Hi
Hoping someone can advise on something I should know, but have never come across, and can't find the answer in various places online.
I'm trying to advise someone currently on UC about her options. She has a elder child at school, with mid rate DLA so she is his carer and receives carers allowance. She's always been self employed, but has just returned from maternity allowance following the birth of her new baby (believe child is 9mths.)
As she's got a child on DLA, she doesn't have to meet a minimum work requirement regarding hours or income. So, now her maternity allowance has stopped, she's got no real incentive to look for work at the moment, or re-kickstart her self employed business. She's still registered as SEmp.
If she's classed as SEmp then she can claim highly subsidised childcare for the baby. But, she doesn't want to continue with her SEmp, with the older child with additional needs and a baby, she's got enough on her plate without having to try and rebuild her tiny business after covid to boot. It would help her massively if she could put the baby into nursery even one day a week.
So, if she's no longer SEmp, but is a full time carer, can she still qualify for the subsidised childcare? In the same way that you qualify for it when you're on maternity allowance, not technically working but deemed that you are for UC childcare criteria.
I don't think she can, and I'm telling her to keep her SEmp even if she can only manage one day a month, because she can claim the childcare that way.
Is this correct either? As long as she's doing some form of SEmp she can claim as much childcare as she likes? Or will it flag up that she's earning bugger all, but claiming £400 childcare a month. But does it matter because she's got a child on DLA and has no minimum earning requirement.
I know that all sounds terribly complicated, but I just need someone in the absolute know, to give me the indisputable answer. Please don't respond with your best guess as I've already told her my inkling, I need the fact of the matter.
Thank you if you've got this far!