Tax Free Childcare reconfirmation problems

toph

HMRC childcare line on 0300 123 4097

This AM i checked our tax free childcare (tfc) account and there was a note on it that i needed to reconfirm our eligibility. 2 things have changed since i applied, namely i stopped receiving child care vouchers (this stopped before i received tax free child care (after i applied for tfc) as i cancelled it as i knew you can't receive both), and Mum finished maternity leave.
I updated the information as requested and submitted. Within seconds i received a secure note to say that tfc had been stopped as i had not supplied evidence i was no longer receiving child care vouchers.

Dear XXXXXXX

Tax-Free Childcare has stopped for XXXXXX XXXXXX

Thank you for checking and updating your details for Tax-Free Childcare.

Unfortunately you're no longer eligible to get Tax-Free Childcare for XXXXX XXXXX
because:

^ you can't get Tax-Free Childcare as well as childcare vouchers. We haven't received evidence from you to show that you've stopped using childcare vouchers

For information on eligibility, go to https://www.childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk

Although you won't get Tax-Free Childcare for XXXXXX, you can continue to use XXXXX childcare service account to pay your childcare provider, until the account is closed.

If you don't agree with our decision

Check the details you entered on your application are correct. You can do this in your childcare service account. If you entered the wrong information, and still want to apply for Tax-Free Childcare, you can make a new application.

However, if the information on your application was correct, you can ask for the decision to be looked at again by requesting a Mandatory Review.

You'll need to request your Mandatory Review in writing, within 30 days of the date of this message, and include:
^ your name, address and child's full name
^ reasons why you think our decision is wrong
^ the words 'Mandatory Review' in the title of your letter

Send your letter to: The childcare service, HMRC, BX9 1GR

We may ask you to supply original copies of evidence to support your Mandatory Review. If your Mandatory Review is rejected, you have the right of appeal to a tribunal.

If your circumstances change

Go to https://www.childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk to reapply for Tax-Free Childcare.

Yours sincerely

Childcare service team

i went through the process again with no improvement and was then signed out, upon signing in again i had to re prove who i was with info from my p60 and NIN etc.

I phoned the HMRC childcare line on 0300 123 4097 and explained the issue to the first agent who had no clue but passed me on to someone on the reconfirmation team. After checking my details again he could see evidence i was no longer receiving child care vouchers and manually overrode the system, reinstating the account. I assume the HMRC pay roll records show i have not paid into the child voucher scheme over the previous 4 pay cycles.

This is now hopefully sorted for me, although he told me to wait 24 hours before paying money onto the account, which i will need to do by Tuesday at the latest to pay the nursery at the start of next month.


TLDR
If you can, put next months nursery fees in there before the need to reconfirm as you can still use that money if they stop your tfc.
check the tax free childcare site and reconfirm as early as possible in case there are issues
if the tfc scheme is stopped for you, phone HMRC childcare line on 0300 123 4097, be ready with your National Insurance Number and possibly recent p60 or PAYE payslip.

i hope this helps others who may face similar issues

:beer:

MerryGoRoundAvoider

Thanks for this. TFC has stopped for me ATM and I wrote them a letter a week ago with no update ...

I'll try phoning them tomorrow..

Howde

Thanks. For some reason my childs eligibility window has changed from 3 to 6 months and now i dont recieve any top ups. Nobody on the service line is able to assist me. Despite speaking to the eligibilty team, who can see my child is eligible. Its a 'bug' with no fix ����

toph

Reconfirmation time again, this time I received a secure message stating I should expect to receive a response within 7 days. Well that was 7 days ago and i didn’t receive an update.

I called them and was told my reapplication is still pending assessment and that the expect a response in 7 days is actually 7 to 10 working days and I should wait an additional week for a reply before phoning again.

My confidence in their abilities to provide a response by next Wednesday is very low. Doesn’t leave much time for me to resolve any issues with them before nursery needs paying again.

They need to improve the language they use in their automated responses, they set an expectation then thoroughly fail to deliver against it. Sets them up for dealing with upset punters.

toph

so,
it turns out my reconfirmation wasn't due till November 7th, despite them texting me on October 11th stating i'd need to reconfirm then and prevented top ups to the account.

despite me calling on 18th and being told to wait till 25 for feedback from them, they had actually sent a letter dated 16 October, asking me to post to them proof i was no longer receiving child care vouchers.
Proof they wanted was a letter from me to the voucher provider quitting the scheme or my payslips from before and after quitting the scheme. I've no idea why i wasn't notified of the requirement for proof via secure message, but its not possible to send them proof electronically despite all my evidence being electronic.

This is all despite at the last reconfirmation being told i would not need to supply proof in the future.

I phoned TFC on Sunday to be told i need to speak to the eligibility team available mon - sat.
I phoned again today, was put through to the eligibility team, after the first agent sought authorisation from a manager, and the guy i spoke to confirmed i shouldn't have had to provide proof again, mentioned a tick box had been left un ticked and proceeded to restore my account.

I received a secure message a little while later stating that reconfirmation was now complete and i can now pay money on the account once more, just in time for next months nursery payments.

This could have been sorted on the 11th had i received a secure message stating the issue they had, instead of waiting for a letter and then having to speak with someone to then be passed to the eligibility team to then fix the problem they had in their system.

Next reconfirmation time, no doubt i'll have the same issue and will endeavour to get strait through to the eligibility team to rectify.