🚨 January 2027 Intake: Starting a course in January? You can still apply for the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance alongside your main student finance.
Most student parents in London know about the maintenance loan. Very few know they can stack two non-repayable grants on top of it: up to £199.62 a week toward childcare costs and up to £2,024 a year for course-related expenses. Neither needs paying back. Neither reduces your maintenance loan. And for lone parents, there is a Special Support Element worth an extra £4,582 a year that benefits cannot touch. Put it all together and a parent studying in London could access a funding package worth considerably more than the headline loan figure.
Quick Answer
The Childcare Grant covers up to 85% of Ofsted-registered childcare costs, capped at £199.62/week for one child or £342.24/week for two or more (2026/27). The Parents’ Learning Allowance provides up to £2,024/year for course-related costs. Both are non-repayable and paid on top of your maintenance loan. The catch: you cannot claim the Childcare Grant at the same time as the Universal Credit childcare element or Tax-Free Childcare. You can still be on UC, just not its childcare element specifically.
Table of Contents
- The Full Funding Package for Parent Students in London
- Childcare Grant 2026/27: How Much and How It Works
- Parents’ Learning Allowance 2026/27 for London Students
- Special Support Element: The Hidden Extra for Lone Parents
- Childcare Grant vs Universal Credit Childcare Element
- Getting the Right Combination of Grants
- FAQ: Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance
The Full Funding Package for Parent Students in London
Every other guide lists these grants individually. Nobody shows the total. Here is what a lone parent studying full-time in London could access in 2026/27 (illustrative example, low household income):
| Funding Source | Max Amount | Repayable? | Affects UC? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Loan (London) | £14,135 | Yes (loan) | Yes (partly) |
| Special Support Element (lone parent) | £4,582 | Part of loan | No (ignored) |
| Childcare Grant (1 child) | Up to £199.62/week | No | No |
| Parents’ Learning Allowance | £2,024 | No | No |
| University bursary | £500 to £3,000+ | No | No (usually) |
| Tuition Fee Loan | £9,790 | Yes (loan) | No |
The maintenance loan, PLA, and Special Support Element all come through your Student Finance England account. The Childcare Grant goes through a separate system called CCGPS (Childcare Grant Payment Service), paid directly to your childcare provider. The tuition fee loan goes straight to the university.
Childcare Grant 2026/27: How Much and How It Works in London
The Childcare Grant covers 85% of your registered childcare costs, up to a weekly cap. For 2026/27, the caps are £199.62 a week for one child and £342.24 a week for two or more children. You cover the remaining 15% yourself.
London nursery costs make this grant worth more here than anywhere else. A typical London nursery charges £75 to £90 a day for a full-time place. That is £375 to £450 a week. At 85%, the grant covers £319 to £383, but the cap limits it to £199.62. You still face a gap, but £199.62 a week of free money is significant.
Your child must be under 15 (or under 17 with special educational needs), and the provider must be Ofsted-registered. A family member or friend watching your child does not count.
Tip: Your child’s free 15 or 30 hours of government-funded early education still applies. The Childcare Grant covers the hours beyond the free entitlement. So if your 3-year-old gets 30 free hours but your nursery provides 50 hours, the grant covers 85% of the extra 20 hours.
Parents’ Learning Allowance 2026/27 for London Students
The Parents’ Learning Allowance (PLA) gives you up to £2,024 a year for course-related costs: books, equipment, travel to university, printing. SFE pays it in three instalments alongside your maintenance loan. It does not affect any benefits, including Universal Credit.
SFE assesses you automatically once you confirm you have dependent children on your application. No separate form needed. And you do not need to be paying for childcare. If your parents look after your child for free while you study, you still qualify for PLA. The only requirement is at least one dependent child.
Special Support Element: The Hidden Extra for Lone Parents in London
If you are a single parent or receive a qualifying disability benefit (PIP, DLA), SFE adds a Special Support Element of £4,582 to your maintenance loan. The total headline figure stays £14,135 for London, but the internal split changes. Without this element, DWP counts the full loan as income for UC. With it, £4,582 of the loan gets completely ignored.
That makes a real difference. Using the calculation from our UC and student finance guide, a lone parent in London keeps roughly £300 to £500 a month in UC rather than losing it all.
Childcare Grant vs Universal Credit Childcare Element in London
You cannot claim the Childcare Grant and the UC childcare element at the same time. But you can be on UC. The clash is specifically with the childcare element of UC, not UC itself. So which one pays more?
| Student Childcare Grant | UC Childcare Element | |
|---|---|---|
| Max for 1 child | £199.62/week (~£865/month) | Up to £1,071/month |
| Must you work? | No | Yes (you or partner) |
| Repayable? | No | No |
| Paid to | Childcare provider (CCGPS) | You (claim back after paying) |
The UC childcare element pays more per month but requires you or your partner to work. The Childcare Grant does not. For most student parents who do not work during term time, the Childcare Grant is the right choice. You also cannot combine either one with Tax-Free Childcare.
Getting the Right Combination of Grants
The tricky part is not knowing these grants exist. It is working out which combination applies to your situation. The Childcare Grant vs UC childcare element decision alone depends on whether you or your partner works, your immigration status, household income, and which benefits you currently receive. Getting it wrong could mean losing hundreds of pounds a month in UC that you did not need to lose. If you want help working through the numbers, Wilor Education offers a free eligibility check for London student parents.
FAQ: Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance
How much is the Childcare Grant for 2026/27?
Up to £199.62 a week for one child, or up to £342.24 a week for two or more. You get 85% of your actual childcare costs or the weekly cap, whichever is lower. You do not repay it.
Can I get the Childcare Grant and Universal Credit together?
Yes, but not the childcare element of UC. You can receive UC standard allowance, housing element, and child elements alongside the Student Childcare Grant. The clash is only with the UC childcare element specifically.
How much is the Parents’ Learning Allowance?
Up to £2,024 per year for 2026/27. SFE assesses it automatically when you confirm dependent children on your application. No separate form needed.
Does the Parents’ Learning Allowance affect my benefits?
No. PLA does not count as income for Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, or any other means-tested benefit. It does not reduce your maintenance loan either.
Can I use the free 15/30 hours childcare and the Childcare Grant?
Yes. The Childcare Grant covers hours beyond the free entitlement. If your child gets 30 free hours but your nursery provides 50, the grant covers 85% of the cost of the extra 20 hours.
Can refugees get the Childcare Grant and PLA?
Yes. If you qualify for Student Finance England, you qualify for these grants on the same terms as any UK student. Refugees, humanitarian protection holders, and those on Ukraine schemes all qualify.
Can part-time students get the Childcare Grant?
Yes, but at a reduced rate based on your study intensity. At 50% intensity, your maximum Childcare Grant is roughly half the full-time cap.
Can I get these grants for a Master’s degree?
No. The Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance, and Adult Dependants’ Grant are only available for full-time undergraduate students. Master’s loan students cannot access them.