Childcare entitlement if one parent becomes self employed and possibly under threshold

[daddycatt]

Daughter turns 2 in September. Wife wants to quit her job and go self employed doing various odd jobs and cleaning for people. Husband (me) still works. I honestly doubt she will earn whatever the minimum is to qualify for free childcare. What's our position here? Has anyone else done this?

The rules are quite clear. SE are exempt from meeting the threshold for the first year.

Thanks. So the 12 month mark is after the business is registered I assume, and you have to show you are making enough profit at the end of tax year reporting after the 12 month period ends? Or immediately upon expiry of the 12 month?

The threshold is also relatively low, I believe 16 hours a week at minimum wage (and that's averaged over each 3 month validation period so you could have busy and quiet weeks).

You have to EXPECT to earn the minimum amount, if you don’t you just need to explain why i.e. business didn’t pick up etc

To be fair cleaners are in high demand round here with the right advertising she could be really busy.

You have to “reasonably expect” to earn over the allowance once the 12 months is over.

There’s some leeway for things like contracts being cancelled or whatever but you have to expect to make enough.