Funding - partner lost his job due to ill health

[Thamantha]

Hello wise minds,

I am hoping someone may know the answer to this.
My husband has a fairly recent diagnosis of ME/CFS and unfortunately has not had his probation period extended at the end of a year's employment. His fatigue is such that he was struggling to work a day a week (split into two half days). He often spends much of the day asleep. We are looking at switching to him staying at home, but his fatigue is such that he could not be a stay at home parent all week, though we are hoping he can do a day a week.

I earn £52k, which sounds like a great wage, but not so great to cover 2 adults and two kids without any other support. My husband has applied for new style ESA which if he gets may mean we have some entitlement to funding, but my understanding is that this may only last six months. Our youngest is 15 months old, which means we have been using tax free childcare and 15 hours funding. I had renewed the funding the week before my husband lost his job in April. After funding and tax free childcare our bill is £865 per month.

Does anyone know if there is a grace period for funding?
Is there any way to retain funding when the non-working parent is unable to look after children?

You’ll get a “grace period” until you next need to reconfirm, then you’ll lose it.

If he qualifies as disabled and gets LWCRA on UC, I believe that they’ll help with childcare, paying up to 85%, although it’s not a protected element so your salary will be deducted. I’d imagine you’d get something, though.

or your local authority funding might kick in, but again, it’s likely they’ll expect him to be claiming some disability benefits.