working tax credits n child care

[MUMRA007]

I see on the hmrc website that: "The care must be outside of school hours and on the school’s premises - unless your child is under 5 and in England." In conjunction with getting money towards childcare costs so does this mean the after school club/s are ok to use even if they are not on the same school grounds add the school the child attends? After 5 years old? I assume you get the same amount as any aged kid towards the costs? And it also applies to summer term clubs? Thanks!

Where are you reading that, can you link to the document?

My understanding is that it can be used for any registered/approved care, so if the summer club has an. Ofsted registration (in England) then it can be used.

Yes I see the ofsted bit just wasn't sure about when they go to school: www.gov.uk/childcare-tax-credits/eligibility

Refer to the WTC2 and WTC5 documents, not Gov.uk. The info on Gov.uk is too simplistic, HMRC has 2 booklets about this so Gov.uk only give a brief summary.

What I think they are trying to say is that you can't use tax credits towards school care or care provided at the school which is run by the school and is not registered separately to the school.

You can have a nursery on a school site, in partnership with the school but it would have its own registration. A reception class in school would not have a different registration to the school. So a 4 year old in the nursery can be funded using tax credits, whereas a 4 year old in reception class can not.

In an independent school, childcare vouchers can be used for children in reception class. Not sure about tax credits though, doubt it every comes up as private school fees may be 3000 a term.

A summer cub run by the school, at the school, may not have a separate registration.

I think the key thing is does whatever you are considering using have their own Ofsted registration?

If you are looking at using an after school club, check if they have a separate registration to that of the school. They may rent space at the school, they may be located in a local village hall.

From WTC2:

Childcare provided by a school to a child aged between 5 and 15 years old (or 16 if disabled) if all of the following apply.
– It is provided out of school hours.
– It is provided under the direction of the school’s proprietor (either the
governing body or the person responsible for managing the school).
– The care is provided on the school premises or on other premises that may be inspected as part of an inspection of a school by Ofsted, or by
the equivalent inspection body appointed by the Secretary of State to inspect certain independent schools. An example of ‘other premises’ could be a village hall used by the school for its childcare activities outside of school hours .

Hmm, does that mean they can share the Ofsted registration? Surely better to register it separately to avoid any confusion. Guess it may be a cost cutting exercise.

You need to provide tax credits with a registration number, so make sure whatever you use can provide one.

Does any of this matter though, are you looking at an after school club which you are concerned does not have Ofsted registration?

Yes hmm well this is for the future so first stop will be is it ofsted anyway and hopefully that will mean it's ok who ever runs it. I may have to go for a separate place to the school. He's going next year anyhow...just doing my research for now :) thanks.