I want to work and apply for 30free hours childcare. I'm not eligible because I'm unemployed and get 20 quid a week chikd benefit? :/

[Sophie1029734]

I'm 23 I really want to work
My little girl is about to turn 3 and I just want to start my journey and start earning, my parents the soul provider right now.
I've made the form but it told me I wasn't eligible because I get child benefit which is only 20 a week, and because I'm unemployed. I couldve pressed the expected to work within 31 days but thay wouldve been a lie because I havnt been able to start looking without clarification on the days I can start, the hours, wheather we get the hours.

How does this fair in anyway

Talk to the nursery, see what availability they have and then get looking for jobs. Bare in mind you won't be eligible till after Easter then get cracking. It's quite a quick process once you have the job/code/childcare

As others have said, you'll be eligible for 15 hours now.

Remember that the 30 hours starts on the term after their 3rd birthday, not as soon as they're 3 (and provided you're working enough hours)

Why don't you apply for jobs and when offered one click the start work in 31 days button? in the meantime get the 15 free hours and if you are claiming UC and need more childcare they can pay up to 85%

Op won't be eligible for the 15 hours until Easter. It's always the term after the birthday

Nurseries are not allowed to create artificial chargeable gaps in the day. They must “ensure, where reasonably practicable, that children are able to take up their free hours in continuous blocks and avoid artificial breaks being created throughout the day, for example, over the lunch period (Early education and childcare. Statutory guidance for local authorities published by the Department for Education in June 2018, paragraph A2.5)”

Don't panic:

Find a job - tell them you can start in 3 weeks
Apply for childcare as you now tick the 'expecting to start work in 31 days" box

That's it!

It's not unfair it's that you were doing it in the wrong order

They can charge to provide lunch, snacks, wipes, nappies and activities etc - that’s often where the extra costs add up for parents

First of all is your partner your child’s dad and if he is why is your parents paying for your child and not him? If not then it’s understandable.

Do you claim universal credit? I’ve got a 14 month old and I had a job before my child so I then manage to get 85% of my childcare paid for my universal credit and that is if I'm working so same as 30 hours free. So she goes to the childminders 2 days a week and the most I pay towards it is £40 and most childminders also offer the funding too when she is eligible for the 15 free hours I will be sending her for 4 days

if you claim universal credit already it should be made easier and your going to have to lean on people around you to help you get into all of this. I wouldn’t of been able to do it without support although now it’s easy and in routine.

Sorry as @FusionChefGeoff said find a job get the job and then tell them your situation and then they’ll give you a start date when is possible. There’s also no reason why you can’t go looking at nursery’s/school nurseries to put you down and possibly have a potential start date. I’m lucky that I already had a job then I changed jobs so I’ve never had a problem with getting support with childcare.

You are entitled to 15 hours term time from April. Have you got a nursery lined up for that? Check to see if they accept the 30 hours, start applying for jobs. They extend your nursery place

You will probably still need to pay something, as people have said. As an example my 3 year old attends exactly 30 hours a week and I pay between £350 and £400 a month (varies depending on how many days are in that month.)

It is uncertain but you could apply for a job still and apply for the 30 hours once you have it but before starting. Most employers would expect to have to wait for notice period etc first anyway.

Its from 2 years old if you're on various benefits e.g. jobseekers allowance:

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

Something not right there, wires crossed maybe. If she was single and working she'll of got government funding for childcare from either UC or Tax Creds or if not working she would not have been eligible for 30 free hours, they don't give free childcare to lone parents just go sit in peace.

@DieselBlue89 you're correct but OP is looking at the 3 year funding for 30 hours for working parents. That's only from 3. Both are term after birthday though

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I don't think that's right. I'm a fulltime working lone parent and the 30 free hours didn't kick in until DC turned 3.

Register as self employed and try to get some dog walking or cleaning in. For my first year of being self employed HMRC didnt mind how much or little I made, I still got to use tax free childcare. Might be same for 30 hours?

I was mentioning the 15 hours for 2 year olds as she might be able to get it now, rather than waiting until 1) she has a job and 2) April

It literally happened. I don't know how. But it did.