Question about free hours

[Moondancer146]

If my daughter's entitled to the 10 free hours at age 2 do I have to take them or can I continue to claim tax credits towards costs and still pay for her nursery place?
She currently attends on a Monday and Friday 9-3 and I want to up that to a Wednesday as well when she moves into the 2-3 year old room. I was intending to take up the free hours and then pay for the extra but I've heard of lots of people having problems with what hours are paid and what's free. I'm also worried about not getting priority for the days I want

If you are in England, the entitlement to 2 year old funding is for 15 hours.

You don't have to take them.

Each nursery or childminder is free to set the rules around which sessions they offer as funded sessions. Some places offer 8-11, 5 days a week for instance. Others might offer 11-2, while others offer up to 6 hours a day funded. It is also up to each setting to decide how many funded places they offer.

Basically, the funded hours should be completely free. It is illegal to charge a "top up" charge for those hours. However, in reality, many nurseries do because the amount paid by the government for those funded hours can be well below the actual cost of the hours in the nursery.

Why do you think you should get priority for the days you want?

What does the nursery prospectus say about admission criteria?

The nursery prospectus doesn't have anything about funded hours in it but they have posters up around the reception which say the offer 10 hours for 2 year olds and 15 hours for 3-4 year olds. I checked on the website listed and would be entitled to the funding but I've heard lots of people have problems with it. I was just concerned that HMRC would tell me I'm not entitled to claim anymore as I could take the free hours.
Regards the priority for days I meant that again I've heard of people taking up the funding and then having to slot into available days and times at nurseries but I need 3 specific days to cover me working so if that would be an issue I'd rather continue paying for her place

In nurseries, they can only offer you sessions if they have them available.

As I said previously, it is up to nurseries to dictate the sessions and times they offer as funded sessions.

You need to speak to the nursery you are planning to use as each nursery works differently.

I don't think using your funded hours for your eligible 2 year old would make a difference with HMRC.