Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why studying for a PhD does not count as work for the purposes of qualifying for free childcare.

30 hours free childcare aims to support working parents with the costs of childcare so that they can take up paid work if they want to, or work additional hours. That is why, in general, parents who do not work are not eligible for the additional hours.

The government recognises the value of parents continuing and returning to education, and provides support to those enrolled in recognised education courses through other schemes such as the childcare grant. This scheme, available to parents who are in full time higher education, offers parents support with up to 85% of their childcare costs depending on their household income, including those studying for a PhD. In addition, all three and four year olds are eligible for 15 hours of funded early education a week.