Universal credit childcare option

[OmariOlu]

Hey everyone I need some help- im
also very confused about the child care component of UC. I’m a single mum and need to claim my childcare through UC. I was too late to apply
for the first month but now I need to apply for it. My earnings are around 2200 a month and my kid is in childcare three days a week.
however my invoice goes from
1st of the month to end of the month but my UC starts on the 15th.
how do I make sure I’m getting what I’m entitled to?
how do I work out what I’m entitled to?
should I pay my invoice in two separate bills so that I can claim one half one month and the other the other half? Or can I submit the invoice twice and they understand it’s for the second half of the month?
sorry I’m so confused!!
any help would be great
thank you!

Just upload the invoice and the bank statement showing the money coming out of your account when you receive it. UC will work out which period it falls into - half will fall into one assessment period and half into another (its paid in arrears). Also its not too late to claim for last months - you have 3 months from when the childcare is paid

Just upload the details and the dates it covers.
my Uc is from the 13th-12th each month but I pay childcare at the start of each month so each month I get reimbursed for half of the current month and half of the previous month.

it’s not too late to declare your costs if you missed a month it will get added on

It’s too late :( I had no idea I could get help with the payment and had paid for his fits at childcare in September as a deposit and tried to claim it back in December when I realised I could get it back and they have refused :(
do you know how I work out how much they will pay me towards my costs?

Thank you so much!

Its normally 80% of your bill 😊

It’s up to 85% of costs. But only costs that have occurred during the assessment period.
so if you paid for 1st -20th but your assessment period ends the 15th you’ll get 85% of the 1st to the 15th. Then the remaining 5 days in your next assessment period.

so i paid £266 this month- i’ll get 226.10 added as a childcare element to my UC before deductions

Thank you - how do I work out thiugh how much I’ll get back after deductions? Do you know?
thanks!

@OmariOlu it all depends on what you get for UC and what your usual deductions/work allowance is.

so if you get £1000 UC allowance but earn £600. You take your £407 allowance away from £600 to get £193. Then times that by 0.55 so it would be a £106 deduction from UC so £894 UC plus your £600 wages.

best to go onto a benefits calculator to do it for your circumstances