Are you entitled to financial support for child care through benefits, Tax Credits or Student Finance? If you’ve got children (or are about to!) are you getting all the financial support you’re entitled to?

If you’re not sure, contact the University’s Student Finance team for student finance enquiries or your Students’ Union Adviser for advice on benefits and tax credits. Generally, child care costs can only be met if you are using a Registered Child Minder. If you’re dealing with unexpected problems with your children and your studies are affected, inform your Tutor, and if your assignments or exams will be affected, make use of the Extenuating Circumstances procedure (see the Student Services A-Z for the link).

Click here to find local Nurseries in Greenwich and here for information and advice for local parents, from Greenwich Council’s Family Information Service.

If you’re looking for part time work to fit in with your studies, for voluntary experience, or for support to improve your employability, contact the University’s Employability & Careers Service.

Voluntary work undertaken while at University can count towards official recognition through the Students’ Union and the University.

If you’re looking for University accommodation for mature students, consider applying to stay at Devonport House, in central Greenwich. Devonport has wheelchair-accessible rooms. However, Uni accommodation is restricted to students on full time courses. If you want to rent privately in Greenwich, download our short Housing Guide to help you avoid common problems.

If you’ve got problems with your housing, whether it’s finding a place to live, getting evicted from where you’re living, or trying to get your landlord to make it fit to live in, have a look at the website, or contact your local Students’ Union Adviser.

If you’ve chosen to study, you may have needed to give up or reduce your work. You may be eligible for student finance if you’re a Home student, but you may lose other income or benefits.

We’d strongly encourage students to check their financial entitlement before they come to University and to work out a realistic budget. We believe that a single student living on their own in London will typically need about £1000 per month to cover their rent, food and other living costs. If you’ve got children, a partner, or other personal needs, you may need more to live on. From past experience, a lot of students, whether young or older, will get into debt, especially if you’ve got dependent children. Making sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to and budgeting will help minimise the amount of debt you get into, but if you are struggling to manage, contact your Students’ Union Adviser. We are licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority to give free debt advice to students. We can help you negotiate affordable payments with creditors and advise on your rights to prevent debt enforcement. If you need more help, we can refer you to external (free) specialist money advisers.

For advice on student finance generally contact the Student Finance team.

For advice on benefits and tax credits, and for free debt advice contact your Students Union Adviser. See our website for more information.

If you’re in financial hardship (whether or not you’re in debt), and if you’re a Home student, have you applied to the University’s Access to Learning Fund? If not, why not? And why not now! Go to the Student Services A-Z for the link to apply to the fund, and if you want help with the application, contact your Students’ Union Adviser.