Childminder claimed incorrectly for funding- £2k bill

[Newstart2024]

My childminder just contacted me saying that my eligibility code for my 2 year old has been declined and she hasn't got the funding. She said for the term just gone and the term ongoing I owe her £2k.

I've looked back at my text messages, her claim for September onwards I gave her a temporary code that the childcare service gave me. In October and again in December I sent her the permanent 11 digit code on text. All my eligibility has been up to date and my funding/tax free childcare has been paid for my other two kids and tax free going through for my 2 year old. I've asked her which code she used and forwarded when I gave her the permanent one but not heard back (she's busy with all the kids today!).

I have contacted the childcare service who said all looks good. So I have contacted the council and asked if there has been an admin error and waiting to hear back.

If she has used the wrong code does anyone know if they will reclaim using correct one? £2k because of her admin error seems mad but I will have to pay she's only a sole trader and not fair she takes the hit either really... maybe she'll suggest we go halves on the error. (She's a great childminder too).

If you have the correct code and they’ve messed up, then that is on them. You shouldn’t be penalised for it.
I had something similar happen with my child’s nursery, but I had a code that was valid for 12 months as I received UC at the time. They didn’t enter it as a 12 month code, so the following term they told me I didn’t have a valid code and invoiced me a much higher amount.
I disputed it as I had a valid code and was able to provide evidence in the form of an email from my local authority confirming it was still valid, so they had no choice but to correct my invoice. It took a lot of back and forth and I argued it fully, but was resolved eventually as I had provided evidence that this code was provided to them months before.
Stand firm on this, if it is a mistake of the child care setting.

It's unlikely to be a problem. Just speak to the CM and make sure she has inputted the permanent code as long as you have kept it renewed then you will be covered. The CM needs to.make sure that they have your correct national insurance number and your child's dob typed in correctly on their provider portal when claiming the funding from their LA. I'm 99% sure that you will be OK and it may just be the CM panicking as she is getting an error message when yrying to claim as she hasn't updated the temporary code to the permanent code

All these comments saying that the parent is expecting the childminder to work for free are just incorrect. The government provide the funding to help parents to work, the funding is there to enable someone like OP to fund childcare. OP found a childminder that would accept this funding and so she has every right to use it. The fact the childminder didn't bother claim is 100% NOT OPs fault.

A friend gives you a £50 voucher for your favourite shop, you pop it in your purse and forget about it. Three years later you find it at the back of your purse, go to spend it and find it is expired. Would you really go back to your friend and ask for another £50 because you forgot to spend the original voucher?! Because everyone who is tell OP to pay the childminder again is saying that's what she should do.

This! If it's the wrong code, it won't go through!
She will also get reminders on the funding portal to do an eligibility check for the parents codes and if it's the wrong code it will tell her. I'm a childminder, and wouldn't be able to lose £2k, but it does sound like her mistake. She needs to ring her LA and see what she can do.

Can I say again, there isn't a single hub that every LA uses, they all have their own (some will use the same as each other such as synergy for example) but there isn't a blanket rule about what it will do when you submit.

Yes, unfortunately every LA works differently. It would be sooooo much easier if they all worked in the same way!