Childcare: Higher Education
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason PhD stipends do not count towards the work requirement for free hours of childcare; what information does her Department hold on the number of PhD researchers who are having to withdraw from their PhDs or are unable to start PhD courses due to childcare costs: and whether she has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of permitting PhD stipends to count towards the work requirement for free childcare hours.
Answered by Department for Education
Students who work alongside their studies may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if they meet the income requirements. PhD stipends are non-taxable income and therefore do not count towards the income requirements of the 30 hours childcare entitlement.
The department does not hold information on the number of PhD researchers who have withdrawn from, or have been unable to commence, PhD study as a result of childcare costs. The department has not estimated the potential cost to the public purse of allowing PhD stipends to count towards the work and income requirements for the 30 hours free childcare entitlement.
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