30 hour free childcare and salary

[Lat321]

Hi-we used 30 hour free childcare earlier in the year and we qualified as none of us earned more than £100,000. We stopped taking benefit in August as son started school.
After August PH changed job and looking at current projections will exceed 100,000 net adjusted income. We are am looking to see how can he come under the income by increasing pension but does anyone know if qualification for free childcare is based in salary at time of getting benefit or is it based on whole tax year? I. E. If we have net adjusted income of over 100,000 for the year then we have to give back the money we got for 30 hour free childcare?

Thanks

You reconfirm every 3 months, I believe, so it'd be based on qualification in that period.

But my son isn't old enough yet, so I'm no expert!

It’s for the complete tax year and the eligibility at the time you claim
the funded hours is the “current tax year”.

So for funded childcare April-August 2023, it will be the tax year April 23-Mar 24 I think.

No you won't have to pay it back.

Does anyone know if you can still set up a new business as a sole trader if you expect to earn less than £1000 a year?

I earn around £200 under the threshold to qualify for the 30 hour funding for 2 year olds and can’t increase my hours in my main job 🤦🏻‍♀️ I don’t really have time to run a business or work elsewhere, but was wondering if it would be possible to set up as a sole trader and make a few crafts to sell to family and friends, purely to make up the extra £200 needed to qualify for the hours.

You have to reapply every 3months.

I have similar issue. This year I am pushing more into pension and taking my bonus as shares- it then takes me under threshold. Think this is fairly common approach.