Universal credit help?

[SassyCrab]

So basically I get help with UC where I’m a single parent and work part time. My baby goes nursery 3 days a week, since the funding has come into place with 15 hours free. Nursery has said you still need to pay £5 a day for children’s food on the funded days. Now UC are saying they don’t include that £5 a day charge in a refund and I shouldn’t been getting it. Can someone help?!

Sounds like you have to pay it yourself. How many hours is he in per week?

Do you explicitly pay for food on the unfunded days?

I think that is correct. I put my DD on pack lunches during nursery and then when she started reception she gets the universal free school dinners.

My child can’t get have pack lunches, it’s compulsory you pay for the food they provide due to allergies etc! So if I didn’t pay, he wouldn’t be able to attend. And this is why it’s contradicting information because it says on government they will pay for anything which is compulsory!

UC will pay for those days because it’s included in the overall price. Just ridiculous

I wouldn’t mind if they said this from the beginning now I’m going to have to pay back money! It’s just ridiculous

Yes they only pay for childcare not food. It is actually well known they only pay for some things. You can't blame UC for that. I will be paying for my son's lunches when his funding comes in.

Yeah but normally the food price is included in the total nursery price and they refund that but since the funded hours they don’t want to because the nursery seperate everything

The Regulations (UC Regs 2013 Paras 31-35) refer to 'relevant childcare'.

Is the provision of a meal 'relevant childcare'?

I suppose you could say that if by custom and practice paid childcare includes food then it makes no difference if, when the actual nursery provision is funded but the food is extra, its part of relevant childcare.

I'm not sure I'd feel confident running that argument in front of a Tribunal but maybe I'm a wuss.

Have you asked UC to look again at the decision to refuse these payments ie followed the process DWP call Mandatory Reconsideration.

The underlying issue here of course is that the funding for 'free' places is so tight that it won't cover the meals.

Where is it 'well known' what is and is not part of relevant childcare?

If you go on the UC Facebook groups there are many similar questions. They don't pay for food. I think the OP can't really blame UC when she herself needs to find out things.

They don't cover meals when you don't get the free funding and you use the UC 85% help.

How do they know whether Nursery feeds the kids?

My daughter just pays the Nursery a monthly fee, the nursery feed my grandson,

UC don't pay for food. £5 a day contribution isn't much for childcare.

Unfortunately unless your nursery will issue you a bill that does not single out food costs, they won't pay this.

£15/week, £65/month, is a fair wallop on a reduced income.

Are you okay? I don’t pay just £5 a day, my nursery fees are on average £700 a month and UC pay about £500 of that because of there other deductions they make.

and to everyone else I’ve been on UC for 1 year so why is it now it’s been brought to my attention they don’t pay for food?

TBH I'm in yebbut/nobutt see both sides territory here.

On universal credit terms it also states that they pay everything back that is not optional, at my babies nursery the payment for meals are because he’s not allowed pack lunch because of allergies so it’s contradicting. I don’t want to have to pay back a years worth of meals because of there stupidity!

@SassyCrab ask them to explain the decision with reference to their Regulations and guidance and follow the MR route I suggested upthread.

But the parent/s would have to feed their child if they didn’t go to nursery. 🤷‍♀️

You’re clearly not understanding are you? they’ve told me a year later which means they could just now send me a bill or something stupid for £500 for there mistake. Also it states they pay for anything compulsory which the meals are! You can’t send to your children to that specific nursery with pack lunch! They don’t allow it

That's a bit rude.

Point being, if they weren't at nursery you would be paying for their lunch. So you are paying when they are there which is no different. UC won't pay for it for you is all.

How am I rude? It’s the sarcastic comments replying back to me! And actually another lady said this happened to her and they made an exception because they contacted her nursery to make sure they don’t offer pack lunches and refunded the meals. So clearly you are very wrong!

Can you ask your nursery for a payment plan?