Help! Not sure when my childcare eligibility will kick in

[Saltysweets]

Hi, can anybody help me? I’ve been going round and round in circles trying to figure out if I will be eligible for the childcare code based on my start date for my new job.

I’m starting a new job on the 9th of May, and it says I can apply for 30 hours free childcare 31 days prior. Does this mean that my free hours will kick in only from September? If I start the job in May without a childcare code, I will be paying upto £4000 for the four months upto September if so.

Can somebody please clarify?
Thank you x

When does your child turn 3?

She’s already 3. Last November

What I’d like to know is it if it’s too early to apply right now though I’m only starting my job in May? Can someone please clarify

The 30 hours funded childcare starts from the beginning of the school term after they turn 3.
If your little one is already 3 she is eligible for funded hours - you can put DD into childcare before you start your new job if you like - and your childcare has space.
Remember to also apply for the childcare voucher scheme.
Your childcare provider should be able to answer any more questions you have.
Good luck in your new job.

Thank you JamMakingWannaBe.

Upon speaking with the advisor at childcare services helpline I was told that I can only apply if my start date is within the next 31 days and if I apply midterm, I can only avail the free hours from the following term, which is September.

This is all so confusing. 😕

Plus I’ve read somewhere that the childcare vouchers have been scrapped for new starters in a bid to phase it out slowly. So not sure that would help me either

I don't think you need to be working to get the free hours. It's not about supporting working parents, it's about getting kids into early education. Apparently.

You'll qualify for 15 hours now, and then 'upgrade' to 30 hours once you're within 31 days of starting the job.

Also look at tax free childcare, this replaced childcare vouchers.

Childcare vouchers have been replaced by the tax free childcare - you should be eligible for both subject to working hours/earnings and (I think) it’s the same account as the 30 hours free

@Reluctantadult it’s absolutely about supporting working parents that’s why you have to be earning over a certain amount a week to claim 30 hours.

You can apply for the 15 free hours now ready for april term, then apply for the 30 for September. Then depending on if you are on UC you can claim up to 85% childcare costs(in arrears)
Or if you aren’t there is tax free childcare

Congratulations on the new job!

Are you asking about applying for the 15/
30 funded hours, applying for tax-free childcare (replaced the childcare vouchers scheme), or applying for childcare funding from Universal Credit? It’s not clear from your post.

[quote Coriandersucks]@Reluctantadult it’s absolutely about supporting working parents that’s why you have to be earning over a certain amount a week to claim 30 hours.[/quote]
Goodness knows why I was told that then! But I 100% was.

@Reluctantadult

I don't think you need to be working to get the free hours. It's not about supporting working parents, it's about getting kids into early education. Apparently.

Everyone is eligible for the 15 hours after their child turns 3, which is for early education. However, if both parents work (over a certain number of hours), you get an extra 15 hours to help with childcare costs.

Your DD has been eligible for 15 hours since January. So if she is not already in nursery/preschool, she could start now.

The 30 hours are actually 15 extra hours (on top of the 15 hours that every 3 year old gets) and these are the hours that are dependent on parents working. You can and should apply on 9th April. Hopefully it should be quick (when I applied I got my code almost immediately).

You should be aware that it's not 15/30 hours all year round, it's term time only. You can spread out the funding, so 30h/w during term time works out as 22.5h/w all year round.

As PPs have said, you may well be eligible for other help with childcare costs, Universal Credit (childcare element) or tax free childcare.

(Ignore childcare vouchers, as PP pointed out, the scheme is closed to new applicants.)

@Reluctantadult

I don't think you need to be working to get the free hours. It's not about supporting working parents, it's about getting kids into early education. Apparently.

That's at 2. Not three.

Op is currnently eligible for 15 hours so make sure if you do start before the 30 hours kicks in that you're claiming that at least. Is there anyone who could help with a day fo child care a week from May to Sept?

Thanks everyone.

To give a bit more info, DD is currently in nursery availing the15 free hours now.

My question is, because of my start date - the 9th of May, will the other 15 free hours only kick in from September? Every advisor I’ve spoken to on the childcare service helpline has said it will only kick in on or after September. That means I will have to pay for the remaining 35 hours each week for at least 4 months until sept ☹️

For context, we are not eligible for UC and are not in receipt of child benefit either because DH is a high income earner. This is my first job in a decade after being a SAHM and was just hoping to save up some money to be able to finally get on the property ladder this year. But looks like I’ll be out of pocket by nearly £4000 in the first four months.

