Childcare Costs discussion
Comments
-
My son is 3 and starts his 15 hrs nursery place in September 17. I am currently on a career break, (where my employer has allowed unpaid leave for childcare responsibilities and held a job open for me) due to return to work 1 October 17 and was expecting to be able to claim some of the additional childcare hours (30 hrs offer) to enable me to return to work 3 days per week.
However I have been told by HMRC that I am not eligible until January 18 as although I am employed, I won't be earning until 1 October.
This is despite the fact that their guidance states that I am eligible if I earn or expect to earn the equivalent of 16 hrs at nat min wage over the coming three months (I will do so.) If I were on a zero hrs contract or self employed they would look at my average earnings over a three month period, I seem to be being treated less favourably than someone in that situation.
I have asked for it to be verbally referred upwards but no one can give me an email address for me to formally appeal. Does anyone have any experience/views/ideas?
If I can't get the additional hours funding I can't return to work until after Christmas, which seems against the whole idea of the scheme.
Thanks0 -
Hello so my wife's employer does the childcare vouchers but unfortunately mine doesn't offer them. Can I join the new scheme and my wife continue with her vouchers we have two children and one more on the way?0
-
Hi! Our baby is due at the end of October 2017. My husband and I wanted to join up to the childcare voucher scheme as we believe it would be more beneficial to us than the new Tax-Free Childcare scheme. However the voucher scheme ends in April 2018 which means I will miss the boat to join as apparently I cant join the scheme until I go back to work after maternity leave, which will be end of August 2018 at the earliest. So my questions are:
1. Can my husband still join the childcare voucher scheme once baby is born?
2. How much will he have to pay in? - our family income will be significantly reduced as I will be on maternity leave and so we cant afford to pay too much in each month until I go back to work.
3. Will I be able to join the Tax-Free Childcare scheme instead? If so when and how should I do this?
4. If i join the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, will my husband have to join up to that too and leave the childcare voucher scheme? Or can we be on different schemes?
Any advice/help is greatly received!!
Many thanks
Niamh
Hi I am interested in the answer to these questions too as am in the same boat with my baby due October, however from what I understand, nothing says you can't join the childcare scheme after baby is born and before April...0 -
Hi
My son qualifies for 30 hours free childcare but I think we are being overcharged for his remaining time, or not getting a full 30 hours free.
His nursery is open from 8-5 so 9 hours a day. He is there 4 days a week, so 36 hours. We should therefore only pay for 6 hours. The daily rate is £40.
We have been charged 640 for 4 weeks in September and she has then deducted £499.20 for the free childcare which works out as 4.16 an hour, but we've actually been charged at 4.44 an hour.
However I try and work it out it doesn't make sense.
The thing is we have a great relationship with the lady who owns the nursery and she is great with children, but not great with figures. I'm sure she's not deliberately cheating us, but she might not understand if I tried to query it with her. Equally if she's not charging us correctly I wouldn't want her to get into trouble if it was found out.0 -
Your bill should detail what are the free 30 hours and what the rest of the charges for. E.g they may be charging for 'extras'- snacks, dinners, nappies, extra activities such as trips out.
There is also no requirement for the nursery to give the full 30 hours free. It is up to the nursery how much, if any, they offer.
I think the amount the government pay the nursery is £4.16.
You do realise it is only 39 hours for 38 weeks of the year.0 -
This. The "free" hours are only during term time but it is likely that the nursery spreads the cost over the whole year to ensure you have a consistent bill.You do realise it is only 39 hours for 38 weeks of the year.
It is also widely publicised that the funding the nursery gets from the government is not enough to cover the cost of the childcare, and so many nurseries are forced to increase the price for the non-free hours, or charge extra for meals, nappies etc which they used to include in with the price.0 -
Hello!
Is anyone else confused with which option to use regards childcare help?
Tax Credits, Voucher scheme or tax free childcare.....I am confused
Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance0 -
Felicity81 wrote: »Hello!
Is anyone else confused with which option to use regards childcare help?
Tax Credits, Voucher scheme or tax free childcare.....I am confused
Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
This link may help
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/childcare-vouchers/
The old childcare voucher scheme is only open until October so if that one is best for you and your employer provides that scheme then you'll need to register ASAP0 -
Hi all,
I am a bit confused about some of the 30 hours childcare (nd guess i'm not the only one!). If we do not use the hours, do we 'lose' them?
For example, if my child did two 6 hour days at local pre-school that only runs term time and one 10 hour day in a nursey/pre-school for 50 to 52 weeks per year, I would theoretically have 12 hours 'spare' to use in holidays. Could I use these to top-up at another pre-school or with holiday clubs?
Thanks0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343K Banking & Borrowing
- 250K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.6K Spending & Discounts
- 235.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 607.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173K Life & Family
- 247.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards