Hoping for someone who has experience or knowledge of this. Currently pregnant with 2nd, due in March. Have DS1 who is 4 and attends private nursery 3.5 days a week. We qualify for the 30 free hours over the year and tax free childcare (bill is still £600 a month though - wow!).
I get 17 weeks enhanced mat pay through work and we've saved and budgeted for me to take the full year off whilst still affording to live and also to allow us to keep DS1 in nursery for the current days until he starts school in September 2026. I'll end mat leave after about 10 months and then use accrued holiday for the remaining time.
When renewing for our tax free childcare today, I noticed that the earning eligibility states we both need to be earning £195.36 per week. Usually not an issue. However, there will be 5 months where I'll be earning £194.32 per week whilst fully on SMP. Does that mean we won't qualify for the funding during whichever "3 month windows" this will apply to??
I'm guessing the discrepancy of just over £1 is deliberate - working on the assumption that mums on mat leave will have all children at home with them?!
Anyone any experience of this that can confirm whether my understanding is correct and whether there's any way around it?
I'm wondering if I work the odd KIT day in the relevant window, that would be enough to take me over the weekly average for the 3 months? Technically only need to earn about £15 over the quarter to beat the average...
Any advice greatly appreciated - trying to make sure my ducks are in a row before I'm once again consumed by nappies and sleepless nights and won't have the headspace for all this!