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@Caroline oh okay thanks! So when it says “return to work date” that’s as if I wasn’t working at all rather than being on mat leave?
I’m 99% sure you need to return to work before 30/09. Can you not set your return date for 30/09 and then use annual leave? If you do this you will quality from September x
Hmmm I'd double check it as Yasmin seems sure but we've used the funded hours for my eldest all through my maternity leave so you can definitely do that.
@Caroline I think the new funding for 9 months and upwards works differently. I could be wrong but that’s my understanding and I know a few people who moved their return to work dates for this reason. They haven’t made any of the guidance particularly clear!
Thanks for clarifying!
Ahh fair enough. We were using the older funding for three year olds. Weird that it works differently!
I was thinking about extending my maternity leave with more annual leave so I called them and they said you have to go back to work before 30th September for the 9 month old funding and the child has to start attending nursery. At the nursery we’re going to if you just use funded hours you still have to pay £14 a day so I’m going back 10th September as not worth loosing out on funding for 3 months and just using annual leave 1 day a week
@Caroline my understanding is that the 3 year old funding is for everyone work or no work and 9 month old funding is means tested so you have to be working and earning a certain amount a week to qualify
@Sarah it depends as 15 hours are for everyone and then those who work get an extra 15. But yeah, sounds like I don't know enough about the 9 month funding 🙈
Changed my start date and taking an extra bit of AL. Thanks for the help guys I was getting so confused x
How early did you apply for nursury?.
@Diana I had to apply for a place when I was 20 weeks pregnant to get in for my babies 1st birthday 🤦🏽♀️
@Yasmin omg that's insane. I feel like I have left mine so late lol. I need to start Monday!
@Diana I think it depends on where you live but they’re insanely booked up especially with the new funded hours 🙈
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@Diana I started in December when Lo was 2 months old and most of them were already booked up near me 🙈 they said I’d left it late I couldn’t believe it
If you're on maternity leave you're employed so you get the hours just the same as if you were actually working.