Tax Credits & Childcare - How Long does it take??

MummyCat123

Hi ya,

I already receive CTC & WTC, & yesterday applied over the phone for help with childcare costs.

I've applied 7 days in advance, as you are permitted to do, as my son's nursery requires the fees in advance of care (totally understandable) I then e-mailed the nursery relaying the information I had given to the HMRC (Ofsted Number, address, cost of fees/dates etc) and the tax credits' response...

The rather grumpy grump Tax Credit Chap on the phone told me that it is likely to take over two weeks for the payment to come through, and gave me an Alternate Number to phone if I haven't heard anything for 14 days, which I thought seemed kinda odd, as I recall it being paid the following week for my daughter (although this was a number of years ago) and I am now concerned that it won't be paid in time.

I haven't got the pennies to pay the fees upfront unfortunately, (other than the 30% contribution that I am required to pay myself) and I have never had to deal with any department other than the general enquiry line.

Sooooo, I was just wondering whether anybody had applied for childcare recently on a pre existing tax credit claim & how long did it take before you were paid the fees?

Personally I wish they'd pay it directly to the provider lol!

Thanks for reading

karenx

Last time I claimed which was about 2 years ago I waited about a month. Thats why its best to have your first month yourself and pay it. In the summer my son is going to care while I work and Im having to start saving now on the offchance it doesnt come through straight away

lorelai34

A number of years ago when you added childcare the advisor would have put it straight on the claim which is why the payments will have changed quickly. However when you called yesterday the advisor didnt actually update it he will have sent a referral to tax credits office who will now check that the childcare costs are correct before updating it so it means it will take longer.

MummyCat123

Oh I see! Gosh, I guess it does make sense for them to check the details out at the beginning as opposed to midst claim (I moved house a couple of years ago and the nursery my daughter attended at the time got sold to another Nursery chain soon after, then the nursery she attended after the move before starting school went bankrupt I think-it's an empty building with boarded up windows now since we left over three years ago, so I've often wondered how they could do a 'previous year's check' on those particular establishments, although I've got paperwork filed somewhere from when she attended, and they themselves must have filed tax returns with receipts etc, so there will be evidence of her attending somewhere I'm sure haha)

Little man's fees are £155 a week, which is only £30 or so below their weekly limit and even at 70%, a substantial amount of money to be handing out when you think about it. But I called the nursery right before the call to the Tax Credits Line and they definitely charge £31 a day.

He's 3 in April and just misses out on the Early years Funding at the mo, well until September, when he is going to start at my daughter's Primary School in their Pre-School Class. The morning sessions will be free then, but they only ask for another £7 a day for the afternoon sessions, which is just crazy in comparison haha!

Well I'll call the nursery tomorrow and hope that my registration is enough for them to hold his place for a week or so if the payment is delayed., I've got a feeling that I'm allowed to pay weekly as opposed to monthly which will make things easier.

I'll cash in some 'Grandparent Quality Time' in the meantime lol

Thank you for your comments