Tax free childcare 18 November 2022 at 8:36PM in Marriage, relationships & families 3 replies 163 views

Samdorob

Hi all, I’m a newbie to this forum and got inspired to join because I think our family has fallen into a loop hole and not a good one. 

My partner is finishing her PGCE to become a primary school teacher and I’m currently in full time employment. We have a 1 year old who goes to nursery 5 half days a week and his Nan looks after him in the afternoons.

Because of my earnings we were rejected for any nursery support from student finance, and because only 1 parent is working we are unable to claim tax free childcare. 

I’m not looking for violin strings, don’t get me wrong, but I’m just wondering if anyone else has come across this situation before where we’re not entitled to any child care help at all due to outside the box circumstances.

Does anyone know if being in full time education would count as “working” when applying for tax free childcare? The gov website doesn’t mention if it does, and to be honest I’m tempted to apply and see what happens.

Cheers,
Sam

marcia_

Samdorob said:

Hi all, I’m a newbie to this forum and got inspired to join because I think our family has fallen into a loop hole and not a good one. 

My partner is finishing her PGCE to become a primary school teacher and I’m currently in full time employment. We have a 1 year old who goes to nursery 5 half days a week and his Nan looks after him in the afternoons.

Because of my earnings we were rejected for any nursery support from student finance, and because only 1 parent is working we are unable to claim tax free childcare. 

I’m not looking for violin strings, don’t get me wrong, but I’m just wondering if anyone else has come across this situation before where we’re not entitled to any child care help at all due to outside the box circumstances.

Does anyone know if being in full time education would count as “working” when applying for tax free childcare? The gov website doesn’t mention if it does, and to be honest I’m tempted to apply and see what happens.

Cheers,
Sam

 No studying never counts as working even if doing substantial placements, she doesn't receive a wage. She is a student. 

pinkshoes

Afraid it doesn't count. 

I had the same issue when I did my PGCE. I got a bursary because I was teaching a subject in demand and this just about covered tuition fees and childcare for the year!

My husbands salary had to cover everything else. It was a decision we had to make before I became a student again as it was a huge loss of my previous engineering salary!

Have a look if there are any bursaries on offer but I think most are for specific secondary school teachers rather than primary. 

Samdorob

Thank you both. I thought that may be the case. We’ve budgeted for childcare over the next year so we’ll be fine. It’s just a crazy situation where we’ll have much more income next year (fingers crossed) and have reduced childcare costs.