2 year Childcare funding - work coach not helping

[milkgalaxy]

Hi

Please please can someone help me! I don't know how the 2 year childcare works, my child will be entitled to the 2 year 15 hours a week. But I need to know will I be covered by UC for anything above the 15 hour. (Nursery does stretched funding so will only cover 11 hours not 15) My work coach is literally refusing to help me! It seems like they have no knowledge on it and keep passing me over, they keep sending me generic gov.uk website link, not even the actual page. Honestly it's so frustrating as I can't afford to pay anything above the 15 hour, but if its covered I could put them in for longer as I work part time, but the stretched hours my nursery does would mean I have to pay after the first 11 hours.
The nursery also needs to know how many hours I want with a upfront fee to keep the place til September, I feel am at a loss when the people that are supposed to help me aren't helping.

If someone that is aware of how it works, please can you advise me?

I think it depends on the nursery and the sessions they are doing. I know someone whose 2 year old does 5 mornings 9.30-12.30 and she doesn't have to pay anything. When my toddler gets funding in September, she will use some of the funded hours off her current weekly amount that I pay for and as she does full days I think we have to pay £1 supplement for every funded hour (so £15 per week).

When you say they do stretched hours do you mean they do 11 hours per week but it is stretched over the full year instead of term time? You will have to pay for anything over the funded hours but if claiming UC then you can claim 85% of that back (sorry if this isn't what you meant and not helpful)

@wishuponastar1988
Thank you for your response super helpful.
Yes that's right, stretched hours so over the full year instead of term time only. I could do 9-12pm 5 days a week, but as I start work at 9, it's not possible to drop little one for 9 and pick up at 12.

The best start time is 8-1pm x 2 days which leaves 1 hour, so I would have to pay to make it 3 sessions- would pay for 4 hours.

That's my question, how do I claim the child care cost back via uc, my work coach simply won't answer this! I did read I would have to pay the first month and show proof of invoice, but how do I go about claiming it? Also do I need any codes to provide to the nursery for the 2 year funding?

To claim it back you need to show the invoice and proof you've paid (screenshots). There's abit on your UC where you click 'childcare claim' and then it will ask you to submit evidence every month. It's really easy to do when you know how

I think you report it monthly via your UC online account (Report a change - Childcare)

Then upload a copy of the invoice and proof of payment.

Thank you both! That sounds very simple, wonder why I couldn't be told that.
Just to be clear, I still will get the 2 year funding?
For example 11 hour funded and 4 hours uc will cover? So essentially I will only pay 4 hours worth in advance to the nursery before uc payment covers that?

https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/Childcare%20entitlements%20-%20frequently%20asked%20questions%20for%20parents%20-%20May%202024.pdf this page explains about universal credit

Yes, claim your funded hours and then whatever your remaining childcare costs can be added to your UC claim.
You can receive both.

To get the 2 year funding, do we apply and provide a code to the nursery? Nurseries get the code or directly apply for child space at 3 years, wondering if the 2 year one is different

Yes you need to apply for a code for working family 2 year old funding, from here www.childcarechoices.gov.uk