The Carer’s Career Development Fund (CCDF) is a scheme designed to help parents/guardians and carers with the additional care costs incurred as a result of attending conferences or other important development and networking events, which fall outside of their normal working hours.
Attending networking and career-development events such as conferences, workshops and sandpits are known to benefit and facilitate research collaborations, funding opportunities and joint projects. Similarly, serving on sector level panels or groups can offer valuable career development opportunities as well as raising the profile and influence of our university. These activities benefit our staff as well as the wider community of Queen Mary. The university recognises that it is invariably harder for those with caring responsibilities to attend such events as these often fall outside of normal working hours or disrupt usual patterns of care provision.
Whilst the university understands that caring costs are only a small factor affecting attendance at these events, it would like to help relieve the pressure in some part, by helping staff, with the additional caring costs incurred.
For more information or assistance please contact the researchculture@qmul.ac.uk.
This scheme is open to both parents/guardians and those with other caring responsibilities, and to all staff at Queen Mary (researchers, teaching staff, professional services, PGR students, postdocs and technicians). For the avoidance of doubt, this includes those with both parental/childcare duties, and those caring for adults.
Please note, researchers should check the terms and conditions of their grant funding before applying for this fund, as there may be other funds available to support training opportunities that include provision for travel. Some Doctoral Training Entities and Partnerships (e.g. DTP, CDT, CDP) also offer similar funding.
The fund is designed to support carers for costs incurred as a result of professional commitments and career development activities which fall outside of normal working hours, such as conferences, workshops and networking events. Costs may also be incurred as a result of staff travelling overseas, or within the UK, to such events. Costs will relate directly to the arrangements of a care provider, appropriate to the requirements of the case (for example, nursery care or a childminder).
This includes covering costs that arise from events and activities that take place during working hours but at an alternative location and at a distance such that travel occurs outside of usual working arrangements and has an impact on caring arrangements.
When can I submit my claim?
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible in advance of the event so we can confirm whether funds are available in good time. We also understand that opportunities can arise last minute therefore there is no fixed deadline for applications. However, retrospective applications will not be accepted.
If my claim is unsuccessful, do I have to wait 12 months to be able to submit another one?
No, you may submit as many applications as you’d like within the 12-month period but can usually only receive a maximum of £300 within this period.
If I successfully bid for an amount below £300, can I apply again within the 12-month period?
A core principle of this fund is to enable as many individuals to benefit their careers as is possible. Therefore, typically we will only fund one event attendance per year.
The care I need to arrange will cost above £300, what should I do?
We recognise the diverse range of caring responsibilities our staff may have and seek to ensure this fund can be used by all. We recognise that some staff may require specific care arrangements that exceed £300. For example, this could be because of complex caring needs, or the time needed to be covered.
If you wish to submit an application that exceeds the £300 cap, please contact researchculture@qmul.ac.uk so that this can be considered. You will be asked to provide an outline of the need for this additional cost to enable the team to assess this in line with the aims of the fund.
Will I be expected to report on the expenditure? If so, what does this entail and when will I be asked to do this?
Yes, after attending the event/conference, claimants will need to provide evidence of their receipts in order for the award to be confirmed. Reimbursements will then be processed. All reimbursements will only be made against receipts and in line with Queen Mary’s financial policies and procedures.
What if I am ill or cannot attend the conference/event? What shall I do?
If you are unable to attend an event and would not require the funds, then please researchculture@qmul.ac.uk to inform us. We will make a note on your application to reflect this which means the funds can be reallocated for someone else to use. This also ensures our records are accurate and you will not be prevented from request funds again later in the year.
I am having problems submitting my form, what should I do?
Please email researchculture@qmul.ac.uk should there be any problems with submitting the form via the web page. Please indicate that this is the case in your email and we will support you to submit your application.
Will these costs be treated as a taxable benefit?
We expect that most costs being reimbursed by this scheme will be covered by a HMRC exemption which would recognise these costs as being part of the costs of work related training (see definition below). Your application will be reviewed in line with these guidelines. Should any tax charge be applicable this will be recorded on a P11D form by Payroll which will be reported to HMRC to be reclaimed at a later date.
Work-related training is defined within HMRC guidelines as follows:
Work-related training is defined as any training course or other activity which is designed to impart, instil, improve or reinforce any knowledge, skills, or personal qualities which:
The training must relate to the employee’s current employment or to a “related employment”.
The Research Culture Team is part of the Research Services Directorate at Queen Mary University of London. We process your personal information in order to assess your eligibility for the CCDF.
Data protection legislation allows us to use your personal information in this way because it is required to deliver an agreement (or ‘contract’) we have with you and you have actively given us your permission (or ‘consent’). You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at researchculture@qmul.ac.uk.
We will keep your information for 6 months before the personal data will be destroyed. We will use your anonymised data for the purpose of monitoring, evaluating and improving the operation of the fund, and will share this anonymised data internally with the EDI team and with other colleagues as appropriate. Data shared in this form will also be shared with Payroll and Finance, in line with existing data sharing protocols, to enable administration of payments.
We will not share your information with any external organisations. On rare occasions, we may be required or permitted to share personal information by law (e.g., for law enforcement purposes).
Please feel free to get in touch with the Research Culture team with any questions you might have at researchculture@qmul.ac.uk.