If you receive 85% of your childcare costs from UC, please could you help?

[ForgetBarbie]

I have 2 under 2 and will soon be starting a part time role. I’d love for my 20 month old to go nursery maybe 2/3 times a week but I’m a bit confused how the 85% from UC works.

For those that receive it, can I ask how many days your DC goes to nursey? How much is the total cost? How much do UC pay and then how much do you pay yourself?

When you sign DC up to a nursery, will you pay the full amount for the first month and then claim it back from UC? Or for example can you just say to UC, ‘this is the date my DC will start nursery, this is how much it’ll cost’ and then they give you the money for the first payment?

Sorry for all of the questions, I have no clue how all of this works so I just want to get it right. I’ve also name changed as last time I posted a question about UC, I got absolutely slaughtered

Anyone?😬

My DS one goes to nursery 3 full days a week which works out to 642.60 every month. UC give me 85% back so around 563ish however the payment to nursery has to be paid in advance. So you cant apply for future payment if you know what i mean. You have to make a payment to your childcare provider and then upload the invoice and proof of payment onto your UC account online for them to pay the following month. Same applies for the first payment. Bare in mind that every nursery charges differently so your fees maybe higher/lower than mine and UC do stipulate that they pay “up to” 85%.

www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-childcare-costs

This should help.

@Headspace111 thank you for responding.

That is super, super good! So technically you only have to add around £90 something a month?

I think I get what you mean. So I would pay for DD’s nursery fees out of my own pay from work. I then upload it onto my journal
and get up to 85% back? And then when do you get the money back, would it just get put together with your next monthly UC amount?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for your help:)

That’s great, thank you so much. Super helpful

For your upfront costs take note of the bit on flexible support fund. You can ask for this in the Jobcentre.

yes so in my case i pay for the fees around 24th everymonth and would get that back on 17th the following month as that is the day my UC gets paid

It depends if you will be entitled to a payment once earnings are taken in to account. 85% childcare is added to your statement but can be reduced or wiped out by earnings.

@Anotheanon thank you:) I’ll have a read once I’m resting in bed!

@Headspace111 I get what you mean. That’s why you submit the invoice and proof of payment each month to ensure you get the childcare element

What do you mean?

For example, my UC entitlement is £1934.
Let’s say I’ll be earning £720 a month from my part time job. The way the deductions works that means I’ll receive around £1728 UC as well as my £720 which equals to £2448 a month.

I’ll just use the pp comment above in relation to the 85%. So say UC will pay £563 for the childcare element, doesn’t that mean I’ll receive £2448 + £563? Or have I got that completely wrong.

I’m really bad with maths so forgive me if some of these sums are wrong

Yes that looks right. You just have to be able to pay the first one up front then start the claiming each month

You'll get the first month paid, just message your work coach and they'll sort it. You'll need the ofsted number, cost etc.

Okay that makes a lot of sense! I’ll put my first wage aside so I’m able to afford it once she starts, thank you!

Absolutely right. I wasn't sure from your post what your circumstances were so was unsure whether there was another wage to take in to account etc.

What I meant was:

If my entitlement was £1200 and I claimed 85% childcare which equals say £350 but then that month I earned enough for my deduction to be higher than my entitlement then I wouldn't get anything.

Looks like you won't have that issue which is fab. Just make sure when you report childcare that you also tell them on your journal because they sometimes miss it and then you're left waiting!

Hope the job goes well, enjoy the time to yourself 😊

Ah right I completely get what you mean, thank you! I’ll definitely report it via my journal too as they’re quite quick with responding.

Haha thank you! I can’t wait:)

Hi @ForgetBarbie how did you get along with claiming?

im really confused about this. Do I already need to be claiming uc to be able to claim the 85%? But if I work then how would I be entitled for uc?

@Kardelen

You can only receive 85% of your childcare paid IF you work. You can still work and receive UC, it just depends on your earnings and if it wipes out the total of your award. You’ll need to have a claim with UC already to claim the childcare costs back. I hope that makes sense

@ForgetBarbie thank you op for your message.
so would I have to be claiming UC before I start work? To be able to claim.

i am on mat leave atm, but will be going back to work. So I wouldn’t be able to apply to get 85% back when I go to work as I am not claiming UC currently?

@Kardelen In order to claim 85% back from your childcare costs, you already have to be claiming UC. For example, you can’t not have a valid claim but still request your childcare costs back.

On top of that, you have to be in employment. If you had a valid UC claim but didn’t work, you won’t be able to claim any childcare costs. You’ll only get it if you have a claim AND you work.

If you’re on mat leave now then it makes sense to start a UC claim. By the time you go back to work and need the childcare, you’ll be able to claim the costs back. However, if you have a partner and you live together, it will have to be a joint claim. It then depends how much earnings you earn jointly each month which may wipe out your UC entitlement. Meaning you wouldn’t get help with childcare.

It all depends on your circumstances and earnings!