Moving from Universal Credit to Tax Free Childcare

[usernoloserno]

Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience of this.

We're closing our UC claim shortly due to ineligibility, which means (a variable portion of) our childcare costs will no longer be covered automatically by that. We're entitled to 15 hours free childcare at the moment as we're both working, and want to move onto tax free childcare to supplement this.

Do we have to wait for our claim to close before applying?
Does anyone know how long it takes to switch from UC to tax free childcare?

Another possible issue is that I'm currently on mat leave from two jobs. I'm going back to work at job 1 in September, and job 2 in December. I've worked out that my income won't ever drop below the amount per week required for tax free childcare, thanks to enhanced mat pay at job 1, but it says I will need to go back to work within 31 days of first applying. Presumably this means we won't be eligible for tax free childcare asap?

The 31 days bit is for your baby, the older child will remain eligible throughout your mat leave.

I think if you want funded childcare and TFC for the autumn term (September to December), you need to return to work by the end of September. I had a similar situation in the first quarter of this year. then you need to earn the minimum amount for that quarter (2800ish I think). Sounds like you should be ok? Though I don’t know how it works if you are still receiving maternity pay from another job (on another note I think the funded hours are from the term after the child is 9 months - are you really still receiving maternity pay after this point cos that’s unusual even with very generous maternity policies I thought??)

sorry not sure I’ve helped at all!!

Sorry I’m being dim and hadn’t realised the child you’re claiming funded childcare for is not the same child you’re on mat leave for!! 🤦‍♀️

@modgepodge , not dim at all! I wasn't clear. We were really hoping to be eligible for this summer (basically as of now) as DD is in a private day nursery open 52 weeks of the year. If @ScrewedByFunding is right, we'll be okay.

DD will get 30hrs in September, and DS will be eligible in January, which is also when he'll go into childcare. I get mat pay for both jobs until September, when my normal salary will kick in for job 1 and stat mat pay will dry up entirely for job 2. Thankfully my salary will be enough to stay eligible.

It's bloody cruel that they make it so tricky to work out!