2 months ago
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TENS of thousands more working parents in England can now apply for 30 hours of funded childcare from September.
From today all eligible working parents of children who will be nine months or older before September 1 can apply to access up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week.
Tens of thousands of parents can apply for 30 hours of free childcare from today
This could save them up to £7,500 a year per child.
The government has also rolled out free breakfast clubs and a cap on school uniform costs, which takes the total saving to up to £8,000 a year for working parents who also have school-aged children.
The move follows the rollout of 15 funded hours for children aged nine months or older last September.
Around 499,592 children have already benefited from the scheme.
Lower-income families have benefited the most, with one in five of those earning £20,000 to £40,000 increasing their working hours due to the 15 hours of free childcare.
Who is eligible?
The scheme is available to working parents in England with children aged nine months to four years old.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes.
You can get up to 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year.
You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
The childcare must be provided by a registered provider, such as a registered nursery, playscheme or school.
This is known as “approved childcare”.
To be eligible for the scheme you and your partner need to be in work or about to start a new job and earn more than a certain amount.
You will need a National Insurance number to apply.
You can check how much help you could get with childcare costs using this online calculator: gov.uk/childcare-calculator.
What help is available for parents?
CHILDCARE can be a costly business. Here is how you can get help.
To qualify you must usually work at least 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage and earn less than £100,000 a year. Tax credits – For children under 20, some families can get help with childcare costs. Childcare vouchers – If your employer offers childcare vouchers you can get up to £55 a week in tax and national insurance savings.
You pay for your childcare before your tax contributions are taken out.
This scheme is open to new joiners until October 4, 2018, when it is planned that tax-free childcare will replace the vouchers. Tax-free childcare – Available to working families and the self-employed, for every £8 you put in the government will add an extra £2.
How do I apply?
You can apply for 30 hours of free childcare from when your child is 23 weeks old.
To apply you will need to set up a childcare account.
If your application is approved you will get an 11-digit code that proves you are eligible to get free childcare.
You will need to give this code to your childcare provider.
When you can get the hours depends on the date your child turns nine months old.
If your child turns nine months old between September 1 and December 31 then you will get the hours from January 1.
You have until December 31 to apply.
Meanwhile, if your child will be nine months old between January 1 and March 31 then you need to apply by March 31.
You can claim the hours from April 1.
Or if your child turns nine months old between April 1 and August 31 then you can get the hours from September 1 and must apply by August 31.
If you already get 15 hours of free childcare then you will automatically get the 30 hours from September, as long as you are still eligible.
You will need to confirm that your details are up to date and give the code to your childcare provider.
To make sure your details are correct you need to sign into your childcare account every three months.
Extra support
You can get 30 hours of free childcare through two separate schemes if you are eligible for free childcare for working parents and you or your child get extra support.
You are classed as getting extra support if any of the following apply:
You get Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments. Your child has an Education and Health Care plan. Your child gets Disability Living Allowance. Your child has left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order.From September you will get 15 hours a week through free childcare for working parents.
You will also get 15 hours a week if you or your child get extra support.
You will continue to get these hours even if you are no longer eligible for free childcare for working parents.
To apply, you need to speak to the early years team or Family Information Service at your local council.
If your child is three to four years old
You can get 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.
You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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