No tax free childcare if on mat leave?

[tuliplily]

Does anyone know why I can't access the tax free childcare if I am on maternity leave? My childminder has asked me to pay a retainer and I'm trying to pay her through the tax free website but it says that I'm not eligible for it.

You are eligible for tax free childcare if on maternity leave. Assuming you were eligible originally (and you aren't just unemployed rather than formally on mat leave).

Have you re-confirmed your eligibility according to the deadlines when it's asked you to do this?

Also, I'm wondering though if a 'retainer' would actually be eligible for reimbursement? You aren't paying for services provided, per se, you're a bit paying a registration fee or deposit, and I'm not actually sure that would be reimbursable.

Thanks @mindutopia.

I thought the same thing but the page says I'm not eligible because I'm still on leave. I thought that this wasn't right and it will let me pay for my older child's nursery fees. Yes you're probably right about the retainer but I can't even get to the page to look at this. Appreciate your help.

Each parent can register for the tax free childcare - could DP/child's father sort out this payment?

Could it be that the baby isn't eligible rather than you? I think you can only set up the child specific accounts x (4 maybe from memory) before you go back to work.

X weeks obviously

You can only get the tax free childcare during the last 31 days of the maternity leave for the new baby. (You can get it for older children. The Revenue and Benefits website has a good explanation, better than gov.uk.

In order for this to apply, the person must have been in qualifying paid work (or treated as if they were) immediately before the period they are:

Paid statutory sick pay
Paid maternity allowance
Paid statutory maternity pay
On ordinary or additional maternity leave
Paid statutory paternity pay
Paid statutory adoption pay
On ordinary or additional adoption leave
On shared paternal leave
Where a claimant, or their partner, are claiming TFC in respect of a child whose birth or adoption cause the period of leave, they will only be treated as in qualifying paid work for the last 31 days before they return to work. However, they would be treated as in paid work for the whole period of leave in respect of any other children they are claiming TFC for