Messed up and now having to pay for it

[sadkoala]

I'm quite bed with computers. Had issues with the code on my HMRC app when trying to reconfirm my childcare eligibility, called them up and lady on the phone said they don't do reconfirmations over the phone but it sounds like a system issue and that I have an extra 2 months or so to do it and I'll get another email to remind me and to try again then.

Long story short I completely forgot, a reminder email never came and I missed the April deadline. I called them up as soon as I realised and the second lady said that they don't actually deal with the systems and what I should've done is just get a new government gateway ID and reapply - I did not know that (awful with computers).

I have sent an appeal through but it takes 28 days to be reviewed and in the meantime I have just been hit with 2months of nursery fees which I can't afford in one payment as its been backdated from April and its nearly 6x what I used to pay in a month. I work and can't afford to quit my job so need the childcare.

I am aware I massively messed up and I should have been more vigilant with it but I completely slipped up and now I'm in tears.
Is there anything else I can do to try and work this out?
DS is going to school in September so it's only from now until then that I need the childcare. I'm beside myself because I don't know where I can find the money to afford his childcare and my bills. Any advice would be great.

Can you call to the nursery and explain what happened and ask can you arrange a payment plan to pay the fees off from now until he finishes up?

Also try mot to beat yourself up about it. Everyone makes mistakes. Government systems are usually awful to use. The revenue online system is a joke. You nearly be sad an IT degree to navigate it at times.

I suppose I could ask about spreading the payment hopefully that will help.

I feel so awful. If they don't uphold the complaint I don't know what I'll do. I can't quit my job but I can't do my job if I don't have childcare.

In the meantime I feel like I'm in limbo until the decision comes back..

Are you a single parent?

I'm not no.

Sorry just realised I've been all "I I I" it's because the way we split the admin it was my responsibility to look after the childcare application and I've gone and made such a terrible mess of it.
Now we all suffer.

Sadkoala, without trying to be too intrusive, do you and your partner earn more than 70k per year? How many children do you have? And how much are your childcare costs?

No we do not earn anywhere near 70k! (Wish we did!)

We have 2 DCs but have alternative childcare for the youngest which is effectively free (family member but really cannot look after older one at the same time).

For eldest it's usually around 150 a month on top of the free 30hours we qualify (or qualified for).

Most recent invoice is significantly higher as you can imagine.

Do you have a current claim for tax credits? Or universal credit? You may be able to get some help towards your costs through them. I can help with a calculation to see if you would be eligible. You can PM me if you would like. Equally if you don't want to discuss private information, some of the online calculators can help. They aren't always the most accurate however. I find entitledto covers most circumstances accurately enough.