So confused about the government funded sessions & childcare element of tax credits

[jumpyjan]

My maternity leave does not end until Feb but I am starting to think about how we are going to afford 2 nursery places and am v confused.

Having spoken to tax credits people it seems we will get some help as we will have 2 in nursery but I seem to get a different answer each time I phone in terms of how much.

Also DD will be entitled to the gov funded sessions as she will be 3 in Jan (so think she gets them some time in April?)

Therefore our nursery bill will cost one amount from Feb to April then will go down - how do you factor in the Gov sessions as they are only for a few weeks of the year?? Am worried that we will be worse off once the Gov sessions kick in.

Anyone who claims both who could advise?

It is so complicated to work out but I need to know amounts for sure as it makes the difference between affording to go back to work and it just not being worth it.

We should get the govt sessions in April, as should you. You get them the term after your DC turns 3. The way my nursery deals with it is to take the funded bit off the bill. I don't know if it is the same amount everywhere (and I thought it was supposed to go up to 15 hours next April?) but I think here it is 12.5 hours for 38 weeks, while our nursery covers 8-5 x 51 weeks.

We aren't actually entitled to the childcare element of WTC because we only get CTC but it still makes a difference because of the way it is worked out, so we do get something from CTC.

Don't suppose that helps at all, reading it back

Yes I read somewhere that it was supposed to go up to 15 hours. I have spoken to the nursery about the free sessions and obviously they deal with it all of the time and I think like you say they will take it off the bill.

Its just that I need to give the tax credit people an amount we spend on childcare which will be one amount from Feb to April, then a lesser amount once the gov funded sessions kick in and another amount again during for the 14 weeks of the year that the sessions don't cover. Confused.

Work it out for the whole year from when you claim then give TC the weekly amount

You need to claim tax credits on what you are currently paying.

Then when it changes tell them the revised amount.

I don't worry about telling them that we are paying hte higher amount for the school holidays - except the summer holiday which is longer.

Right that makes sense to work it out annually - I guess its the only way to do it otherwise I would have to phone them so many times to keep tweaking the amount I pay.