Childcare funding

Nursery Education Grant
Funding is available for all three and four year olds attending an eligible childcare provider (day nurseries, pre-schools or independent schools in the private, voluntary and maintained sector) in the borough.

Your child's place will be funded if he/she attends any childcare provider registered to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Children are eligible from the term after their third birthday. Your child must be aged three by:

31 March to start the summer term
31 August to start the autumn term
31 December to start the spring term

To secure a place for your child and ensure they receive the grant, please talk to your childcare provider as early as possible.

To obtain a list of these eligible providers contact the Family Information Service.

Child Tax Credit
You can claim Child Tax Credit if you are responsible for one child (or young person) or more. You do not have to be working to claim. Child Tax Credit will be paid in addition to Child Benefit and any Working Tax Credit.

You can claim for a child until 1 September following his/her sixteenth birthday, or a young person aged 16-18 who:

is in full time education, up to and including ‘A’ levels
has left full-time education but does not have a job or training place and has registered with the careers or connexions service
is not claiming income support or tax credits in his or her own right
is not serving a custodial sentence of four months or more imposed by a court

Working Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit is a payment to top up the earnings of working people on low incomes. There are extra amounts for working households in which someone has a disability. People who are responsible for a child or young person can claim Working Tax Credit if they are aged 16 years or over and work at least 16 hours a week.

As part of Working Tax Credit, you may qualify for extra help towards the costs of registered or approved childcare. The tax credits could help pay up to 80% of your childcare cost.
If you need further advice about Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit or the claim forms you can:

telephone the Inland Revenue Helpline on 0845 300 3900
textphone the helpline on (084) 5300 3909
visit the Inland Revenue website
visit any Inland Revenue enquiry centre

Childcare Vouchers and work-life balance
Sometimes employers help with childcare by giving employees childcare allowances of childcare vouchers. The vouchers are exempt from National Insurance contributions for the employer and National Insurance and tax contributions for the employee, so both you and your employer will save money.

Employers are also increasingly adopting work/life or family friendly policies to support their workforce. Flexible work options may include term-time work, flexi-hours, part-time work or job share to allow parents to work around their childcare commitments.

For further information on Childcare Vouchers and work-life balance contact the Children’s Information Service.

Help for students
If you are a parent who wants to study or train, you may be able to get help paying for childcare while you study. The government provides colleges and universities with Access funds to help students on benefits and low incomes to participate in learning.

For more information, contact your college or university. Some colleges and universities provide childcare schemes aimed at students on their premises.

If you are in higher education you may qualify for a student loan and/or help with paying your tuition fees. There is also an additional Parents Learning Allowance and a grant for childcare costs.

The application process for fees and loans is undertaken in two parts, eligibility and financial assessment.

Applications are processed by the student support section. For further information telephone (020) 8825 5555 or email Studentsupport@ealing.gov.uk.

Care to learn
If you are under 20 and are learning or training, you can receive help with your childcare and travel costs from the Department for Education and Skills Care to Learn Programme. For further information visit the Department for Education and Skills (dfes) or telephone 0845 600 2809 or alternatively call the Children’s Information Service for a Care to Learn information leaflet.

Child Benefit
Child Benefit, is a benefit for people bringing up children that is paid for each child, and is not affected by income or savings.

You can claim if your child(ren) is aged:

under 16 years
under 19 years and studying full-time up to A level or equivalent
16 or 17 years old and has left school recently, and has registered for work or training with the Careers Service or Connexions Service

If you have recently arrived in this country from overseas, or returned from overseas, there are some extra rules. For further information contact the Child Benefit Office on (084) 5302 1444, email child.benefit@ir.gsi.gov.uk or visit the Inland Revenue website.