Claiming childcare universal credit

[Sliceofapplepie]

I can increase my salary but my childcare costs would increase and after the taper not very much left.

I tried claiming childcare in the very early days and it was a shambles trying to get the payments, was easier to work less. Hoping it has improved?

I think there's still a lot of problems to be honest.

Mine was Ok for the 30 free hours. Had to open a government gateway account, go to childcare section and fill out the details. They then send you a code that you give to the nursery. Just remember to reconfirm every 3 months!

It's for the after school club provided on school grounds (they aren't ofsted registered which I think I can manage but is annoying). Also none of the billing options work. Impossible to get invoices to line up with my payment period and fit in the rules.

I haven't had too much trouble but I sometimes don't get the money back for a while due to when I'm invoiced by the childcare provider.

You won't get it back unless its ofstead registered then they require invoices for childcare and proof of payment too but

If your assessment period goes from the 15th to the 14th for example and you put in an invoice from the 1st to the 31st you will only get consideration for the days/weeks that fall in the assessment period you may end up submitting the same invoice twice (to cover the other part of the month) plus others plus proof of payment

The proof of payment is new and has caught people out who have paid in cash

Sorry pressed too soon some UC people are saying receipts don't count they want to see a bank transaction

The best option for me would be to pay for the full year by payment plan direct debit. One set payment each month but can't see what I would submit each month for payment. I've sent a message on my journal to ask.
A couple of years ago my payments were incorrect every single month (10 months running!) but always eventually corrected.

I got it back previously despite the Ofsted registration through a reconsideration. Pointed out the legislation for after school clubs (contacts awarded via the schools/local authority) didn't require ofsted registration - at odds with dwp legislation. Don't know if I was just lucky.

I wonder if I have an invoice for the entire year and submit it every month with screen shot of direct debit payment that month, whether I'd get payment.
What a nightmare, if I don't get it I will literally be money down by taking on more hours which would be a disaster.

I pay nursery on the 26th of each month and save a screenshot of my bank transfer. I then get nursery to provide a receipt.
My assessment period is 13th-12th so some from each month gets carried over. They will only let you submit 3 months max at a time I think.
There have been times when the amount hasn't been calculated properly but resolved within the same day of putting a message in the journal.
I did ask if I could just show my bank screenshots but they want receipts too.

Thanks Danikm151. I will contact the after school club to ask if they will provide monthly receipts.
I used summer club and submitted costs this month and it has been ignored in terms of my payment. Have raised a question on journal.

Will all depends on the assessment period I think. As long as the costs match what you have declared it should be ok.
It’s annoying having to fork out costs upfront and then get them back but they’ve been pretty good at admitting when they have messed up.