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Help with childcare costs if you’re out of work and want to train

The Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work scheme is aimed at low-income, two-parent families – where one parent is in work, and the other wants to get into learning.

If you're looking to do a course that's classed as developing new skills that could lead to a job, it could provide up to £175 per child per week to help with childcare costs.

What you can learn or train for

From short refresher courses in English and maths to formal qualifications in a whole range of subjects, there’s something on offer for everyone.

And because there are plenty of flexible courses available, you can study at your own pace and for however long you choose, building on the skills you already have and developing new ones along the way.

Do you qualify?

You could be eligible for the Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work scheme if you:

• are aged 20 or over
• are not working, or are working fewer than 16 hours per week
• have one or more children aged 14 or under (18 or under if the child is disabled)
• have a partner who is working
• have a household income of £20,000 or less per year

You also need to use a childcare provider that's registered with Ofsted.

How much you could get

Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work could help pay for childcare, leaving you to concentrate on your learning or training. If you qualify, you could get up to £175 per child per week - or £215 per child per week in London.

How to apply

To apply for Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work, or to find out more about the scheme, you can:

• contact the student services team at your college, or get in touch with nextstep - they will help you find out if you qualify, and guide you through the application process
• call the Learner Support helpline on 0800 121 8989, and select option four

• Face-to-face careers advice with nextstep

• Learner Support helpline

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• Help with childcare costs while you're learning