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Financial help for parents on a low income

Learner Support Service

The Learner Support Service can help learners who would otherwise not be able to participate in learning for financial reasons to apply for and receive money from:

  • The Skills Funding Agency funds training for adults and houses the National Apprenticeship Service.   

in addition to the traditional application method of paper application forms, learners will also be able to apply online and over the phone. Further information can be found on the Skills Funding Agency  and the Young People's Learning Agency sites.

Benefits for low-income families

Find out about child tax credits and working tax credits to support families with children and working people on low incomes.

Free nursery education

Three and four-year-olds in Medway are entitled to a free part-time nursery education place.

For parents studying (either full time or part time) and not working

  • Get advice on how to get the best out of going to university or college. There is a range of financial help available. There are two main expenses at university or college: tuition fees and living expenses. Student loans and grants for maintenance are available to help out with living costs. Student finance advice and on student loans and grants is available on the GOV.UK website.
  • Find out A Career Development Loan is a bank loan designed to help you pay for work-related learning. You do not have to start paying it back until at least one month after you stop training.
  • To start or return to learning, Care to Learn may be able to pay for your childcare and extra costs if you are a young parent under the age of 20 years. Phone 0845 600 2809, email caretolearn@manchester.gov.uk.
  • The Parents' Learning Allowance helps you pay for course-related costs such as books, materials and travel. It is paid on top of any standard student finance you may receive. You do not have to repay this help.
  • Colleges are able to offer some student parents in further education help with childcare costs through discretionary support funds. This fund can cover hardship, transport, childcare costs for parents over the age of 20 years and residential support, which helps to support learners who would otherwise not be able to participate in learning for financial reasons.

New parents

  • Pregnant women at work have rights to paid time off for antenatal care, statutory maternity leave and may get maternity pay or a maternity allowance. They are also protected against unfair treatment.
  • If you are a mother who is an employee, you have the statutory right to a minimum amount of maternity leave. Your employer may also offer their own maternity leave scheme. Plan your maternity leave.
  • Find out how to get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), a weekly payment from your employer.
  • Maternity Allowance is for working pregnant women unable to get Statutory Maternity Pay. Maternity Allowance is paid for up to 26 weeks and is not subject to tax and National Insurance. It is not paid while you are working. Find out how to claim Maternity Allowance online.
  • Statutory Adoption Pay is a weekly payment you get from your employer to help take time off work when you adopt a child.
  • If you're a father-to-be or you will be responsible with the mother for bringing up a child, you have the right to paid paternity leave, providing you meet certain conditions.
  • Coping with the extra costs of a new baby can be difficult, especially if you are on a low income. There is a grant to help you give your baby a positive start in life called the Sure Start Maternity Grant. The grant is made from the Social Fund and you do not have to pay it back. The Sure Start Maternity Grant is available from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Child support maintenance

  • If you are a parent whose husband, wife or civil partner has died and you have a dependent child or young person (aged between 16 and 20 years) for whom you receive Child Benefit, you may be able to get Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA).
  • Child Benefit is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up a child or young person. It is paid for each child that qualifies and is not affected by income or savings, so most people bringing up a child can get Child Benefit.
  • Guardian's Allowance is a tax-free payment you can claim if you are bringing up a child whose biological or adopted parents have died.
  • Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) is a scheme, not a benefit, to help you protect your entitlement to State Pension if you are not paying National Insurance contributions because you do not work or your earnings are low because you are caring for a child or a sick or disabled person.

Income support

  • Housing Benefit is a means-tested benefit that is payable to people on a low income who are liable to pay rent for accommodation they are occupying as their home. It is paid whether or not they are available for or in full-time work and is paid in addition to other benefits or tax credits.
  • The NHS Low Income Scheme provides income related help to people who are not exempt from NHS treatment charges but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income. Advice on what costs are covered, eligibility and how to make a claim are available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1125.aspx.
  • Find out about Jobcentre Plus programmes and services.  
  • Find out how to understand and claim the State Second Pension, along with details of recent changes and the effects on the SERPS Pensions and information on how it can help disabled people and carers.
  • If you are on a low income, a Cold Weather Payment will help you with extra heating costs during very cold weather in your area.
  • Crisis loans

 

Help for children of school age

  • Find out who is eligible to claim for free school meals, the proof needed to support an application and how to obtain an application form. School milk may be provided for pupils under statutory school age. You should ask the headteacher what is available.
  • Free transport can be offered to eligible pupils up to the age of 19 years. For ineligible pupils, a seat can sometimes be paid for under the Vacant Seats Payment Scheme.

Parents of disabled children

  • Disability Living Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people who need help with personal care or have walking difficulties due to physical or mental disability.
  • The Medway Direct Payments Scheme is for people who have been assessed as needing social care from the council and would like to arrange and pay for their own care and support services, instead of receiving them directly from their local council.
  • If you have a child (aged between five and 16 years) who cannot attend school because of a physical or mental disability, you can claim free milk for them. You do not need to be getting any other benefits to qualify for free milk for disabled children.
  • Pupils with statements of special educational needs may be provided with free transport if they attend certain schools or meet certain criteria and a request is made from the decision making group (DMG).

There is more useful information about help with fees and help for working parents elsewhere on this website.

 

For more information contact Family Information Service by telephone: 01634 335566 or by email: familyinfo@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Family Information Service, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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