Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of the potential merits of expanding free childcare for working parents to (a) full-time PhD students and (b) full-time postgraduate students, regardless of subject.

All families must have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Student parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education, which is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.

Students who work in addition to studying 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 government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support options for students in higher education to support them with childcare.

Further information on the childcare offers available to parents is available at: https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/.