child tax credit/childcare element and after school clubs.

[PavlovtheCat]

I think I know the answer, but it is worth clarifying with my worldly knowledgeable MNers!

My two children go to afterschool club approx twice a week. DS is in the school-linked nursery at the same location, DD at school at the same location, so they both go to the same club.

It costs x amount per hour for each child. However, on one of those days, DD goes to dance club at the school for one hour and then a teacher/one of the older dance group take her to the afterschool club for the final hour, and I collect both children from there. The dance club costs the same for that hour as the aferschool club.

It makes sense to send her there with her friends, rather than be in the afterschool club, although she actually enjoys being in both! If I did not need to send them to afterschool club I would be less inclined to have her attend the dance club as the club do a saturday session which would be preferable to us.

So, after that long winded post can I claim that hour in dance club for CTC seeing as if I did not pay for this club I would be paying for the after school club.

I am thinking no, as the dance club is not a school activity (which the afterschool club is?)

I mean, really it is not much money, but it all mounts up!

You can only claim for registered childcare and for that each will have its own OFSTED number.

If the club is registered with Ofsted, then you should be able to claim for that. It has to be registered childcare to qualify

Sorry meant to add , so is the dance group a registered provider. Please don't be tempted to claim anyway as figures are double checked with providers. I am a cm and TC call often to check figures match my parents claims.

ok, so yes the afterschool club is registered as childcare with ofsted, I doubt that the dance club is, although it was formed originally as an afterschool club to support working parents, but at another school as this school has, I beleive has had after-school childcare facilities for a long time (very handy too that they take my two year old and my 6yo).

It is clearer now thank you! Just trying to get my head around things now the new school year has started as afterschool childcare has only just changed, it used to be sporadic so I never included it but now it is regular.

nicknacks i won't do it don't worry, not worth it for a few pounds (not worth it for more than a few pounds either!).

lady I will ask the dance teacher if she is registered, as she offers the lessons in the two local schools immediately after school, she collects from classes and takes to afterschool club, really involved rather than a seperate club, so it is possible she is ofsted registered. I will ask her.