Tax free childcare and 30 free hours switch gone wrong

dapaulio

Hi
For years i have been apart of the tax free childcare scheme for my 3yo who turned 3 in June. it was our understanding that the switch to 30 free hours would commence from the next term (September) after his 3rd birthday. To my horror i have come to realise that i became eligible for 30 free hours when i reconfirmed my application back in late February (my boy would have only been 2 and 8 months) assuming to commence from the April Term. I realise now i have missed out on over of £2000, where i have continued paying tax free childcare for two days a week in nursery when i could have had free childcare and be able to up his days in nursery to 3 days, In this current climate that money would have spread far and would have allowed my wife who works PT at the moment to have possibly earnt more in wages in this time also by picking up an extra day.
My question if anyone knows or can offer advice... can I recover those 5 months @ £450/month which is what i have been paying towards in tax free childcare. iv tried to call the childcare service helpline number on the email but it seems i can never get through for various reason.
My internet searching have not look promising having seen newspaper articles of parents who have been in similar situations and yield there warnings to others.
Anyone who can offer advice we would be eternally grateful
   

r6mile

Are you sure that’s right? The website says you can “apply” from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks, but you won’t receive the hours from the term after the child is 3.

https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare

When to apply

You can apply from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks old.

When your child turns 3	When they can get 30 hours from	Recommended time to apply
1 September to 31 December	Term starting on or after 1 January	15 October to 30 November
1 January to 31 March	Term starting on or after 1 April	15 January to 28 February
1 April to 31 August	Term starting on or after 1 September

dapaulio

This is what I am trying to understand in February 2yr 8mths I did realise I receive email confirmation one I was eligible for tax free childcare and the second I am eligible for 30 free hour and that I need to hand over my sons unique number to his setting. Then in may I reapplied as we alway did and received realised again I received two emails one saying eligible for 30 free hours and the second eligible for tax free. I today reconfirmed to which I received the same two emails expecting this time the 30 free hours. It is today I realised that the last two confirmations were both eligible and no where does it say when it’s effective from which begs the question why say I’m eligible if I can use it until the term after his third bday which has always been mine and my wife understanding

r6mile

I think you are overthinking this. My twins have just turned 3 and I received my 30h hours codes months ago - I think they do that to allow time for processing etc - but they only become eligible from 1 September. This was also the case with my eldest.

Remember that you will remain eligible for TFC on top of the 30 hours.

poppy12345

My grandson was 3 in March and started nursery for 30 hours free child care in the term after Easter. (April 2023) They applied quite a few months before he was 3.

sheramber

You can apply when your child is 2 years and 9 months. This is because it allows time for HMRC to confirm you are eligible and issue your code in time to ensure the process is set up when needed. Although you can claim it does not apply until September in your case as your child’s birthday is after 1 April.This is shown in the table posted above. 

Regardless that you have not lost out , you cannot backdate any claim https://revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-free-childcare/guidance/how-does-tax-free-childcare-work/making-a-claim/backdating/