UC and Childcare

JT_MAAT

sorry - another UC question from me.

I work 8.00am - 4pm. My daughter attends an organised club at her school 2 days a week (computer club and dodgeball) 3.15pm to 4.15pm.

Can I part claim these costs on UC? I have had a look and came across this...

''Your childcare must be with ‘registered’ childcare providers.

Usually that means they registered with OFSTED, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, or the Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales.

That could include nurseries, preschools, after-school clubs, breakfast clubs, childminders, nannies and holiday clubs.

Universal Credit will cover ‘reasonable’ childcare costs that help you work''

Thank you

sheramber

First of all you need to find out if these clubs are registered.

The organisers should be able to tell you.

peteuk

Speak to the school however please note…

’Some types of provision are however exempt from registration with Ofsted which usually means that parents are unable to claim government support with the cost of childcare via Tax Free Childcare, Universal Credit or legacy Childcare Vouchers”

https://www.outofschoolalliance.co.uk/about-out-of-school-clubs

tomtom256

No as it isn't childcare. It's an after school club. The two are completely different things.

HillStreetBlues

tomtom256 said:

No as it isn't childcare. It's an after school club. The two are completely different things.

UC can still cover them
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs

If you pay for childcare while you go to work, Universal Credit can pay some of your childcare costs. This includes holiday clubs, after-school clubs and breakfast clubs. If you live with a partner, you both need to be working, unless your partner cannot look after your children.

tomtom256

HillStreetBlues said:

tomtom256 said:

No as it isn't childcare. It's an after school club. The two are completely different things.

UC can still cover them
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs

If you pay for childcare while you go to work, Universal Credit can pay some of your childcare costs. This includes holiday clubs, after-school clubs and breakfast clubs. If you live with a partner, you both need to be working, unless your partner cannot look after your children.

These aren't the kind of clubs they mean, they mean the schools wrap around childcare, not the extracurricular  activites that schools put on such as what the OP has described, this is not childcare, as there is no contract as there would be with a childcare placement such as a breakfast club or an after school club that actually provides  childcare, there is a difference between the two.

Yamor

tomtom256 said:

HillStreetBlues said:

tomtom256 said:

No as it isn't childcare. It's an after school club. The two are completely different things.

UC can still cover them
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs

If you pay for childcare while you go to work, Universal Credit can pay some of your childcare costs. This includes holiday clubs, after-school clubs and breakfast clubs. If you live with a partner, you both need to be working, unless your partner cannot look after your children.

These aren't the kind of clubs they mean, they mean the schools wrap around childcare, not the extracurricular  activites that schools put on such as what the OP has described, this is not childcare, as there is no contract as there would be with a childcare placement such as a breakfast club or an after school club that actually provides  childcare, there is a difference between the two.

This is incorrect. Childcare can include such clubs.

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2023-0791/140._Registered_or_approved_childcare_V8.0.pdf

There is also no legal requirement for a formal contract (UC do ask for a contract, so it can be more difficult in practice to get it included, but it can certainly be done).

tomtom256

Yamor said:

This is incorrect. Childcare can include such clubs.

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2023-0791/140._Registered_or_approved_childcare_V8.0.pdf

There is also no legal requirement for a formal contract (UC do ask for a contract, so it can be more difficult in practice to get it included, but it can certainly be done).

I stand corrected but there is still this caveat: Activity clubs such as ballet lessons, football clubs or tuition classes may be Ofsted registered and will need a separate decision to determine whether these are reasonable and relevant childcare.

But from the same link

Childcare in England
The childcare provider must be registered with the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED).
If a claimant uses childcare provided by a school, it must be:
• provided by or under the direction of the person responsible for managing the school, or a local authority
• on school premises that may be inspected as part of a school inspection
• out of school hours (activity clubs - for example ballet lessons, do not count as after school care)

HillStreetBlues

tomtom256 said:

Yamor said:

This is incorrect. Childcare can include such clubs.

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2023-0791/140._Registered_or_approved_childcare_V8.0.pdf

There is also no legal requirement for a formal contract (UC do ask for a contract, so it can be more difficult in practice to get it included, but it can certainly be done).

I stand corrected but there is still this caveat: Activity clubs such as ballet lessons, football clubs or tuition classes may be Ofsted registered and will need a separate decision to determine whether these are reasonable and relevant childcare.

But from the same link

Childcare in England
The childcare provider must be registered with the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED).
If a claimant uses childcare provided by a school, it must be:
• provided by or under the direction of the person responsible for managing the school, or a local authority
• on school premises that may be inspected as part of a school inspection
• out of school hours (activity clubs - for example ballet lessons, do not count as after school care)

They are excluded from being classed as after school care as it lets a DM to decide if they are reasonable and relevant childcare, if it was part of wraparound care a DM wouldn't have such powers.
So they can be covered not will be covered