Childcare element of universal credit

[Hmummy97]

Hiya
curious about something my friend had mentioned she was going to do - she and her partner have split up and have a child together, they have split up quite amicably and going to coparent better than most in my opinion which is great for them. She had mentioned that he was going to pay for their sons childcare, and that she was also going to claim the 85% childcare element from universal credit. So he will transfer her the nursery fees to pay nursery, then she is going to pocket the 85% back from universal credit.
Tbh as a total single parent myself with no help at all from my child's father, I find this a bit sneaky and surely can't be legal? But just kind of nodded along with my friend. Just genuinely curious about the legalities of this, is this a loop hole in the system that people get that away with? If so, I'm totally jealous tbh!!!! Seems to good to be true to me....

It may be how he will be paying maintenance.

UC will pay up to 85% with a max of £646.35 towards childcare so she won't get the full 85% unless nursery is £760 a month.
Child maintenance doesn't count as income for UC purposes but you only get childcare costs paid for if you are working.

Totally legal but he might not be happy when he finds out.

@Danikm151

It may be how he will be paying maintenance.

UC will pay up to 85% with a max of £646.35 towards childcare so she won't get the full 85% unless nursery is £760 a month.
Child maintenance doesn't count as income for UC purposes but you only get childcare costs paid for if you are working.

Totally legal but he might not be happy when he finds out.

Thanks for replying! I believe he is paying child maintenance on top of this! It's alright for some ey 🤣 Why don't you get the 85% back if nursery fees are less? Curious as my child's fee will be reducing soon as I will be claiming his 2yr funded place alongside UC.

Sorry! Didn’t see your reply!
@Hmummy97

It will be 85% if fees are less but the max they will pay out is the £646 so if childcare is £1k a month they only get 64% reimbursed not 85%. That’s why they say up to 😕

@Danikm151

Sorry! Didn’t see your reply! *@Hmummy97*

It will be 85% if fees are less but the max they will pay out is the £646 so if childcare is £1k a month they only get 64% reimbursed not 85%. That’s why they say up to 😕

Aaaah okay that makes sense! Thank you for replying 😃😃