Recommendation 15

HM Government Acknowledged

Accept. 71. Currently, students attending full-time courses can apply for support towards their childcare costs as the requirement to study on a full-time basis means that they will have less scope to make alternative arrangements to fund these costs e.g. through work. Students undertaking part-time courses can choose to study at the rate that suits them best and vary their intensity of study from year to year. This flexibility gives students the opportunity to combine work and study which is why we have not extended childcare support to students who have chosen to study on a part-time course. 72. The Government has sought to improve access to part-time study by introducing full-time equivalent loans for living costs for students attending honours degree and equivalent level courses since 2018/19. The Government stated its intention to review part-time loans for living costs within five years of its 2016 consultation on part-time loans for living costs, and as such is intending to review the part-time loan for living costs in 2021. 73. The AEB also funds colleges and providers to help adult FE learners to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning. This includes Learner Support to support learners with a specific financial hardship. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment and childcare. 74. Supporting parents transitioning into work is important, that is why the Government offers a package of schemes to help with the cost of childcare. All three- and four-year olds, and the most disadvantaged two-year-olds, benefit from the 15-hour universal free childcare entitlement, regardless of whether parents are in work or not. Parents on a low income may also be eligible for 85% of the childcare costs supported through Universal Credit (UC). 75. The 30 hours free childcare offer aims to support working families with the cost of childcare, helping parents back into work, or to work more hours should they wish to. 76. To qualify for 30 hours free childcare, parents need to be earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the minimum or living wage. This ensures that self-employed parents, or parents on zero-hour contracts are not excluded from 30 hours if they can meet this income requirement. 77. Working families may also qualify for Tax-Free Childcare, which can help pay for childcare for children from 0–11 (or up to 16 if disabled) and is worth up to £2,000 per child each year (or up to £4,000 if the child is disabled).