Using tax-free childcare for reception school fees

[Lunar2]

Hi,

My child started reception year in September at a GDST school. I was initially told by the school that we were able to use tax-free childcare but after the first payment was made, they advised it was a mistake and we could not use this method of payment for school fees.

I have checked on gov.uk website and childcarechoices website and there is the following guidance:

• "You can use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for qualifying childcare. This is regulated care or supervised activity not provided as part of your child’s compulsory education, for example, by: Regulated schools (not including school fees, unless your child is below the compulsory school age) "

• " If you pay childcare costs for a child in a private school, you can use Tax-Free Childcare if the costs: relate to a child under compulsory school age".

According this we should be eligible to use tax-free childcare for our child until the end of the first term following her 5th birthday (this was supported by speaking to HMRC).

Has anyone had similar experience? I know from speaking to some colleagues, that it is possible to use these payments for reception so not quite sure why the school is refusing.

What is more frustrating is that the fees department are refusing to take any phone calls to discuss (they only communicate via email with often length delays in responding) and they have given the same generic response saying you cannot use tax free childcare for fees.

Yes they are correct, you can not use childcare vouchers to pay private school fees but you can use them for holiday club etc if the school runs the option.

We use them for fees and can do until the Jan after her birthday (September baby). We looked at some schools who didn't offer it and their reason was 'it was too complicated to administer'. Our school don't seem to have a problem though!
We are saving a huge amount of money!

But it’s not childcare, assume you can use them for after school club costs though

We used them for school fees for the first term. When is her birthday?

@SallyParkersMum

We use them for fees and can do until the Jan after her birthday (September baby). We looked at some schools who didn't offer it and their reason was 'it was too complicated to administer'. Our school don't seem to have a problem though! We are saving a huge amount of money!

Yes that is what I understand too. As per guidance you can use for fees if it "relates to a child under compulsory school age". Given compulsory school age is 5 years old, we should be able to use until the end of the first term following her 5th birthday.

It appears though schools may be able to apply their own discretion - frustrating as schools do not lose anything and like you said parents can save a large chunk of money in the first year.

We were able to use childcare vouchers for one term for my daughter (October birthday) and 2 terms for my son (February birthday).

It is up to the school whether they want to administer the scheme though.

You can use them for fees before CSA the school is incorrect.

@LDParty

We used them for school fees for the first term. When is her birthday?

March. My understanding is we should be able to use for the first 2 terms.

They can take them but they don't have to if they don't want the faff. It also depends on the demographic they want. Some won't take them out of principle.

In your case I guess the issue is that you were originally told the school would take them and that you signed up for reception year on this basis.

I don't know about vouchers but my DS2 got the 15 hours funded education deducted from school fees n his first two terms of Reception.

Also a March birthday. But not all the schools do.

Ours are at a GDST school and my youngest is August born so we had quite a lot off his reception fees for the 15 free EYFS hours. When their birthday falls depends on how much of that you get. Weren't able to use childcare vouchers though. Holiday clubs only for that I believe.

You can use them for fees if the school allows. It is up to the school if they decide to take them.

Its not so easy to say the school can't be bothered - the school has to meet certain LEA criteria in order to be allowed to accept the free hours up until the child turns 5, ours used to but the LEA famously doesn't cover the actual cost and our school was having to cover the rest of it and decided not to. Other private schools in our area do still accept them.

Schools do not have to register for the scheme, and if they have chosen not to do so, there is nothing you can do about it.

It certainly used to be the cases that selective schools could not participate in the scheme, but I don't know if that is still the case.

My son is a February birthday. Can we use tax free childcare for one or two reception terms? I.e until January or April?

They will not be of compulsory school age until the April.

March-born twins, we had the 15 hour funding deducted in Reception for the first two terms (at a private school). I suppose not all private schools do it. Ours didn’t do the 30 hour funding, only the 15 hour funding.

Yes we did, so it's definitely doable. You're making me appreciate how the school dealt with it because they were very accommodating and respectful! I think most of the parents earn too much to qualify for TFC, so it's not something they are used to doing often

Also used the 15 free hours

Thank you. Yes school have confirmed can use 15 hours plus tax free childcare for the nursery year plus two terms of reception. Very helpful indeed!