Free 15hrs childcare

Love_the_minions

I've been a long time lurker on this site for ages but have signed up as I'm a bit confused as to how the free 15 hrs can be used.

My little girl turns 3 in October so will be entitled to her 15 hrs from next January. I currently work 2 days a week and we claim the childcare element of WTC to help us with the fees. I had been thinking it would be nice to keep her in her current nursery from January on the days i work and still claim tax credits then send her 3 mornings a week to the local pre-school to use her free 15 hrs.

But a friend of mine said she didn't think this would be allowed as I would be expected to use my free hours towards the days I'm working. This seems really unfair to me that any stay at home mums get 15hrs a week to themselves to shop, clean etc whereas I'm trying to stay in work but won't get any time to myself if I have to use the free hrs only on the days I work.

Does anyone know if there are any rules set out on this? Can you only claim tax credits for the childcare hours you are actually working or as long as you are doing over 16hrs a week could you claim up to the max £175 a week?

mummyroysof3

I don't think there is anything wrong with what you are doing tbh. Tax credits need to know how many hours she attends the nursery you pay and how much it costs.

I think most people would use the 15 free hours to reduce their child are costs though. Does the nursery you want the free hours from let you do what you suggesting though as ours is 3 hours per day and no other options where some you can have 2 and a half days. Have you checked?

Love_the_minions

They do an 8-1 session at this preschool so she would be going 5hrs a day for 3 days, we would just have t pay for lunch at £1.95 a day.

mummyroysof3

That's good then. I hope you are able to do as you are hoping but I guess you won't find out till January for sure. Thinking about it though I'm assuming you already claim towards to 2 days so you shouldn't even have to tell tax credits when she starts going them 3 days will you?

shedboy94

Love_the_minions wrote: »

I've been a long time lurker on this site for ages but have signed up as I'm a bit confused as to how the free 15 hrs can be used.

My little girl turns 3 in October so will be entitled to her 15 hrs from next January. I currently work 2 days a week and we claim the childcare element of WTC to help us with the fees. I had been thinking it would be nice to keep her in her current nursery from January on the days i work and still claim tax credits then send her 3 mornings a week to the local pre-school to use her free 15 hrs.

But a friend of mine said she didn't think this would be allowed as I would be expected to use my free hours towards the days I'm working. This seems really unfair to me that any stay at home mums get 15hrs a week to themselves to shop, clean etc whereas I'm trying to stay in work but won't get any time to myself if I have to use the free hrs only on the days I work.

Does anyone know if there are any rules set out on this? Can you only claim tax credits for the childcare hours you are actually working or as long as you are doing over 16hrs a week could you claim up to the max £175 a week?

Don't you just hate it when you decide to have children then they become inconsiderate by not giving you time to yourself on the 5 days a week you don't work.....

Imagine if you had to work FT......how would you cope!!

Love_the_minions

shedboy94 wrote: »

Don't you just hate it when you decide to have children then they become inconsiderate by not giving you time to yourself on the 5 days a week you don't work.....

Imagine if you had to work FT......how would you cope!!

Shouldn't really need to justify myself but having lurked on here for a while I should have guessed that I should have provided a full life story in my OP.

Just so you know we waited a long time before starting a family to make sure we were in a good financial position, how were we to know that months after having our little girl our family who we were relying on for childcare would let us down horribly and decide to not to step up to the task. Having not bothered to look into childcare costs we were horrifed to realise that the cost of full time care for a year would be close to £10k, as this would not be financially viable I had to decide to return part time. I would love to work full time but that's not going to be possible till she starts school in 2 years time.

Due to the family problems I have not spent any more than a few hours away from our little girl since she was born, apart from when I'm at work but obviously then I'm working not kicking back enjoying life! So excuse me for seeing an opportunity to have some me time. I have suffered from horrendous PND and am still struggling especially now she is well into the terrible twos and on her way to becoming a threenager! I was just hoping that these 15 hours would give me some light at the end of the tunnel and some well needed recovery time.

We only actually receive about £20 towards our £80 a week childcare bill so when you look at the figures we would be about the same off if I didn't work but I really don't want to do that. However if it looks like me claiming for childcare and using the free hours won't be allowed or frowned on I might have to consider it before I reach breaking point.

Thank you mummyroyof3 for your support but it seems you might be in the minority

princessdon

Many funded nursery schools won't allow what you plan. If they do great, but they often want 5 days a week if state funded due to attendance criteria. I'd love the situation you describe, but the nursery said NO.

FBaby

Tax credits won't stop you doing it, but as princessdon states, the school might.

I personally do think that it is morally wrong. In essence, it means that you are claiming benefits for something you don't need. I know, the argument is you pay in, so it's just you getting your money back, but really it isn't, and it is still getting funds from the government that you don't actually need.

Of course you are tired and dream of time for yourself, but that's no different to what many working mum dream off, a luxury. That's why you can't help yourself counting the years until they are old enough to stay home alone even though you deep inside don't want them to grow up.

tokenfield

Love_the_minions wrote: »

I've been a long time lurker on this site for ages but have signed up as I'm a bit confused as to how the free 15 hrs can be used.

My little girl turns 3 in October so will be entitled to her 15 hrs from next January. I currently work 2 days a week and we claim the childcare element of WTC to help us with the fees. I had been thinking it would be nice to keep her in her current nursery from January on the days i work and still claim tax credits then send her 3 mornings a week to the local pre-school to use her free 15 hrs.

But a friend of mine said she didn't think this would be allowed as I would be expected to use my free hours towards the days I'm working. This seems really unfair to me that any stay at home mums get 15hrs a week to themselves to shop, clean etc whereas I'm trying to stay in work but won't get any time to myself if I have to use the free hrs only on the days I work.

Does anyone know if there are any rules set out on this? Can you only claim tax credits for the childcare hours you are actually working or as long as you are doing over 16hrs a week could you claim up to the max £175 a week?

It may be free to you, but to those that are taxpayers - they are paying for your child's 15 hours at the nursery.

georgiasdragons

tokenfield wrote: »

It may be free to you, but to those that are taxpayers - they are paying for your child's 15 hours at the nursery.

Every child is entitled to 15 hours free from the term after there third birthday.

georgiasdragons

my local nursery allow people to do just there free 15 hours there but it has to be spread over 3 days.
If you only send your child for two days you only get 12 free hours. I know some people that use two nurseries and use there free hours at the pre school and pay for the other nursery themselves.

I sent both my children 32 hours a week so i just reduced my bill to 17 hours a week for each child. I work 30 hours a week.