Tax free childcare system

[GiddyBalonz]

Hello hoping to get advice on our situation see if anyone essentially knows the answer!

me and my child’s father are separated. I’m out of employment due to ill health- I do have a lot of hospital appointments and therapy and her father is my only source of childcare.

he works full time and has decided he will pay for childminders to help me out since he works during the day and it’s really difficult for when I’m needing his help.

can he claim/apply for the tax free childcare if he doesn’t live at the same address as the child? Or even apply for the free 30 hours childcare if the child doesn’t live with him? He has created the account and it seems to have been approved. But what I find on google (can’t find anything about it on actual gov websites) it says generally the child has to live with the person who is claiming the free hours/tax free childcare system.

thank you! :)

You are correct, the child has to “usually” live with the person who claims the tax free childcare/hours.

If you are claiming any UC etc that includes the child element you need to put a stop to this because if they accept the child is living with him for the purpose of free hours/tax free childcare then you will suddenly stop receiving any child element of UC, he could challenge child benefit, maintenance etc.

He has put on the application his address, and the child’s address (mine) and it’s somehow been approved so I’m so confused.

can the other parent not do this since they are responsible for the childcare? It essentially has nothing to do with me since he is the one who is putting her in and paying. Sorry for the questions!

With parents that are not together it should be the person that has the child benefit claim. Or at least that’s what I was told.

My ex will have the child benefit as I am over the threshold so that officially makes him “resident parent” even though we are 50/50. It will also be his address therefore that determines school catchment/transport etc. For us this is beneficial but obviously can have adverse implications for others.

We haven’t moved in to separate properties yet but will be soon when house sold.

He can claim the TFC & free hours, but you can’t then claim e.g. UC child element so that will stop.

The child has one “resident parent” even if 50/50, as PP says usually this is judged by who has the child benefit but if he is going to claim the childcare support, and get it, any UC you get for the child will stop because you would no longer be the RP.

Thanks for all the replies, it has been really helpful 😊

Does anyone know if they can still pay for the childcare without this affecting my uc? He will just be paying directly to the childminder-it’s £400 pound per month and I definitely can’t afford this being unemployed currently and being on uc. But this is his only way of helping as he works full time so can’t possibly have our child anymore than a weekend.

If he doesn’t claim any free hours or tax free childcare and just pays for childcare directly to a provider without using any government support then it won’t impact your UC.

If he wants to use any support for childcare then that will impact your benefits.