Universal credit- childcare

[hugmeyt]

So we are currently using tax free childcare, we earn about 40k between us a year, we do rent but it's from family so I don't think universal credit will help on that one, even though we have a tenancy agreement! We pay about £400 for childcare for the youngest and about £150 for the oldest, does anyone know if we are liking to get UC for the childcare? I have tried to look on the benefits calculator but was a bit confused.

What was confusing about the benefit calculator? Either turn2us or entitled2 calculators will give you a rough idea if you will be entitled to any help. Mine was pretty accurate once I put my details in.

You can get help with rent if your landlord is family as long as they don't live with you and the agreement is not "contrived" (ie as long as the agreement has not been deliberately created for the purpose of claiming benefits - it has to be a genuine commercial rental agreement).

There's nowhere near enough info in your OP to calculate entitlement. What is confusing you about the online calculator?

I have been claiming UC since September 2022 and the child care element has been so helpful. I did pay the first month upfront by borrowing. With the rules changing about being paid upfront in the summer will I recoup the first month back so I can repay. At the moment we are finding monies in advance so always a month in arrears. Trying to get my head around it!

As PP have said, go on entitledto benefits calculator and put in the correct info, it can be quite accurate.
I rent from family, have a legit tenancy contract, have never had any questions asked (I had to submit copy of the contract etc) and get help from UC.
Like others I struggle with the upfront payments of childcare then having to claim it back with UC

I tend to be OK with meeting the cost each month as it all fairly consistent in cost, but I am cross I had to borrow the full amount without 85% help for that first month, and the first child care payment went towards the second invoice. I owe 680 to someone with no way of being able to repay it. I was hoping that I would receive my first upfront payment retrospectively so it is one less thing I owe.

That's a thought..... with the government changing to paying upfront instead of in arrears, does that mean when they eventually start paying upfront that we receive 2 payments (1for the previous month and then the upfront cost for the following month) ??

In my head I would say yes, which would put me straight. Receive for the last one, receive for the next in advance. Although how they pay a future invoice in sync with UC payment date and invoice due date, I cannot fathom.

I have googled this to death willing for me to somehow find the system transparent and fair. I had already borrowed to pay a first month payment for rent and had to apply for a UC loan to pay that back. Even then the computer said i could only borrow 480 at 80 pound a month for 6 months. For the last 3 months they have paid me random childcare costs that don't match my invoice and just tell.me they owe me money. How am I expected to pay a huge shortfall for the week it takes for them to sort it.

@Len1402 hiya , out of curiosity you said you was getting help with childcare costs from UC . Do they actually pay you 85% of the childcare fees or 50% cause I’m trying to work out roughly how much I will probably receive back 😩