Guide discussion: Tax-Free Childcare

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Comments

  • hotnuts21
    hotnuts21 Posts: 57 Forumite
    I basically have the same question as already asked by these two
    JonathanB wrote: »
    My daughter will start nursery in January 2018 just before she is 11 months old with a cost of about £730/month.

    Can we sign up for tax-free childcare now (May 2017) and start saving or does it only work when they start their childcare? If the latter, is the saving per tax year, and if so could we max out the account for the first three months and then start again in April?
    Emjay9272663430 wrote:
    Hi guys...

    Forgive me if I am being stupid but my son won't be in childcare until he's two, next June. I am eligible for tax free childcare so am I able to open an account now to save ahead of him starting preschool?

    Thanks

    My son wont be starting till next April, but we have more income at the moment than we will have after January, therefore im thinking of getting a head start on the savings now and building up a buffer, a bit like you can with Childcare vouchers, I just cant see if its allowed, in fact the details of what you can and cant do are quite sparse, could I just fill the account with 8K now and not touch it till next year?
  • amysea85
    amysea85 Posts: 1 Newbie
    I'm really struggling to find anywhere what the 'entitlement period' is. I have an account and it tells me I have £xxx left in this period....but I don't know when this period ends!
  • Mupette
    Mupette Posts: 4,599 Forumite
    If you are moving from childcare vouchers to tfc, you have 3 months grace to have both.

    If you leave childcare vouchers now and decide to go back later, do it before April 2018, Government says that after that, you can't return.
    GNU
    Terry Pratchett
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  • IrishGypsy
    IrishGypsy Posts: 353 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited 2 August 2017 at 1:08PM
    Once you've set up the Gateway Account and supplied the application details what, is supposed, to happen next? Do I have to wait for the application to be manually verified? Is the site/process still very wonky and unpredictable? Thanks in advance. :)

    Edit: I've noticed that if you use the URL: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/gg/sign-in it'll take you straight to the log-in page. Cutting out that needless mini-questionnaire every time.
  • KGAelle
    KGAelle Posts: 1 Newbie
    Trying to find out which scheme is best for my family. My wife currently does the salary sacrifice scheme through her employer. Childcare is about £400 per month, we are eligible for Tax Free Childcare but I'm not sure how to work out which is best for us? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you
  • chelseablue
    chelseablue Posts: 3,296 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    KGAelle wrote: »
    Trying to find out which scheme is best for my family. My wife currently does the salary sacrifice scheme through her employer. Childcare is about £400 per month, we are eligible for Tax Free Childcare but I'm not sure how to work out which is best for us? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you

    I looked into it for us and it said if you have just 1 child and childcare costs of less than £9,000 a year I'd be better off sticking with the vouchers
  • Mumofthreesue
    Mumofthreesue Posts: 2 Newbie
    I was keen to sign up to Tax Free Childcare as I have three children, but as the youngest two are 5 I cannot yet. I'm keen to know when I can sign up, the MSE website says by the end of the calendar year, and I have registered for e-mail updates, but am frustrated by the lack of information as to when I'll be able to join.


    One question I had which has been answered by helpful comments on this thread, is when do I have to stop the vouchers when I do sign up, and I see we have a 3 month grace period, that is useful, haven't seen that information elsewhere.


    Two other questions - will the voucher scheme continue to run indefinitely, assuming the employer continues with it? I saw a comment about "less than 2 years to run" on this website, but I assume that was for new entrants to enrol, rather than the schemes having to shut down (though presumably they will have to shut down within 16 years as if you signed up in March 2018 with a new-born then you'd no longer be eligible once they turn 16).
    Also, is there a time limit on using the funds in the Tax Free Childcare account? And can you use them for children aged 12 and over, even though you have accumulated them for children under 12, if that makes sense? (i.e. when my oldest is 12 can I use funds from my account accumulated because I have 2 other children under 12, to cover her costs?). Thanks.
  • CrashJPMorgan
    CrashJPMorgan Posts: 39 Forumite
    Latest problem I've had is that I topped up my account with some money and on the same day it usually shows "HMRC top up £X" but no top up this time. It says I've got money left in my entitlement period, so not sure what's going on.
  • chelseablue
    chelseablue Posts: 3,296 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Received the invoice from the nursery, first one since becoming eligible for the 30 hours a week.

    Gone from £850 a month to £470
  • vik254
    vik254 Posts: 2 Newbie
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Hi. I have just put £2163 into my TFC account (its the first time I have put money into the account - I just opened it a couple of days back). HMRC topped it up by £540.75. I thought there was a £500 top up limit every 3 months?
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