Am I eligible for free childcare hours?

pjs493

I've tried searching online and from what I can tell I really do fall between the cracks and won't be eligible for any free childcare hours at all. But I was chatting to a neighbour today and she seemed to think I would be eligible for 15 hours when my eldest turns three because she and her husband were when her eldest turned three and she was not working at the time (he was working full time). So I thought I'd ask here to see if I'm missing something.

My situation is thus as far as income goes:

- My husband died unexpectedly last year. As a result I am in receipt of a pension annuity from his work place pension scheme which is about £15k per annum.

- I'm currently on compassionate leave from a full time PhD. I receive the govt PhD student finance (when I'm not on leave) which essentially covers tuition and basic associated costs.

- I sometimes pick up paid teaching through my university but it is not regular enough or enough hours to hit the minimum salary threshold. I've not done any of this work since my husband died and I'm not sure how I could do this anyway without childcare. (We both used to mostly work from home and juggle the children between us around our own meetings, in office days, etc and often spent evenings doing a bit of work when we got the children in bed.)

- I have a small flat that is rented out which makes a small profit each year after the mortgage, service charges, ground rent, maintenance costs and ad hoc expenses (e.g. I just had to replace the dishwasher) are taken into account.

- I have too much in savings to qualify for Universal Credit or any other means-tested benefits as far as I am aware.

- I receive Child Benefit for two children and I'm currently in receipt of the Bereavement Support Payment (a one off lump sum and then 18 monthly payments).

My children are one and two years old. I am aware that for the purposes of the free hours for two year olds, I do not qualify for free childcare because none of my income sources are salaries, except what I occasionally used to earn through teaching and this works out at less than £100 per month on average anyway, even if I was able to go back to it.

My understanding was that my eligibility situation would not change when my eldest turns three, but my neighbour seemed to think I would qualify for 15 free hours, regardless of whether I earn the 'right' type of income or not. I just won't be eligible for 30 hours because I don't earn the minimum salary based income and I'm not in receipt of (or eligible for) benefits.

Spoonie_Turtle

This link says all 3year-olds can get 15hrs free childcare per week
https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds

"All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, for example."

sheramber

'Can get' if you are eligible 

The link above has a link on the right hand side where you cancheck if you are eligible.

Spoonie_Turtle

sheramber said:

'Can get' if you are eligible 

The link above has a link on the right hand side where you cancheck if you are eligible.

No the link is to check eligibility for 30hours

"Some 3 to 4-year-olds are eligible for 30 hours free childcare a week. Check if you’re eligible and find out how to apply."

In gov.uk-speak "can" means yes definitely, "may be able to" is where you have to meet eligibility conditions.  It also says "all" which means all, not 'only those who qualify".

Spendless

To me the Government muddied the waters by calling the 15 hours 'childcare'. rather than 'nursery education' which has been available for years. My 2 are in their 20s and got it. It was 12.5 hours back then and mine used to go to a nursery (which was part of their school) for 2.5 hours each day term time (so you only get it for x amount of weeks of the year) . I wasn't working, my husband was. Lots of parents used this funding to reduce their childcare bill, hence why when it got extended it was so named. Eligibility for it comes term after 3rd birthday. If it still follows same rules as when mine went, Sept1st-Dec 31st get funding in Jan, Jan 1st - March 31st funding after Easter, 1st April-31st Aug get funding in Sept (England) . So your neighbour I believe is correct. 

pjs493

As there has been some signposting to the govt website and eligibility checker, I wanted to add that I’ve completed that but it couldn’t give me a result because of my circumstances and directed me to the pages I’d previously read that suggested I wasn’t eligible. Basically the online calculator isn’t intelligent enough to compute my situation, so I’m left with the basic advice which doesn’t cover my personal circumstances. 

Before my husband died we understood that we would not be eligible because my income wasn’t the right sort of income and we weren’t eligible for means tested benefits. Before the rules changed and the childcare offer was extended, we would have been eligible because my full time student status would have made us eligible because I was technically employed full time (because it’s a PhD) but without a salary. 

Yamor

As has been mentioned above, there is no need for an eligibility checker.

All 3- and 4-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours funding. There is no need to make an application, and the childcare provider will sort out the funding for you.

DeLaSole

Hi pjs,

Firstly, I'm sorry for your unexpected loss.

On the question of childcare, the term after each child's 3rd birthday is when each child can access the 15 hours Universal funding. It is not relevant what your income is for that funding.

Recent announcements to extend the childcare offering to working parents starting this April has not changed this aspect of Universal 15 hours funded childcare, which has been in place for many years now.

You may find the government's Childcare Choices website helpful.

Best wishes.

Spendless

pjs493 said:

As there has been some signposting to the govt website and eligibility checker, I wanted to add that I’ve completed that but it couldn’t give me a result because of my circumstances and directed me to the pages I’d previously read that suggested I wasn’t eligible. Basically the online calculator isn’t intelligent enough to compute my situation, so I’m left with the basic advice which doesn’t cover my personal circumstances. 

Before my husband died we understood that we would not be eligible because my income wasn’t the right sort of income and we weren’t eligible for means tested benefits. Before the rules changed and the childcare offer was extended, we would have been eligible because my full time student status would have made us eligible because I was technically employed full time (because it’s a PhD) but without a salary. 

Forget about the extended hours. Your child/ren are entitled to 15 hours from the term after their 3rd bithday until they start in Reception

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, but you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, for example.


From the link already provided. It makes no difference if you're working, not working, a student etc 

pjs493

Thanks for all the clarity everyone. It seems I will be eligible which is a great weight off my mind as it’s been quite a struggle juggling two little ones while also navigating life without my husband. Even just 15 hours a week in term time for my eldest when he turns three will give me a little breathing space.