Guide discussion: Tax-Free Childcare

sheepworrier

Has anyone reconfirmed eligibility while on Maternity Leave? The government website just says you are eligible if on Maternity Leave, no mention of Maternity Pay / Allowance. I rang HMRC and they weren!!!8217;t really sure but thought that you would have to be receiving some sort of pay to be over the £120 per week to be eligible.

Has anyone reconfirmed eligibility while on Maternity Leave, but receiving no pay due to recently changing jobs for example?

isotonic_uk

Hi

Just had a quick question regarding tax free childcare. It seems this will be the best option for our son who is due to start Nursery in March.

My question is can I apply for this now? so it's ready for when he starts at the end of March?

Would I be expected to start using the account more or less straightaway? I see that on the gov.uk website we need to re confirm the credit scheme every 3 months, that what's prompted my question as I wasn't sure if it's best to hold off till closer the time he begins nursery?

Many thanks in advance for advising on this question.

ookoro

Hi

I;m a single parent and get tax credits. Can my son's dad apply for tax free childcare?

Thanks

mikesmith26

I set up the Childcare Vouchers a few months ago as I was advised that it would be the best way to start saving. My wife is currently on Mat leave, due back in June 2019. She hasn't started saving with either of the schemes.
My question is, can my wife start saving via the Tax Free Childcare scheme, and I continue with the Vouchers? Thanks

ecosse206

Hi we are living in Scotland and are expecting our 1st child in August. Can I buy £2k worth of tax free childcare this financial year and then £2k post April in the new financial year?

sheramber

ecosse206 wrote: »

Hi we are living in Scotland and are expecting our 1st child in August. Can I buy £2k worth of tax free childcare this financial year and then £2k post April in the new financial year?

https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare.

Stephenhreid

Does anyone know if this tax credit accounts can be used to pay for private school fees up to the age of 11? Our son's school isn't monitored by Ofsted so I can't see it listed.

sheramber

Stephenhreid wrote: »

Does anyone know if this tax credit accounts can be used to pay for private school fees up to the age of 11? Our son's school isn't monitored by Ofsted so I can't see it listed.

It can only be used for out of hours care, not education.

The school can tell you if they are registered to take part in the scheme.

fronty

I have a TFC account, but every time I log in it sends me a text to my mobile which I then have to enter. This is all well and good, but how is my wife supposed to log in and add money when we are both at work? Can she "link" her own gov. gateway account to my TFC account and pay in money or does she have to log in using my credentials each time (which means we both have to be physically together so I can give her the code from my phone)?

This doesn't seem very well thought out, sharing passwords and passcodes etc. is well dodgy!

MysticDad

Blimey this whole area is complicated.

Both me and my partner are currently on the Childcare voucher scheme. We pay the maximum amount in each month (£486, and pay the nursery about £50 directly to top it up).

I'm changing jobs in September so will I believe I will no longer be able to claim Childcare vouchers from that point. My understanding is that if I claim Tax Free Childcare then my partner will also no longer be able to claim vouchers.

My partner has just gone on maternity leave - her employer has stated that she will still be able to claim Childcare vouchers during this period (at least until we leave the scheme in September?)

Our daughter will be eligible for 30 hrs free childcare from January, at which point our childcare costs will reduce significantly (to about £150 pcm ish).

In July next year we anticipate she will return to work and our 2nd child will begin nursery school. Our monthly childcare costs will then jump back up to approx £600pcm.

I'm trying to work out whether to switch us both to TFCC now, or to do it in September when I move jobs.