Tax free childcare or Universal Credit childcare element

[Dementedmummy02]

Hiya, can someone please advise or help.

Currently pay wrap around childcare for my just gone 5 year old. She attends school and goes to childcare each day after and during the school holidays. We have been utilising the tax free childcare option for the past year which govt pay 20% of, so not really much.

We also claim UC, but not the childcare element. We have just had a journal note asking for our childcare details with proof. We're confused to why UC want to know this as we don't use them for the costs. When my DH has looked into it, it states that if we utilise the UC childcare element, they'll pay 80% which is 60% more than we get now, so would help us immensely!

How do we find out what is best and how do we stop the TFC and claim the UC element instead? I'm due to reconfirm on the TFC anyway. Do I not reconfirm and leave a journal note?

We're clueless but obviously desperate to save as much money as possible as we're paying £700 a month 🙈

Thankyou ☺️

Yes it is confusing. I didn't know how much we would have got since without the childcare element we didn't get anything. But since your already getting UC then it will likely be the full 85% back.
Basically you stop using the TFC and pay the next childcare invoice in full yourself. Then report the costs, and provide proof of payment and invoice to UC. They then calculate how much to add to your next payment.

Oh and when you reconfirm your TFC you state that you're receiving UC childcare costs(when you are getting) and they will send a message to say you won't get TFC anymore. You won't need to close the account altogether, if you think you'll need it again some day.