Nursery Grant question

[Charlene1]

Hi, my dd is at a day nursery full time, and was 3 at the end of April this year, during the "summer term", so we've had to wait until 1st Sep (the term after her birthday) to claim the nursery grant. I have read that you get 12 1/2 hrs a week paid for, for 33 weeks, rising to 38 weeks in April 08. Surely we will not be getting the full 33 weeks as we've had to wait until September?
Secondly, what is everyone else getting per week - I have had £37.10 a week knocked off to start with, but manager said it will vary and be "virtually nothing" in the summer term next year, as the 33 weeks will have run out then?
Next September she will be in Reception, part time for the first 4 weeks - and I can't claim money for the afternoons, as the money goes to school, not nursery!!
I can see me having to ring tax credits every month at this rate!!!

[Charlene1]

Sorry, meant to say "the full 38 weeks", as they will probably not add on another 5 weeks next summer, when the "33 week" allocation runs out??

[Mummywannabe]

The nursery can claim 14 weeks for autumn term, 13 for spring and 11 for summer so amounts each term do vary if they are taking all 14 weeks (or whichever applies) and dividing it between the 4 months of the term (includes school holidays). Other nurseries charge a weekly flat rate termtime then full fee (i.e no grant allocation) during holidays. But they shouldn't be using all 38weeks in a row (IYSWIM). Hope this helps

[TigerFeet]

Agree with Mummywannabe they should not be using all the weeks up in a row. DD's nursery gives the discount for term time only so during half terms and school holidays we pay full fees

Not sure how much per week we have saved but it was a discount of £140 for the month of September so I suppose about £35p/w

[gillunderhill]

The total amount for 5 vouchers for the 38 weeks is £1615 (pro-rata for less vouchers), so however your nursery chooses to reduce your fees, it should amount to that much over the 3 terms.

At our nursery we decided to spread the £1615 'credit' over 12 months (we charge our fees per cal month) so parents can pay the same amount each month by standing order, and we can all forget about it!

Hope this helps, but, if not, ask away!

[LIZS]

It is based on LEA terms and you have to claim per term, whether that is effectively given to you in advance, offset against the fees either term time weeks only or spread equally over the 12 months, or retrospectively as a lump sum off your next bill when it comes through , is up to the nursery. The amount depends on the cost per hour you are being charged, although there is a maximum ceiling, ours was around £430 per term.

[Clayhead]

gillunderhill, we do not get that figure round here, it is significantly less!

At our pre-school we are claiming 15 weeks for the autumn term but I guess that's due to local differences in terms.

[Clayhead]

Also, you do not necessarily get 12.5 hours a week paid for, if the setting you attend charges more than the figure received from the council (which seems to vary) then you get subsidised sessions rather than free ones, IIRC.

[TellusMater]

£7.95 per session here, up to 5 sessions per week, LEA terms.

[gillunderhill]

£8.50 per session in Leics, x 5 x 38 = £1615. Went up in April 07. This can be used to reduce monthly fees for children in full day care

or

we provide what we call 'voucher only' sessions - ie we run 5 per week (each session 2.5 hours) for 38 weeks (in line with school terms) and if that is all you use, there is no 'extra' payment expected from the parent. We are re-imbursed direct from LEA. Of course you don't have to use all 5 - some children come say 3 times per week.