Help please. Tax free childcare

This is my first time posting but I’m in need of help urgently. I’ve made a big mistake which I wasn’t aware of.
Basically up until now I’ve been paying for 15 hours for my now 2 year old and then breakfast club for my 5 year old. A total of around £75 a week.
I work 20 hours per week and my partner works 40. I’ve applied for 30 hours free childcare as my youngest is about to turn 3 and when I’ve done this I’ve applied for tax free childcare at the same time. Stupidly I didn’t read into this and just thought it was a scheme that I could put money into and get a top up from the government. I never had any intentions of using it I just thought it could be handy.
Because I’ve applied for tax free childcare all of my tax credits have now been stopped. I’ve spoken to tax credits and tax fre childcare lots of times and been told different things. One person told me to ring tax free childcare and close my account, this could then reinstate my tax credits. I called them and he said he couldn’t do that but if I started applying for universal credits at the end it would have an option to “reinstate my tax credits” this didn’t sound right so I didn’t do it. I’ve called tax free childcare back and they’re just basically saying there’s nothing I can do other than apply for universal credit. I’ve used the online calculator and I will be loosing over £100 per week all because I’ve clicked one button by mistake. I know I should’ve properly looked into this and please don’t give me hate as I already am so frustrated and upset about this. I’ve just sat and worked it out that I would actually be better off continuing to just pay the £75 week and getting tax credits than to even get the 30 hours. Family and friends have been looking after my daughter whilst I’m at work and I only applied for the 30 hours so that I could stop asking people to have her. This has caused me so much stress I don’t even know how we’ll survive on this money. The universal credit calculator says we’ll get £14 a week my sons childcare is £20 a week on its own!!! Is there any advice anyone can give please? Can I completely shut my tax free childcare account and cancel the 30 hours? I know it’s my own mistake but I don’t believe there’s no way out of this by accidentally clicking one wrong button. Please help I’m at my wits end. Thank you.

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 4,176
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Forumite
    This is my first time posting but I’m in need of help urgently. I’ve made a big mistake which I wasn’t aware of.
    Basically up until now I’ve been paying for 15 hours for my now 2 year old and then breakfast club for my 5 year old. A total of around £75 a week.
    I work 20 hours per week and my partner works 40. I’ve applied for 30 hours free childcare as my youngest is about to turn 3 and when I’ve done this I’ve applied for tax free childcare at the same time. Stupidly I didn’t read into this and just thought it was a scheme that I could put money into and get a top up from the government. I never had any intentions of using it I just thought it could be handy.
    Because I’ve applied for tax free childcare all of my tax credits have now been stopped. I’ve spoken to tax credits and tax fre childcare lots of times and been told different things. One person told me to ring tax free childcare and close my account, this could then reinstate my tax credits. I called them and he said he couldn’t do that but if I started applying for universal credits at the end it would have an option to “reinstate my tax credits” this didn’t sound right so I didn’t do it. I’ve called tax free childcare back and they’re just basically saying there’s nothing I can do other than apply for universal credit. I’ve used the online calculator and I will be loosing over £100 per week all because I’ve clicked one button by mistake. I know I should’ve properly looked into this and please don’t give me hate as I already am so frustrated and upset about this. I’ve just sat and worked it out that I would actually be better off continuing to just pay the £75 week and getting tax credits than to even get the 30 hours. Family and friends have been looking after my daughter whilst I’m at work and I only applied for the 30 hours so that I could stop asking people to have her. This has caused me so much stress I don’t even know how we’ll survive on this money. The universal credit calculator says we’ll get £14 a week my sons childcare is £20 a week on its own!!! Is there any advice anyone can give please? Can I completely shut my tax free childcare account and cancel the 30 hours? I know it’s my own mistake but I don’t believe there’s no way out of this by accidentally clicking one wrong button. Please help I’m at my wits end. Thank you.

    Silly mistake but absolutely nothing's no you can do to reinstate your tax credits. New claims are no longer allowed. You would need to claim universal credit.
  • I know I’m very frustrated. Tax credits told me if tax free childcare close my account it can be reinstated. I haven’t even started using the tax free or the 30 hours there’s got to be some way to rectify this. I genuinely don’t know how we’ll survive on universal credit.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 4,176
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Forumite
    I know I’m very frustrated. Tax credits told me if tax free childcare close my account it can be reinstated. I haven’t even started using the tax free or the 30 hours there’s got to be some way to rectify this. I genuinely don’t know how we’ll survive on universal credit.

    There isn't. You can close the account but not reinstate tax credits. Universal credit will go up and down depending on your income that month if you have variable income.
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