Flexible support fund help! - universal credit (childcare)

[HelloWorld2577]

Hello, has anyone received the flexible support fund for childcare and if so did you have to pay for your second months fees in advance yourself?

I would be eligible to apply for it, but I read on an advice website that the flexible support fund will cover your first months nursery payments however you will then have to pay the second months payments in advance and start the cycle of paying before getting the 85% back just like you would if you didn’t get the FSF.

The whole reason I thought the FSF existed was to allow people to gain a job without having to find over one thousand pounds for nursery!

I have tried to contact UC but they have a backlog it seems and aren’t replying and I’ve accepted a job with the knowledge the first month of childcare would be paid by FSF but if I’m then stuck paying for the second month in advance I won’t be able to work as my childcare is double my wage (3 kids).

Please help!

Hi, I know you posted this a while ago but I’ve got the same issue. What was your end result?? Xx

Omg same here, accepted a job offer and waiting for UC to get back to me in regards to the flexible support fund :(

It’s a joke I don’t get how they think people can just magic up £600+ to pay nursery fees. And they say they want to help people get into work!x

Hi everyone I’ve got a phone call regarding getting the fund on Friday, I will report back! How fucking ridiculous that it just puts it back a month so you have the same problem the month after! Some moron must have organised that scheme. Really hoping they have some kind of solution to it all as it’s such a catch 22.

Hi guys,
What was the outcome of your call @Louharding ?

My sister had this and yes, you will have to pay the second month as you would've had a month's wage by the time it is due. Also, if your pay date falls after your cut-off date for universal credit, you will still receive a full month of entitlement plus your monthly wage, which should cover the second month anyway.

Hi guys,
Anyone heard of a £52 national daily cap on what UC will pay towards your childcare costs? The work coach claims that it is a fact but I can't find any evidence online to suggest that this is true so I wondered what your experiences were? Surely it's up to 85% of £950, as it states online?

Hello,

Sorry for the late reply.

I work full time and get 85% of my childcare costs paid up to £1,630.15 for 2 children.
I've not heard of this cap, unless it's a new thing but also can't see it anywhere online after albeit a quick check.
I do find that information is hard to come by on this sort of thing..

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much for your reply. It's frustrating as I can't find anything online that supports this either, but when I challenged the work coach on this she became really rude and said that its not negotiable, I'm not just being given £950 to spend towards childcare, and you only would get £950 if your child had a full time place. Where I live, nursery fees are around £70-75 a day so it just doesn't make sense. I've also called universal credit helpline and the person there hadn't heard of a national daily cap either.

Yes you'll need to pay the second month as you'll have had wages by then.

@Deanna89 oh goodness, I do feel for you - that's a lot of money.
So if your child was in full-time nursery then you'd get the £950 back the following month, but you'd still have to fork out £550 as the full bill would be £1500 (based on £75 a day).
But that's only available for full-time children?
Sounds odd, buy I guess possible.
You may want to consider calling Citizens Advice, they should be able to confirm your entitlements either way.
Also, put a note on your journal to say you're very confused about the advice you've been given.

Looking online, you should be able to get 85% of your childcare costs paid and it shouldn't matter how many hours they do at nursery.

But again, I'm unsure if this is accurate. It should be!

I'm also claiming back still, the old way, I've been told that won't change without any explanation why..

New government rules from this June states it should be paid to you, rather than you having to claim back.