30 hours free 'childcare'

That makes sense. I must have been in a very charitable mood earlier

Thanks again, oldboots. DD 's nursery directed me to the government quick questionnaire site to check eligibility
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Which is quite misleading as it didn't ask whether or not anyone in the home was a carer, just said that if you're not working then you're not eligible. You have to click on 'show me anyway' after it's told you you're not eligible, and then 'am I eligible?' to get to the bit of information saying that carers are eligible if the other parent works. Of course it also all depends on whether or not you fit their definition of a carer...

Mrs Hathaway it was all the exclamation marks after the word socialising that makes me read it as being about the mums socialising while their kids are being looked after.

It sounds like you ought to be able to get it then Mycarsmellsoflavender The government's own page says something similar too link

Patronising comment from a PP about 15 hours being enough for socialising.

For socialising the child, I thought it meant, not for the parent's social life. As in, a good amount of EYFS to give the desired advantages.

Thanks, oddboots. I'll check that because I have a disabled child who is currently not at school as well as a 3 yo DD and I can't currently go back to work as I am home educating him while we are waiting for a suitable school place to become available as he couldn't cope in mainstream. Yet when I did the quick questionnaire to check eligibility on the government website, it said I wasn't eligible for the 30 hours for DD. Seems really unfair as she spends a lot of time on iPad etc while I am with DS.

Patronising comment from a PP about 15 hours being enough for socialising. Lots of SAHPs do voluntary work, care for elderly relatives, partners, or other children. For the record I don't socialise at all during the 15 hours DD goes to nursery ( nearly all my friends work anyway), but I don't see why a child whose parents can't or don't work should get a lesser early years education than other children, many of whom will be from wealthy backgrounds.

The FAQ here says

"However, parents will be eligible where one parent is in receipt of benefits relating to caring responsibilities or has a disability and the other parent is working. Single parents who are disabled or have substantial caring responsibilities will not be eligible"

But what if you're a carer?

Thanks so much!

Thanks for answering re:15 hours!

When my ds gets his 15 hours, I will be using that time to retrain, gather the tattered fragments of my career and get myself ready for the workplace after 5 years of play doh and rhythm time.

Dedicated HMRC enquiry line is 0300 123 4097.

You still get it whilst on mat leave and there is a grace period during which you still get it if you are made redundant.

Everyone still gets the Universal 15. Not all settings will offer the Extended 30 hours, settings can offer 'up to' this amount. And many will offer less, in order to keep places open for unfunded 2yr olds for example. It's an administrative nightmare from a settings point of view!

Yes, you still get the 30 hours on mat pay.

Does anyone know if you are claiming the 30 hours and then go on maternity leave, can you continue claiming any free hours whilst on maternity?? Trying to sort out what will happen with DC1 when I go on maternity with DC2 or if I will have to take her out of nursery as won't be able to pay for it when on maternity!
And if you can, does this stay at the 30 hrs or drop back to the 15?

Yes - same here. I was eventually given a code for tax free childcare, which isn't what I want . Last time I managed to get onto it it said it was still checking eligibility. Haven't managed to get the code for 30 hours yet and it has taken hours of my time now!

Yes you can't combine with tax free childcare I think - but it tells you multiple times while you're completing the form.

30 hours is a lot if you're using it term time only. Spread across the whole year it's 22.5h/w which is still almost half the week if your child goes to day nursery full time.

We'll be using 26h/w to send DC3 to preschool four "full" days a week (9-3.30) with the option to add another session (potentially 11.30-3.30) from Easter to roll him gently into school. That's far longer than my working hours and means the government is freeing me up to do grocery shopping / gym visits / coffee mornings on my own.

Hi interested to see some people have actually managed to apply for this! I have tried at regular intervals over past few weeks but keep getting a message that the website is experiencing 'technical difficulties' - has anyone else encountered this?

I work 10h/w. To qualify you have to be earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week at NMW at least, which could be 8 hours at £15/h. It's a Conservative policy so it's about earnings not effort.

It is a separate form. I applied online through the government gateway. It was a chuffing nightmare with heaps of personal information about both partners including data from P60s and payslips. Once it's approved (ie the numbers match up) you get a long code number which you will put on your provider's paperwork to allow them to claim the funding.

Oh OK gigi. But surely parents on just under 200k can afford childcare - we certainly could, admittedly in the North East.

I think it's really there to help working parents, if your are a SAHM you wouldn't need the 30 hours, and 15 hours is plenty for socialising and such!?!

It isn't ill thought out... It's not meant to be a benefit for those who are the poorest. The purpose of the policy is to encourage women (and men too) to go back to work so that the economy doesn't lose skilled workers to parenthood.

The 15 hours is still universally funded - you don't need to apply for that, the setting do it on your behalf (you might just need to sign a form they present you).

The only caution I would express with the 30 hours is that some people have reported that applying for it has ended up cancelling their tax credits and/or childcare vouchers so look out for small print and tick boxes.

Flipping heck.

You are only eligible if both parents work ( and earn over £120 per week but under £100k per year). Although you still get the 15 hours free if you don't qualify.

As I understand it, a couple earning 90,000 each would get the extra 15 hours free childcare but a SAHM or an unpaid carer married to someone earning a low wage wouldn't. Another ill thought out Tory policy.

Sorry to be a pain, Are the original 15 hours still universal? Or are they means tested too?

Is the 100k per person or per couple?