Timeline for business/funded childcare

[WolfMother326]

Hello,
I'm 6 months into maternity leave with my 2nd baby. I'm on MA as my contract ended just before I had the baby. I'd like to set up my own business and start work from August/September, which will also be when the new baby becomes eligible for funded childcare (born August 2024, entitled to 30 hours from Sep, has a nursery place).
My question is, if I plan to begin in August, when should I register my business with the government? Would i need to do that earlier, say in June? I'd be entitled to 12 months of childcare funding without meeting the threshold for earnings, which I may or may not exceed anyway in the first year, but I'd rather not use more of the 12 months than needed before I can actually work.
Thank you!

Any ideas? Thank you in advance

Hi, I think simply register whenever you want to start trading. So that could even be just before you start your first piece of work, at which point you would also need insurance in your trading name. I don’t think that there is any necessity to do so months beforehand.

Obviously you don’t have to form an entity at all and could be a sole trader. I have been freelancing for many years now and currently work as a sole trader, although I’m now thinking of forming a ltd company. The tax return only ever asks me about the current tax year and I think there is a box to give a date if you began trading that year.

Does anyone have advice about this is relation to the funding?