Am I reading this right?

Baby will be 9 months on 12th December. She is eligible for the 15hrs from 9mo, which I assumed meant she would be eligible any time from the term starting after 1st January. I return to work 10th March, the week of her 1st birthday, and we've planned for baby to start nursery the week before, but now reading this it suggests that she isn't eligible for funding until after the Easter holidays. That's at least 4 weeks (if we don't send her until the week I go back, but I'll be devastated to miss both her first days at nursery and her birthday) of paying full whack which we just cannot afford! Am I reading this right? Is there any way to receive the funding from her first day, or even just have to pay for the week before I go back?

Show your support

I’d read it as she can’t start until on or after 1st of April Although we started my 2 year old on 15 funded hours in September (he turned 2 in August) I’m not working as I had our second baby in May but we had no trouble starting him Not sure whether that’s due to his age or maybe that my partner was already working so that’s why we were able to but I’m also a carer so only one of us needs to be working to get funding, not both of us Hopefully someone who’s been in a similar position will comment giving you the answer but from how that’s worded it sounds like she wouldn’t be able to start until April

The funding starts from the term after their birthday. So if their birthday is December then the next term would be after Easter. I was lucky my girls birthday 31 March so was able to get the funding from April. My friend whose little girl was like a week after mine had to wait until September! If you want to send them earlier you would have to pay.

Baby has to be 9 months and you have to be starting back to work essentially. If your baby is 9 months in December, you are entitled to the 15 hours free childcare from 1st January, but only if you are returning to work before 31st January. Otherwise you will not receive the hours until 1st April.

I think you have understood it correctly - that’s what I have been told by nurseries as well. But pretty sure you can use accrued holiday at the end of your leave so that you officially “return to work” on 31 Jan so she is eligible for childcare that term then be on holiday for the remainder of the time so you can still spend the time with her.

@Emily I'm a teacher so we don't get accrued holiday unfortunately.

Though I am doing shared parental leave blocks, so technically I returned to work in July for the start of the summer holidays (then back on shared parental leave again in September).

Ah rubbish - sounds like you are already doing well to hack the system as much as you can though. Good for you!

@Emily Oh yes, it's the only way we can get our holiday entitlement and be somewhat on par with other jobs (though don't get me started on enhanced mat pay!) I'm going to call hmrc tomorrow and ask as I'll also be 'returning' for the Christmas holidays which would mean she's eligible from January, but I'm assuming I'd have to apply by the end of January 🤞

If you are doing shared parental leave then I read that you would be eligible from January.

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