UK free childcare schemes - help me!
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You are entitled to the 2 year funding. I just received my letter yesterday. My daughter will be turning 2 in August and will be starting nursery in September. I work part-time and only do 12 hours a week and get uc x
@Suada I'm so confused because this is very similar to my situation but I spoke to working families and he said I had to be working either 16 hours a week or earning more than £867 a month or something to qualify! I'm worried about committing him to nursery and then getting slapped with a bill that I can't afford. How did you get the tax code thing for it? It all baffles my mind
https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk Is the best place to find out, on there if you complete the form it should tell you what you are entitled to
@Courtney thank you so much for the information. This is what's confusing me. One person saying I have to be working 16 hours and then someone else is not. I've messaged universal credit to see what they say about the taxfree child Care but no one seems to want to give me a direct answer! I have looked through the childcare choices website and it seems as though I am eligible but when I call any of the charities of working families they say I'm not🤷🏻♀️x
Because you work part time and unviersal credit top you up, you are eligible for the 2 year funding depending on your Brough you should get a letter before August to say that you are eligible for the 2 year funding but your child starts the term after there 2nd birthday. Hope that explains it better x
@Shule have you tried to apply for either through the government website? Worst that can happen is they say you are not entitled to it but you won’t be penalised for applying.
@Lauren I haven't tbf I was worried that I'd apply and they wouldn't tell me I wasn't eligible and I'd end up having to pay something back or being penalised or something but that's just me being anxious so I should probably just do that!x
It’s 2 separate systems now since the working parent hours came out. If on certain benefits you are still eligible for the 15 hours, but you need to apply through your local council website now, not the government gateway
https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds-claim-benefits
Look at the website: Childcare choices
@Ems thank you!
So at the moment, when a child is 3 you’ll be eligible for 15 hours funded and 30 if you’re working 16 hours or more. 2 year funding applies to working families again 16 hours or more (30 hours being rolled in in sept, currently 15) However for underprivileged families earning less than a certain income per year, I believe it’s 16k a year will qualify for a free 15 hours for 2 years old. I believe with UC they’ll refund u up to 80% of childcare costs once u have shown proof of invoice. Are you on the childcare choices website? The code is what u give the nurseries to show you’re eligible for the 2 year funding for working parents. Hope that makes sense lol