Husband earns over 100k. Do we get 15hrs free funding?

[Bermuda1102]

Sorry I know a lot of people have asked this but I’m still confused.

My husband earns over 100k. I earn 30k.
our son will be 2 in Jan 2024, so come April 2024, will we receive 15hrs funding from the government? Then, if we are to have another child (not pregnant yet), by the time other child is born, when they start nursery, they too will get 15hrs?

Someone said you get nothing if one earns over 100k, but I thought EVERYONE gets 15??

it’s so irritating if you compare our situation to parents who both earn 90k each. I know we’re fortunate but with my husbands salary comes higher mortgage payments and we live and work in London.

anyway, I hope someone can answer this for me.

thank you so much

You are definitely entitled to the 15 free hrs as it’s not means tested. You are not entitled to 30 free hrs.
Also if the government didn’t want higher salary earners to get this benefit, they wouldn’t have created this benefit in the first place. So please, all those comments saying you shouldn’t claim, politely do one.

We also have one earner above 100k so, like the OP, we get 'free hours' (or, subsidised nursery fees) from the term after dc turns 3. At our nursery there wasn't really an option to "not claim them" as the nursery just adjusts the fees for children who are 3 to take account of the subsidised hours. Possibly at some point DH signed a form but I don't think so.

The bit you do 'claim' are the extra subsidies for 30 "free" hours, where you have to fill in a form (I think, though obviously have not done that for any of our dc)

If for some reason we decided we didn't want to 'claim' the universal benefit that our family is entitled to it would be more of a faff to nursery to put us on special fees just for us, and I don't imagine our unclaimed funding would be used to fund some major change in early years policy to reduce inequality

At 100k you lose tax free childcare and 30
hours but you still get 15 hours. Our nursery spreads it over the year so it 11 hours a week and they of course take it off the ‘cheaper hours’.
for those making nasty comments, the OPs husband has paid and will continue to pay thousands on tax a year, he will be a net contributor. Would you make comments about taking benefits for children you can’t afford to people on UC? Or comments about not affording your mortgage is your choice when rates go up?

@woodedarea the nursery isn't being paid enough per child per hour

But that's the government's fault surely? If they funded it adequately, it wouldn't be killing nurseries.

Is that not like saying that higher earners getting NHS treatment is killing off the health services? And that they should be going private since they can afford to pay for it and people on lower incomes can't?

No skin in the game here, I'm not living in the UK, and we don't have the NHS or anything approaching it here. Free GP care is means tested, unless you are over 70 or under 8.

(to add, I understand that the funding levels are flawed and are a major challenge facing the early years sector. But the concept of universal early years education is good, and it's why these 15 hours.after the age of 3 are universally free rather than the means tested parts which are to do with helping people to work - or at least that's my understanding of the policy as it was rolled out years ago

I mean, the OP hasn’t been back so I can’t take the thread seriously. I also always question the legitimacy of any thread wherein the OP cites such a high joint income, but simultaneously cannot just read the Gov.uk guidance which is actually very clear.

For those of you getting pissed off, just don’t rise to it. It’s not worth the spike in your BP. Also, after Labour win the next election this is all likely to change anyway. Pretty sure they’ve already said they’ll be means testing all of this.

Wow

so much conjecture.

sigh.

Agree with this - the 15 hours free should be means tested imo

This thread exemplifies the state our country is in. When the tories came into power 13 years ago they cynically and deliberately set about spreading a narrative where we are encouraged to attack each other as a means of undermining the whole concept of “the state”.

Benefits claimants are vilified as being undeserving scrounges and high earning taxpayers like the OP are attacked for daring to claim what they are entitled to.

So well done everyone who has piled in on the OP, you’ve fallen for it. Before long there will be no benefits available for anyone.

The reality is that it is the interests of society for all children to receive a pre-school education in readiness for primary. That is what the universal entitlement reflects. The government could very easily have imposed a financial limit as they’ve done for the 30 hours but they chose not to. It is ridiculous and unreasonable to suggest that people should pay for something that they are entitled to for free. There is no way that the cost of the nursery fees would make any difference to the nurseries themselves or government policy.

Studies have shown that when people get something out of a system they are more likely to contribute and contribute willingly. The OP and other high earners are paying almost 50% of their income in taxes and basically funding the welfare provision for 60% of the population. Again, it is in the interests of society as a whole for these taxpayers to benefit from the same provision as everyone else and to help them get back into work and stay in work.

People who are overcome with jealousy need to educate themselves here and direct your anger at the right people.

They're paying plenty of taxes themselves! Should they only pay for other people's kids to get free hours? 🤔

Why? So high earners can pay for everyone else's childcare and every single hour of their own?

Neither myself or DH were clever enough to go to university so have minimum wage jobs but we still qualified for the hours the OP should. Why should they be penalised for being clever and studying hard?

No they don’t from 2.

Not sure why people are having a pop at the OP - do they think she shouldn’t send her child to state school or use the nhs either?

Am sure the OP could have googled her question! I personally think it was a brag to annoy people. Out household income is very healthy , so I don’t have any personal reasons to comment.

Can we settle this awful thread on that childcare should be free and state funded for all children. The children, parents and society all benefit from a free universal service that supports every child regardless of parental income.

If wealthy people choose a private option then that's their personal choice.

I'm sure. Not am sure. That's not the proper contraction.

Well done for stating she's bragging but in the same breath clarifying your household income is not just healthy, but very healthy. Double standards much?

It’s not childcare it’s education. Do you think higher earners should pay for their school age dc to go to school?

Yes OP, in think you'll be eligible for the new funding coming in April 2024. My DS will be 2 in February and we are counting on it so hoping a change of government won't change it all.

But why would anyone be annoyed by someone stating facts? Just because someone is on a low income does not mean they think everyone else is surely?

If labour manage to steal enough people who previously voted Tory I doubt they will then want to alienate them.

No everyone gets the universal funding term after child is 3....but not all settings offer it.....the additional 15 is income related.

OP could have got the information from Google 🤷‍♀️I have today realised that we have lost our children’s birth certificates/ marriage certificate etc . Have googled what to do about it ! Not made a thread on MN . It’s common sense!