• Name: Aamir*
• PhD Programme: EPSRC-funded PhD in Engineering as part of IAAPS (Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems)
• Type of study: 1st year of 4-year course (Full-time), MRES Programme + 3-year PhD
• Duration: 2023 – 2027
• University: University of Bath
• Children: Two children, aged one and three years-old
• Nursery: Three-year-old attends nursery for 2.5 hours a day, five days a week.
• Stipend: £18,500 per year.
• Nursery fees: Government-funded place for 3-year-old  (15 hours of free childcare per week)

Aamir’s* story:

“Prior to starting my PhD, I had spent several years working as a teacher. I wanted to become a lecturer or researcher, and I knew I would need a PhD to embark on a career in academia.

At present, my wife takes on the majority of the childcaring responsibilities, which allows me to carry out my studies. My stipend covers our mortgage and bills, but we can’t afford to place our children in nursey or childcare beyond the free 15 hours a week we receive for my three-year-old. We don’t have much disposable income to spend on activities or days out as a family, and my partner is quite limited in how she can spend her time whilst she’s looking after the children.

Trying to balance childcare alongside my studies has had a big impact on our relationship. There has been a lot of stress in terms of managing our finances. Also, when our first child was born, my wife experienced mental health issues, and she needed a lot of physical and emotional support to cope with this.

I study in Bath, but my wife and children are based in Cardiff. My PhD is quite flexible, compared to the hours I’d be required to work in a regular 9-5 job so, to some extent, I can flex my schedule to spend time with my family. When it comes to meeting deadlines, though, I feel I have no choice but to leave the children with my wife and then the burden of childcare falls to her.

Recently, our financial situation has improved, somewhat, as I’ve been able to take on a paid role with the Doctoral College for five hours a week to help to cover the bills. But, alongside this, I’ve had to approach my university twice to access their hardship fund because my stipend isn’t enough to cover all our living expenses. My wife has also had to make use of Universal Credit, as well as the NHS ‘Healthy Card’, to provide fresh food for our children.

Having access to additional financial support to help with the cost of childcare would have made the world of difference for us as a family. When I chose to study for my PhD, I knew it would be financially challenging, but what I was not aware of was how much damage the ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ would cause in terms of creating spikes in interest rates and increasing household bills. Additionally, even though I live in Wales, I am not eligible to access the slightly more generous Welsh Government schemes because I study in England.

I am concerned about the impact that balancing finances and childcare alongside my studies is having on my wife’s mental health and her own career prospects. I believe my own mental health has also suffered because of the stresses that we have been experiencing.

Had I known what I know now, I would still have wanted to study for a PhD, as I do believe that it will allow me to give my family a better quality of life in the future. I do, however, wish that my wife and I had been much better prepared financially, so that we didn’t have to go through so many challenges. Having access to improved childcare support would give us one less thing to worry about.”

*Published under a pseudonym. Content correct as of April 2024.