Funded childcare hours…
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Thanks @Emmo, but does that start as of September 25 or the term AFTER - because 9 months old babies are currently eligible for 15 hours BUT ours can’t access it until September 25 because of when we return to work affecting it… so I’m just wondering whether they will jump straight to 30 hours or if they will have a term on 15 hours and then the term after be on the 30?!
We will be eligible from 1st September 25. Our babies turn 9 months in April so we can’t apply for that term. They have to be 9 months at the start of the term which for us will be September. 🥲 They should be eligible for the full 30 hours
@Liz as far as I understand it this completely replaces the 15 hours, so it won't exist anymore.
Yeah I agree with the others I'm pretty sure we just get the 30 hours and skip the 15 all together. Don't forget you can get the tax free childcare. Most people are entitled to the government reimbursing 20% tax on any money used for childcare up to £2k per year. I think that becomes available as soon as you go back to work
If you’re on maternity leave you’re classed as a ‘working parent’ so you’re still entitled to the hours regardless when you return to work. I just started to get them for my 2 year old while on maternity leave. Also please bare in mind it isn’t really 30 free hours most nurseries still charge a fee x
@Nikki you're only entitled the term AFTER they turn 9 months
@Nikki it depends if they will be 9 months before the spring term ends or not. I think it falls some time in April.
@Nikki I think you have to apply both rules. So term after turning 9 months AND when you are returning to work
@Emmo suppose we can just apply in new year and see what happens 🤷♀️
Definitely only eligible from September, whether that’s because of baby’s age or our return to work. Can’t see anything that says the 30 wouldn’t come into effect until the following term so I’m inclined to agree that we just jump straight to the 30 hours from September. I am aware that it’s 30 hours but only during term time, so not actually 30 hours every week of the year (more like 22 hours a week if split across the year).
I hate this term time crap. My lo will be nine months in April, but the term starts in Sept. I go back to work in may, so that means I get no funded hours from may to sept. And I can’t stay off work for longer as SMP runs out then. Seems like I’m going back to work with loads of child care costs.
Yep - seems a bit daft really, why they can’t just be eligible when they turn 9 months rather than “the term after”! At least this time, the costs are temporary! When our first started nursery there was no funding for under 3s and we weren’t expecting there to be. It was a substantial amount of our income we were using for childcare. This time at least we only have a couple months of fees to pay.
How I understand it , we miss the 15 free hours because what would be the term after is the summer holidays, so we go straight to the 30 hours in September which is the term after they are one. My childminder has confirmed this will be the case for my little one. Hope this helps x