Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has assessed the adequacy of the the Step Up to Social Work bursary to enable single working parents on Universal Credit to participate in the programme.

The bursary for Step Up to Social Work programme students aims to support learners while they train. However, the department understands that the current climate may present some additional challenges.

The department fully funds all aspects of the programme and provides students with a bursary of £21,995. We are committed to supporting learners and want to ensure that trainees are equipped with the right resources to successfully complete the programme and become qualified social workers.

Programme students are unlikely to be eligible for Universal Credit, as the bursary amount exceeds what would otherwise have been payable by way of Universal Credit. However, students are also entitled to 15 hours childcare, which is a universal offer for all families in England with 3 to 4 year-olds, as well as the 15 hours early education entitlement for 2 year-olds in receipt of additional support if they meet the eligibility criteria for this entitlement.