Purpose
The Department is committed to supporting the professional development and career ambitions of its staff. We recognise that staff with caring responsibilities may incur additional costs when participating in work-related training.
To address this, the Returners and Carers Fund (established in the 2025/26 academic year) provides financial assistance to eligible staff to help offset caring costs and enable participation in training and development opportunities.
Scope and Eligibility
The scheme is open to all academic, research, research-related, professional, and support staff within DPIR who have regular caring responsibilities, including childcare or caring for a parent, partner, or close relative.
Applicants must demonstrate that their application relates to costs incurred as a result of work-related training, as defined by HMRC.
Eligible Costs
Funding covers additional caring costs incurred specifically because of attending work-related training, beyond routine arrangements. Examples include:
• Extra nursery fees if attending a course on a non-working day.
• Childminder, babysitter, or after-school club costs when training extends routine hours.
• Travel costs for a dependent child and/or additional carer to attend a conference.
• Travel costs for a carer (e.g. grandparent, sibling) to provide support during training.
• Other caring costs linked to training.
Note: The fund cannot cover the cost of the training activity itself or for a college/department teaching buyout. The Department will not cover any additional tax liabilities resulting from a funding award.
Funding Structure
The Fund operates on two tiers:
• Tier 1: Awards up to £250 for training or courses.
• Tier 2: Awards up to £1,000 for exceptional circumstances relating to caring responsibilities.
The total fund available each financial year (August–July) is £5,000. Funds cannot be carried forward, and individual awards will not exceed the scheme’s annual limit.
Applicants should apply to the University’s Returners and Carers Fund first. If unsuccessful, they may then apply to the DPIR fund. Funding cannot be received from both schemes for the same activity.
How to Apply
To apply, you must complete the Returners and Carers Fund Application Form and review the DPIR Returners and Carers Fund Policy before submitting.
Application deadlines:
There will be three application rounds per year (Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity Terms).
• Michaelmas: Friday 14 November 2025
• Hilary: Friday 23 January 2026
• Trinity: Friday 1 May 2026
Applications will be reviewed by the DPIR Returners and Carers Fund Panel after the deadline for each application round.