Childcare can be a costly but essential component to enabling parents to work.
Working parents of 3 and 4 year olds can now receive up to 30 hours of Government funded childcare for 38 weeks a year or 1140 hours to be used flexibly across the year.
This means that parents already benefitting from the current 15 hours a week funded childcare can claim an extra 15, subject to earning at least £120 per week and no more than £100, 000 per year.
Lynne Doherty, West Berkshire’s Executive Member for Children’s Services said,
“This is a great opportunity for families to reduce childcare costs. I would urge all parents of 3 and 4 year olds who are not already receiving this benefit to check their eligibility and remind all parents currently receiving the additional 15 hours funded childcare to ensure that their details are up to date so they continue to receive it.”
Parents already signed up and in receipt of the additional 15 hours should now be making sure their details are up to date to ensure they continue to receive the extra hours. They need to do this every 3 months at: https://www.gov.uk/childcareaccount
This and other offers of childcare including 15 hours of funded childcare for 2 year olds, 3 and 4 year olds and Tax-Free Childcare are available at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Parents can also visit the West Berkshire Family Information Service website: http://fis.westberks.gov.uk for more information.
