply for support for dependants, you will be asked whether you would also like to claim childcare allowance, and you will upload the childcare application form. Keep all receipts for childcare costs, as you may need to provide them.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not an award that one wins by competing against others. If you meet the criteria, you are awarded it. The tricky part is qualifying in the first place, as you must be a medical or dental student, already receiving the means-tested NHS grant, and paying for registered childcare. If this applies to you, your chances are good, as the allowance is a statutory entitlement rather than a limited number of places.