Universal Credit childcare costs only paid at 15 per cent this month? Error?

[Leabee1234]

Ive just looked at my Universal credit statement that is due to be paid in a few days and they've only paid me 15 percent of childcare costs - they usually pay 85 percent and have for almost 2 years now . This is just for childcare not the food or any extras I pay that myself . They were supposed to have paid aroind 200 more than what they have. Im really panicking now as this is going to make me struggle with my bills and finances. I have sent them several message for 2 days on journal no one has got back

Has anyone had this issue before? I am concerned as if they cant help with 85 percent I wont be able to afford childcare bill thst is almost 500 a month. Im a solo mom who works part time 😞

Interesting as my dd has had a similar issue

it has said she will get £6 this month 🙈🤦‍♀️

That’s for the childcare for 2 children, just the childcare

Oh no Really - i am hoping this is an error on their part and they sort it asap !!

She has told them 3 times she has got a job, started job and originally childcare costs rejected and reason was she is not in work 🤦‍♀️ so put in again and got awarded £6 her fists are £300/400

theyve had her in for Saturday meetings once a month since her child was 2 and asked her not to bring the children with her to meetings 🙈 she is a single mum. Yet doesn’t have to get a job until she is 3 and hasn’t been able to increase nursery until dd turned 3

Pick up the phone and call them?

What is your assessment period and what dates to the invoice cover ? Uc only pay for childcare used and paid for in your assessment period

I did. They said I need to write a journal message I have

The date of my invoice for childcare is always 1st to last date of month. So that was 1st to 30th April
I always get paid 1st of every month UC

Are you paying for hours that don't occur whilst you're in work? UC are cracking down on this. They should only be paying for the hours the child is in childcare and you're also in work, not any hours that you're free and not working but put the kid in care anyway.

May not be this of course but some people are gonna get caught by this.

I’ve had a similar issue in the past. It took over 12 months for the correct amount to be paid and I had to get my MP involved.

My sons nursery has a set day rate. They dont charge by hours only a day rate or just morning or afternoon sessions.i work 7.5 hours a day so he has to go in for the day which is the day rate. They've always paid and ive had no problem until now

Your assessment period is 25-24 ?
so 25 March - 24 april will have childcare 1-24 April and 25 March -31st March

how much is the invoice and how much have UC paid

Hi it says
The amount you get is based on your circumstances from 25 March to 24 April 2026

My invoice was from 1st April to 30 April before that was 1st to 31 March.

I paid 349.20 and declared that to them and evidence ( I also pay an extra 120 on top of this for extras such as food etc that I do nor declare ) I only declare chilecare not extras so i jave done it right . Its never been an issue

Theyve only paid £50 when it should be around 290 (85 percent)

OK sounds like an error. They should be paying £237 for Aprils invoice
And £66 for the rest of March invoice assuming the invoice amount is the same.

Put a note on your journal under payments. You can also phone them and the call handlers will pass a message to your case manger