The purpose of the fund
Our Further Education Bursary is here to help young people aged 16–18 from police families continue their education, reducing financial stress and supporting confidence, wellbeing and future opportunities.
This bursary helped me afford travel and books for college. It meant I could keep going after everything our family had been through.Bursary recipient
Who this bursary is for
You may be able to apply for a grant from this fund if you are:
• A young person (family member – an immediate family member who is financially dependent on a serving or veteran member of the police community) aged 16–18 whose parent or carer is a serving (anyone currently working or volunteering in UK policing, including police officers, staff and volunteers or veteran member anyone who has previously worked or volunteered in policing, regardless of how or when they left the service, including those who left due to injury or ill-health of the police community (including officers, staff or volunteers) and has registered harm caused by a policing role, or
• A young person aged 16–18 whose parent or carer died as a result of their policing role
In all cases, the physical injury must be registered with us and linked to your policing role.
Would you be eligible for this fund?
Before you start your application it’s important to check whether you will be eligible for this fund and that you have all of the relevant information available to support your application. LINK to list of information
To make sure support goes to those most in need, the following criteria also applies to applications for this fund:
All applicants must also:
- Be enrolled in college, sixth form or another recognised further education course
- Not be receiving any other bursaries or grants
- Live in a household where income is at, or within 10% of, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) Minimum Income Standard. You can check household income using the https://www.minimumincome.org.uk/
- Household savings and capital must not exceed £10,000.
The Further Education bursary can help with:
- Travel to and from college or sixth form
- Books, equipment and learning materials
- Other essential education related expenses
This list is indicative. What matters most is how the bursary supports participation in education and reduces financial barriers.
What is the maximum funding available?
The Further Education Bursary provides:
- Up to £1,000 per academic year, paid directly to the beneficiary
- Funding for one year at a time
- The opportunity to apply for up to three years, depending on the length of the course
How to apply
Applications open once a year, from September to November.
- Before applying, you must be registered with us, and your registration must include evidence showing the harm caused by your policing role.
- Applications are reviewed by an Independent Grants Panel, with decisions usually made in January or February. Payments are made between January and March.
- We use the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Minimum Income Standard as part of our assessment, to ensure support reaches families who need it most.
- You can apply online or by post once you have registered:
Complete our online application form or
Requesting a paper application
Here’s a list of the type of information you will be expected to provide in your application:
Our welfare team can talk this through with you, step by step.
- Confirmation of your course place
- A clear explanation of how the bursary will be used
- Confirmation that you are not receiving other bursaries or grants
- Income and expenditure details for your household
To assess financial need fairly, we will ask for:
- Three months of recent bank statements (for the applicant and parents or carers)
- Details of any household savings or financial assets
- Any additional information requested by your grants advisor
The difference this support can make
Children and young people can be deeply affected by the harm their police parent or carer has experienced; emotionally, practically and financially.
Research shows that children of parents living with PTSD experience higher levels of stress and emotional difficulty, alongside disruption to everyday family life. Financial strain can increase this pressure.
This bursary helps by:
- Reducing stress and anxiety about education costs
- Supporting confidence, self esteem and focus on learning
- Enabling participation in education and wider opportunities
- Easing financial pressure on families already affected by harm
Since 2016, Police Care UK has awarded 283 education bursaries, totalling £492,400, using similar criteria; supporting young people to continue learning and look ahead with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Registration allows us to verify harm linked to policing and is required before applying for financial support.
Yes. Registration allows us to verify harm linked to policing and is required before applying for financial support.
Yes. Our team can guide you through the application process and explain what information is needed.
The bursary is a discretionary grant and not intended to be treated as income, but individual circumstances vary. We recommend checking with a benefits advisor or HMRC.
