Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Student Parents: Support and Assistance
Financial and social support, and assistance while studying as a parent.
Find out all the ways you can be offered financial and social support from the Government, grants, and various funds. From state-offered benefits such as Child Benefit and Universal Credit, to academic skills support and various methods of guidance face-to-face.
We’d recommend any student at university with children make an appointment with a Student Money Adviser so you know what you may be able to claim. Additional funding could include:
• From the following academic year after having your baby Student Finance England will assess you as an Independent Student and your Maintenance Loan will no longer be based on your parents’ income but your alone or yours and partner. If a lone parent then you would be entitled to the Special Support Element of the Maintenance Loan which is overall higher and exempt from consideration when calculating other benefits like Universal Credit.
•Parents Learning Allowance from Student Finance England of up to £1915 (AY 2023/24) on a means tested basis.
•Childcare Grant from Student Finance England covering up to 85% of childcare costs on a means tested basis. The maximum you can get is up to £188.90 a week for 1 child and up to £323.85 a week for 2 or more children (AY 2023/24).
Additional funding can also include:
•Child Benefit from HMRC. A set weekly rate depending on number of children, subject to individual circumstances and means tested but with restrictions only for those on particularly high incomes.
•Universal Credit from the DWP. Monthly payment contributing to living, child and rental costs.
Takes into account student finance income, partner and other income and so level of entitlement subject to individual circumstances
•Sure Start Maternity Grant from the DWP. One off payment to help towards the costs of having your first child. Support from the Leeds Beckett Hardship Fund’s own Maternity Grant is almost identical but made available in advance of the birth due to this Sure Start Grant no available until after the birth.
You may also be able to access additional financial support from the Hardship Fund, which is a non-repayable grant. Funding from the Hardship Fund could include help towards your living costs and up to the remaining 15% of your childcare costs. Any existing assessments to the Hardship Fund made before the birth, such as those made to access the Maternity Grant, can be reviewed after the birth to see what additional support can be provided over that already awarded. As a parent, you may also be eligible to apply to the Summer Assistance Fund for financial support through the summer, if you are a continuing student
Social Support
It is worth reviewing the range of support available to you in refreshing and extending your academic skills.
The Skills for Learning website contains guidance on key academic skills. Available resources include podcasts, pages on topics like referencing and time management, and live workshops on useful skills like academic writing. If you book onto a workshop, even if you can’t attend, you will be emailed a recording of the workshop afterwards, or you can request previous recordings from skills.for.learning@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
Studying as a parent
It is worth reviewing the range of support available to you in refreshing and extending your academic skills.
The Skills for Learning website contains guidance on key academic skills. Available resources include podcasts, pages on topics like referencing and time management, and live workshops on useful skills like academic writing. If you book onto a workshop, even if you can’t attend, you will be emailed a recording of the workshop afterwards, or you can request previous recordings from skills.for.learning@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
Many students also benefit from the concise academic skills modules available to brief you on the key skills involved at each academic level, as well as on topics such as academic integrity.
You can also book face-to-face or online appointments to get one-to-one guidance with skills like finding information, academic English, effective writing, referencing and maths.
Family emergencies and caring responsibilities
Where childcare issues prevent you from attending classes in person, teaching staff are asked to supply any available materials that may help in making up for missed work. Please let your Course Administrator know of your absence as soon as possible. If you are unsure of the correct contact details, please contact Student Advice who will be able to help you find these.
