Government Funding for 3 and 4 year olds
Every child from the term after their third birthday is entitled to 15 hours of free, flexible childcare each week during term time. This can be taken up to 6 hours in one day.
Childcare Vouchers
Childcare vouchers is a scheme that most employers offer to help working parents save on registered childcare costs. Childcare vouchers are not means tested and are available to all working parents whose companies operate childcare vouchers schemes. The vouchers can be used to pay for all types of registered childcare. For more information on childcare vouchers please go to www.childcarechoices.co.uk
Tax Credits
Tax credits are payments from the Government. If you’re responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credits. If you work, but earn low wages, you may qualify for Working Tax Credits.
Who gets Tax Credits
Nine out of ten families with children get tax credits, but you don’t need to have children to qualify. You may also qualify if you are working and earning low pay.How much do you get?
The amount of tax credits you get depends on things like:
- How much children you have living with you
- Whether you work – and how many hours you work
- If you pay for childcare
- If you or any child living with you has a disability
- If your aged 50 plus and are coming off benefits.
- Yours payments also depend on you income. The lower your income, the more tax credits you can get.
Example 1
Mr and Mrs Khan both work full time. Between them, they earn about £25,000 per year. They have three children. They get about £55 per week in tax credits.
If their income was higher and they earned about £55,000 a year they would get about £10 a week instead.
Example 2
Jon Barry is aged 30, not married and lives alone. He works full-time and earns £10,000 a year. He gets about £12 a week in tax credits.
How tax credits work
If your married or living with a partner you’ll need to make a joint claim for tax credits. You can only make a single claim if you don’t have a partner. Tax credits are paid directly into your bank.
For more information you can contact the Tax Credits Helpline on 0845 300 3900.
The web site will also help you and you can use their online tax credits calculator to help work out how much you could receive. Go to www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits
See also www.payingforchildcare.org.uk
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