Essential help with childcare: affordable options for working parents

Navigating childcare is one of those things we all have to do as parents, from the early years where a nursery or childminder is often used, right through to the end of primary school.

But unlike nurseries, schools have shorter days and long holidays, often leaving working parents in a pickle. Annual leave will mean you can enjoy some fun time off with your kids, but it’s unlikely to cover the three months of school holidays each year.

So what’s the answer?

Fortunately, the government is placing more emphasis on the availability of before and after school care, with the introduction of the National Wraparound Care Programme, which has seen an injection of funding for schools to establish a wraparound care provision or extend an existing one.

But what about outside of term-time? And what are the costs involved with childcare? Is there any help with childcare costs for schoolchildren available?

It’s not surprising that there are always a multitude of questions when the subject of childcare and funding is raised. We’re going to investigate some of the main forms of childcare for schoolchildren, and the help working parents can get with costs.

Wraparound childcare

As we mentioned above, wraparound childcare is seeing a huge expansion, so if your school doesn’t currently offer it, it’s highly likely that it will do very soon. The government wants all primary school pupils to have access to a wraparound care provision, whether this is at the school site or through a partnership with another local provision.

What will having access to wraparound care mean for you?

If you work, you may struggle to do the school drop-off and pick-up around your hours and you may even have had to reduce your hours to fit in with the shorter school day. Having a wraparound care provision means your child can be dropped off earlier (usually around 8am) and picked up later (usually around 6pm).

The school will have a dedicated breakfast club and after-school club which can be used by any family who need those precious extra hours of care in the morning and evening, to allow them to work. The wraparound care provision can be used flexibly, whether you need it one day a week or five days a week.

Pupils are cared for by school staff or playworkers, who have a range of activities prepared for them. They are provided with a nutritious breakfast or healthy after-school snack, and have the ability to wind down after the school day – or get energised for the day ahead!

Holiday clubs

Outside of term-time, it’s likely that you’ll still need a form of childcare to help with those long school holidays. Of course, you may use a registered childminder or another form of approved childcare, but if you haven’t considered holiday clubs, we’d highly recommend you do!

Holiday clubs offer fun-filled days for children to indulge in sports, crafts, drama, dance… the list is endless. Here at Premier Education, we’ve been running holiday clubs for over 25 years, and we’re very proud that the majority of parents rate us ‘excellent’ on TrustPilot.

How are holiday clubs useful childcare options?

Similar to wraparound care, holiday clubs are a safe form of childcare during the school holidays while parents are at work. Run by registered providers, holiday clubs may take place at a school site, community or leisure centre and can be activity- or sport-specific, or multi-activity, to cover a range of fun activities.

Many offer a few different options in terms of hours to fit in with working patterns, and are a great way to get kids active, socialising and having fun during school holidays. Parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing that their child is safe, having fun and developing a multitude of skills.

Can parents get help with childcare costs?

We’ve covered the main term-time and outside of term time childcare needed for working parents of primary-school aged children, so let’s get into the nitty gritty of the support available for childcare costs.

What help is there for working families?

The good news is, there is help with childcare costs available for working families. For those families of primary school aged children, there are a few different schemes available to help with childcare costs.

• Tax-free Childcare – this is where the government ‘tops up’ what you spend on childcare, so for every £8 you spend, they will pay £2. The maximum is £2000 per year. Managed through an online account, your childcare provider is paid directly from this account. You can claim Tax-Free Childcare until your child turns 11, or 17 if your child has a disability. There are eligibility criteria around employment and earnings, so please check if you’re eligible.
• Universal Credit – we go into a bit more detail below, but if you are entitled to Universal Credit, then this will cover up to 85% of your childcare costs.
• Childcare Vouchers – this salary-sacrifice scheme is no longer open to new applicants, but those who registered for Childcare Vouchers before October 2018 can still use it.

These schemes will help to fund any approved childcare provisions such as childminders or nurseries but also cover wraparound care, after-school clubs and even holiday clubs.

A scheme available to help low-income families during school holidays is the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which allows primary school children eligible for benefits-related free school meals to access holiday camps at no cost. This fantastic scheme, which we help to deliver, means all children get the chance to experience fun, enriching experiences and nutritious food throughout the holidays.

Are working parents entitled to free childcare?

Working parents of pre-school children in early years settings are indeed eligible for a certain number of funded hours per week. In fact, 15 funded hours a week are now available for children aged from 9 months old until they are school age.

Some families can also get 30 hours of free childcare for their three and four year olds. Eligibility does depend on whether you work, how old your child is and whether you receive any benefits. It’s also worth noting that many childcare settings apply top-up fees to cover the costs of consumables and food.

To claim free childcare hours, you need to apply for a code which you then supply to your childcare provider. It’s also worth being aware of the timings for when you need to be applying.

Who is entitled to 85% childcare costs?

If you are entitled to Universal Credit, you will get up to 85% of your childcare costs up to a maximum of £1014.63 per month for one child. You can’t claim any other funding options such as Tax-Free Childcare or Tax Credits at the same time as Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is available to help with childcare costs for children up to the age of 16. Find out more about the eligibility criteria.

Who is eligible for free childcare in the UK?

If you live in England, and work, you can claim:

• 15 hours a week for children aged 9 months to two years
• 30 hours a week for children aged 3 and 4.

There are different schemes for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

What to do if you can’t afford childcare in the UK?

We’d suggest looking into the various schemes available to see if you meet the eligibility criteria. The government’s Childcare Choices website provides a great overview and also includes a calculator to see which scheme would benefit you the most.

How do working parents afford childcare?

Working families can access a number of funding options such as Tax-Free Childcare and free childcare hours for preschool children.

Do you get help with childcare if you work full time?

Eligibility for help with childcare costs is centred around individual income so check if you meet the criteria before you apply.

Let us help

Hopefully this has helped to iron out any queries you may have when it comes to juggling school and the cost of childcare. Why not find out if your school offers wraparound care or holiday clubs? We can’t wait to meet your little one and start having fun!