Additional Caring Costs Fund (formerly Family Support Fund)
Find out about our Additional Caring Costs Fund and make an application.
The School of Biological Sciences wishes to ensure that staff and PhD students with caring responsibilities are not disadvantaged in their ability to attend conferences, work related training or career development opportunities because of caring responsibilities for children or dependent adults.
All staff and PhD students can apply to the fund for financial assistance with dependent care costs incurred on such occasions. Each case will be considered individually in line with the fund's eligibility criteria.
Please note: Caring costs related to core activities (your day to day role) cannot be covered by this fund due to taxation requirements. You may be able to access assistance through your funder if you work in an academic role. Amounts up to £350 can be applied for on any occasion.
The eligibility criteria is:
- You must be attending work related training, or a career development opportunity.
- The activity must be time specific and only available at that time.
- e.g. the course runs from 9am to 5pm on Thursday and Friday. This is specified by the trainer and the material or opportunity is only available at this time.
- You must be accessing assistance outside of your everyday caring arrangements. This does not need to be professional care. It can be a relative or friend.
- e.g. you would like a relative to look after your dependents during your two day training. Your relative would like to drive to collect your dependents and care for them in their home, then drive them back when your course is finished. The fund can cover their travel fuel costs.
- e.g. you work part-time and look after your children on a Thursday and Friday. A work related training course is booked for a Thursday and Friday. You would like to access two days of professional childcare at a nursery.
You may make an application at any time and we aim to give you a decision within one month of submitting the application form.
Applying to the Additional Caring Costs Fund
Application
Supplementary documents
Please complete this form and send to sbs.EandD@ed.ac.uk. If you would like advice related to filling in the form, please get in touch by emailing sbs.EandD@ed.ac.uk to discuss.