There's a UK Student Finance grant most mature students with kids don't realise they can claim. £2,024 a year, tax-free, on top of the maintenance loan.
It's not the Childcare Grant. It's Parents' Learning All owance, a separate grant paying up to £2,024 a year for course-related costs like books, transport, internet, and the heating on the room you study in after the kids go to bed.
The 2026/27 rules:
• Full-time undergrad in England with at least one dependent child (any age)
• Household income under £18,957.98 for the maximum amount
• Non-repayable. Paid in 3 termly instalments
• Tick the dependants box on the Student Finance PR1 form
The biggest mistake is skipping the dependants section entirely on the application, because the system does not flag it.
Full 2026/27 breakdown: https://unistart.app/blog/parents-learning-allowance-uk-2026-27