15h funded childcare eligibility code question

[Laruca]

Good evening,

I applied in July for the 15h funded hours and I got it approved and I received the code.

My son, who is now 14 months, is being looked after by a childminder from today.

She has introduced the code I received but she got the message in the attached picture.

Does anyone understand what the issue is? Does this mean that we will not get the 15h this term?

So has she only just tried submitting the code, or did she try when you received it in July?

I think the code can't start being used part way through a term. It needs to be submitted around 1 month before the start of the next term (I think each area has different timings) for it to start at the beginning of the next term.

Yes she has submitted the code today

I’m not sure if PP is correct, my childminder also just uploaded our code last week and it got accepted, even though it was valid from 1st September.
The error messages mentions the working parent eligibility, are you currently in work OP? Any planned changes to your employment? Also, have you reconfirmed your details with HMRC in your childcare account?
If all looks good, then I would ask your childminder to send you a screenshot of the info she submits. Our one put the DOB wrong and got a different error code until it was fixed.**

Yes, I am in work and the reconfirmation is not due yet. I didn't know that the childminder had to submit the code by a certain date and she didn't know either. My son only started with her today... it looks like we are going to loose the funding for the next 4 months 😩

When you signed up in July, did you get a letter with a temporary code, and have you reconfirmed since then? Because we did and apparently you get a new code… you can find that in your childcare account, in your messages. If you’re still using the temporary code, that might not be valid now.
Also, HMRC has a childcare account helpline, if all else fails, give them a call - they might be able to sort it out

It says reconfirmation is by 12th December, so I don't think the code is temporary. I'll call the childcare services helpline and hopefully they will sort it out

Has your cm called for advice? The funding team can talk her through it.

That message makes no sense.
It says you are not eligible for funded hours but the dates on the code clearly show it is valid for this term.
I would get your childcare provider to contact the LA to check this.
It may just be that the message on their portal hasn't been configured or set up correctly.

It depends on your area - each local authority has different rules !
In my area codes had to be register by 31 August for autumn term funding .
BUT - tell your childminder to contact her local authority and ask them. You may get the funding for this term but they won’t pay the childminder to January .
So if I was your childminder I would ask you to pay as normal and I would refund you when I received the payment in January .
Dont forget funding is only 38 weeks per year.
In our area last week was not funded and half term and Christmas holiday are private weeks too.

Did you ever get this sorted? I'm having a similar issue and our code turned out to be a temporary one, only just realised this when it the code didn't work and now it's too late. Worries I'm not foing to be funded for this term now. Called HMRC and they were no help, having to put a complaint in.

Did you manage to sort it out?

@kinkin0518 no, I have to pay for all this term and then try and claim the money back. Absolute nightmare!

I'm in the same position. I was hoping you were told something else!

@kinkin0518 I'm so sorry, I wish I had better news for you. HMRC have told me they can't back date a code even in this circumstance, they physically can't change the date on the codes. It's just the way the system was made apparently. I think I have a decent chance of successfully claiming, just sucks I have to pay upfront when I don't really have the money. I literally only put my child in nursery because i was getting the 15 hours.
If you do manage to get any other answers or have more luck than me please let me know.

Yes, I had made the reconfirmation before the start of the term and the childcare helpline confirmed the code was valid for the full term. The childminder managed to do the eligibility check correctly and submit the claim on time finally. The Early Learning Team in my Council were very helpful; perhaps you could contact the team in your Council and they can help you sort it out?