Free 15 hours - being charged £15 a week?

[OnTheRoadToSomewhere]

My son just started nursery today. He's 3 and eligible for 15 free hours. So he's doing 3 afternoons a week 1 til 6, term times only. He had a cup of milk at 2pm and a light meal at 3pm. They changed his nappy at 3.30pm.

When I picked him up I was given a sheet of paper with everything he's done today and on the back was a bill. £15 a week/£60 a month?

I genuinely can't tell if I'm being stingy but we put him in for the free hours for a reason. We can't afford £60 a month on top of our bills. This wasn't explained to me at all during his settling in sessions nor when I went to look around and sort his application.

I'm looking back through documents I've been given and on the back of the one about funding it has in handwriting 'Full day £8.50, half day £5' with no context or anything.

I thought free meant free?? Am I being naive or dumb or was I lied to or what?

It's reasonable that she's waived the fees until Easter as she definitely should have explained the extra charges to you when you signed up.

I'm a childminder and charge on top of the funded hours - I only allow funding to be used before 5pm so I'd charge for the last hour, plus a daily charge for food and activities.

My DD's pre-school is totally free - only open 9am-3pm and she takes a packed lunch.

@freakyfairy

Why isn't the government stating it is SUBSIDISED childcare then...surely that's the most suitable description!!

Nurseries have been fighting for the wording to change since it became clear government funding was far lower than the real cost of a space. In some areas it’ll say funded rather than free now but still doesn’t give parents the true picture.

Is there a school nursery nearby, they will probably have a much lower 'snack money' charge, ours was £2.50 a week. Surely there must be a school you are planning to enrol in anyway? Could you cycle with a seat on the back if safe path/roads, cheaper than taxi long term even if you have to buy one? Nursery isn't essential though, don't feel bad if you take them out but be aware school isn't free either, there are constant demands for money, trips, fundraising, non uniform days etc. This isn't mentioned when you enrol.