Can anyone explain these childcare vouchers to me? How do you get them?

[crokky]

Hello,

DS will be 3 next year so he will be entitled to the government childcare/nursery vouchers. But I don't really understand the scheme!

1. Do you have to register somewhere to get them?
   
   
2. Are they actually physically vouchers/tokens that you get and take to a nursery or does the nursery automatically apply for them?
   
   
3. I know it is 12.5 hours, but are those 12.5 hours totally free or are the vouchers for a specific amount per hour and you have pay the balance?
   
   TIA!
   
   PS Am SAHM so have never been to nursery etc so don't know how it all works!

[CarGirl]

you are talking about NEG (nursery education grant).

The childcare setting claims them on your behalf. You have to find a pre-school/nursery/childminder that is a NEG approved setting that has spaces. Send you child they claim the money.

You can only be charged if the session is longer than 2.5 hours

[CarGirl]

Childcare vouchers are the schemes through your employer where you are not taxed on the amount something seperate to NEG

[LIZS]

You mean the LEA Nursery grant ?

1 He automatically becomes eligible from the term after he is 3.
2 The nursery (or childminder/preschool etc) gives you a form to sign and submits the claim on your behalf - the amount might be deducted from your bill in advance or credited at the end against the next term.
3 12.5 hours (think it is going up to 15 sometime soon) are "free" but actual sessions may be longer in which case you'd pay the extra for that time. The amount of rebate per hour is capped by LEA but in practice it usually covers the whole fee for those hours.

hth

[crokky]

Thanks for your help. I did mean the LEA grant, I couldn't remember what it was called!