Wrap Around Childcare (WAC)

Good afternoon Annie.

A reply has come from the WAC Team which doesn't really cover your exact wording in your question above.

They have said the following:

"Full details of what can be claimed for children with disabilities can be found at Section 17 of the DIN. This also lists the proof required to be able to claim a higher allowance.  Section 18 lists eligibility requirements for Providers.  SP should be made aware the DIN and read and understand all eligibility criteria"

Section 17 / 18 do not mention about hired help affecting any WAC application.

Copied below in full:

Section 17 - Disabled Children.

Children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Child Disability Payment (Scotland only) or Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only), or if they are certified as blind or severely sight-impaired, will be eligible for a higher maximum allowance. For these children the starting age remains 4 but the child retains eligibility until their 17th birthday. To qualify for the higher allowance disabled children in receipt of these allowances must be registered as disabled during the registration process, and supporting evidence must be provided.

Section 18 - Eligible Providers.

As well as the eligibility criteria for parent(s) and children HMRC stipulates that the childcare provider must be Ofsted (or equivalent) registered and that payment is made through the TFC account to the provider12. This will ensure that a provider is regulated and will help to minimise the use of unregistered and unregulated childcare provision. Service personnel must also record their provider(s) during the registration process.

The DIN being referred to is 2022DIN01-079. This can only be accessed through MOD Networks.

I'm sorry it is not the answer you are requiring. Contacting them direct may prompt a better worded response. The email address is: [email protected]

Regards

Colin - Duty RN FPS Moderator

Hi Rachael86 , sorry for delay in getting a response to you. We have been in touch with the WAC team and the response is below:

A family cannot have a Tax-Free Childcare account at the same time as using salary sacrifice childcare vouchers (such as AFCVS), please see more info on Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK.  

Therefore, parents must make an informed decision about which scheme best suits them and could use the childcare calculator (link is provided below) to work out which type of support is more beneficial for their family and/or seek independent financial advice if needed. Please note, if parents choose to leave the AFCVS, they will be unable re-join the scheme. 

Should you choose to leave the Childcare Vouchers Scheme and join the WAC Scheme:

You must tell your employer within 90 days of applying for Tax-Free Childcare to stop your childcare vouchers or directly contracted childcare.  If you have a partner who gets vouchers or directly contracted childcare, they’ll need to tell their employer to stop this within 90 days too.  The employer will then stop the vouchers or directly contracted childcare.  You may have to give HMRC evidence of leaving the childcare voucher scheme. For example, a copy of the letter telling your employer you’re leaving the childcare voucher scheme.

Important to note:

• Vouchers accumulated before joining TFC could be used towards childcare (including holiday care) for all children in the family, or for younger children who are not eligible to join the WAC yet.

• Parents should check with their voucher company whether there is a limit to the time the vouchers must be used. ​

• Refunds for the purchased vouchers are not possible under salary sacrifice contracts. Once your pay has been exchanged for a childcare voucher under contract, it is generally not possible to reverse it back through the payroll. In circumstances where a refund is allowed, the refund would be returned to your employer and paid to you through payroll and would be subject to tax and national insurance in the normal way. Parents should check what the process is with their voucher company.​

Kind regards, Jim RN FPS Duty Moderator

Hi. We live in Wales, husband is based in Portsmouth. Are we entitled to this too please?

Thanks

Hi Claire87 , The WAC scheme is for Service Personnel (Regular and Full Time Reserve Service Full Commitment) assigned within the UK or serving on an unaccompanied assignment overseas, involuntarily, with the family residing in the UK. So as long as all the other eligibility criteria is met you should be eligible. The Discover My Benefits link contains useful information about WAC. Discover My Benefits WAC Link

Hi. Having applied for TFC accounts for my children it states that you must stop Salary Sacrifice payments within 90 days. Is the WAC likely to be up and running by then and if not, what happens with my SSF payments?

Thanks

Hi Matthoey1664 , we are expecting further information to be published very soon, which will hopefully answer your question. If this is not the case then you can email the WAC team at [email protected]

Hi, my husband is currently on deployment with the submarine service and I'm unsure of an exact return date. I like to apply for the WAC scheme. Do I have to wait for his return or can  I apply for it myself? If so, how do I go about it please? Thank you 

My husband has been using his MODnet laptop to try to access the links on the letter in the forum. The links are blocked! They can't be accessed from a civvi system.

The email sent to his work address takes us to an excel file. There's messages about enabling macros but the yellow warning banner doesn't appear anywhere. The spreadsheet to enter the details is locked so we can't edit. Have just spent the last hour going round and round in circles.

The first email address supplied then suggested a second email address which has an out of office notice until the 26th September! When he has asked the writers in ship he gets shrugged shoulders, they don't know because they're not trained!

Many aren't even bothering because of constant issues with registering. Where exactly should we go for help when he's going back to sea and I can't access anything myself!? 

Good Morning. 

Thank you for your comments and concerns which we are communicating with the WAC Team.

Please do keep this conversation going.

Jo

Hello, I hope you don’t mind the below question here….my husband serves in RN and because of relocation, , I lost my job. Hopefully soon I am going to be employed again. Our little one turns 4 in about two weeks time and she attends preschool full time. For this we can claim the 30hrs free childcare as we are still eligible for this (soon to be reconfirmed). If all goes well, and I get the job I applied for, we will need to book after school club. It would be great help if we could apply for WAC support for those hours she spends in the after school club. Could you please advise if this is an option at all and if so, where do we start? Many thanks