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?!

It would be UC I owe not the nursery, the nursery is paid

My nursery charge £25 'supplementary charge' on the 'free' days. I've always submitted the invoice from the nursery (which clearly shows the charge) and UC have always paid as part of the 85% back. For the last two years. Who's now said they won't pay for £5 charge?

His is a consumable fee. So you'll be paying for food/nappies/cream etc! The UC doesn't cover this.

It’s because it’s a consumable fee not a childcare one, and it’s classed as optional even though nursery never actually make it optional. UC won’t reimburse optional costs

Just fight your corner because they will try backdating that! That’s the problem I’ve got right now

@SassyCrab thank you for the heads up. But if they did ever try clawing money back I would simple point them to the invoice I’ve uploaded from the nursery every month for the last two years which clearly lists the supplementary charge separately. It’s their fault if they haven’t checked properly!

Also, you can use tax free childcare to pay supplementary charges, so I don’t see why UC don’t pay as part of the 85% back. Never heard of UC not paying charges before this thread!

Comparing tax free child care with UC risks being in Bananas and Elephants tendency.

@Bromptotoo very true!

The funding isn't really sufficient I don't think. So the nurseries are nearly always now adding on a fee for food, equipment etc which is non negotiable. These are profit seeking businesses after all. So yeah, you'll just have to pay it I think.

My DD had to pay for my DGS's food at his nursery. Her fees before the subsidised 15 hours were almost £1800 per month. It's much reduced with the 15 subsidised hours so she's happy with that not and he has to have a compulsory nutritional meal everyday cooked from scratch and healthy snacks. She's not moaning she's hugely grateful because when she had elder DC there were no free hours until he was much older so she got less help towards his fees. You'd have to feed your DC in any case and childcare is subsided so you can work.

Their mistake…not there.

Not the point I know, but it has to be said. Sorry.

Exactly. No wonder the country is in the financial state its in.

If you owe them money they should just take the overpayment back gradually.

OP, did you get anywhere with this with UC? I'm on mat leave at the moment and trying to work out if it makes sense financially to go back to work.
The nursery we have a provisional place with charges £7 a day for food, and no option to take a lunch in. Again like you, onsite food is a compulsory part of the contract due to allergies etc.