Sorry the post is long winded.

Oh also I must add, we are immigrants with practically no relatives in this country. No friends close by either to look after DD unfortunately

I think that is correct about the extra 15 hours @Saltysweets as the 15/30 funding eligibility is based on term dates, so your start date in May means you’re not eligible until September. My DD’s birthday is in early April, so when she turned 3, we didn’t get the 30 hours funding until the September. I remember thinking that if she’d been born two weeks earlier at the end of March, we’d have got the funding from 1 April instead!

Is there any option for reducing the number of days she is in nursery by flexible working, to reduce the costs until September? For example, could your husband work compressed hours to have one day off a week/ fortnight, or use some leave to have every Friday off, meaning you only need to pay for four days a week instead of full-time?

Thank you @EllieQ. That's what I thought too.

Thankfully I am joining the civil service and know that they are family friendly. I am in talks with them to work out an earlier start date so I won't have to pay so much for childcare.

Another issue that is compounding it is that, hubby being a right numpty managed to book a month long trip back home (India) for April. Hence my start date in May 😖

I'm going to ask for a March start date in the hope that they will allow me to take a month off in August instead to go to India.

This is all so complicated. Being a SAHM so much easier. Lol

The 30 hours is only term time anyway isn't it? I thought it was for 38/39 weeks of the year. So there would always be a certain amount you'd be paying for the summer holidays.

@Saltysweets

Thank you *@EllieQ*. That's what I thought too.

Thankfully I am joining the civil service and know that they are family friendly. I am in talks with them to work out an earlier start date so I won't have to pay so much for childcare.

Another issue that is compounding it is that, hubby being a right numpty managed to book a month long trip back home (India) for April. Hence my start date in May 😖

I'm going to ask for a March start date in the hope that they will allow me to take a month off in August instead to go to India.

This is all so complicated. Being a SAHM so much easier. Lol

I'm a civil servant and its highly unlikely you will be allowed a month off in August, which is peak holiday season. You might get 3 weeks depending on your team.

Have you had your security clearances done? If not, you won't be able to start until you get these done. If you want an earlier start date, I'd be pushing to get these sorted ASAP. They can take sometimes take months to come back.

@GuidingSpirit Thank you. I was hoping someone already working as civil servant might help me out 🙂

Thankfully my pre employment checks have all been cleared. They initially offered me 21st feb as start date but stupid DH booked the holiday just a week before the email came through. For context, we haven't been back in three years, so a bit home sick for family.

They came back with alternative date of May 9th but if I agreed to that I would be paying upwards of £4000 until sept when 30 hours free finally kicks in!

I also have DS 9 in Y4. School is not very happy about taking time off during term time because of loss of learning from the pandemic and trying to catch up etc.

Do you think my manager will agree on the pretext that school won't authorise leave in April, so it's better to move dates to august instead? Long shot, but seems like my only option now. 😫

The deadline for applying for the 30 hours to start in April is 28th February, and because you can only apply 31 days ahead of starting work, you will need to start work on or before 31st March.

Why don't you ask to start in March and see if you can negotiate 3-4 weeks off in the summer?

@Saltysweets That's great news that you've got your pre-employment checks done!

It's a tricky one. Have you been asked about whether you have any prebooked holiday? I would be contacting your HR / recruitment contact, explain that you would like to start earlier but you have this prebooked leave and ask whether it would be honoured. Its understandable that you want to see your family. You could also ask about the leave policy and whether a big block of August leave would be honoured. In my dept, you'd be more likely to get leave approved in April rather than Aug, unless you were working in a role critical to year end / finance / accounts etc. August is much harder because so many people are taking time off to cover the school holidays.

I dont think the fact you are incurring £4k of childcare costs should really come into it. When i go back to work after mat leave, my DD will be 10months and I'll be paying for full time childcare until she is 3yrs. Many many civil servants are in the same boat as me. So whilst its unfortunate, I'm not sure it would sway any decision about taking Aug off, IYSWIM?

"I dont think the fact you are incurring £4k of childcare costs should really come into it. When i go back to work after mat leave, my DD will be 10months and I'll be paying for full time childcare until she is 3yrs. Many many civil servants are in the same boat as me. So whilst its unfortunate, I'm not sure it would sway any decision about taking Aug off, IYSWIM?"

@GuidingSpirit I see exactly what you mean! I have sent an email asking them to consider a summer break and a March start now. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

Part of me is worried they'll take back the job offer now because I am making too many requests/demands/changes 😫😪