Child Care Solicitors

Tax-Free Childcare for children under the age of four has been launched from this week, meaning that working parents can start applying for two new government childcare schemes launching this year: Tax-Free Childcare, which begins immediately – and 30 hours of free childcare, which starts in September.

Working parents of children who will be aged below four years on 31 August 2017 can apply through the new digital childcare service for Tax-Free Childcare – and will receive a government top-up of £2 for every £8 that they pay into their Tax-Free Childcare account.

All parents of disabled children under 17 years old will also be able to apply for Tax-Free Childcare from this week.

In addition, parents of two- to three-year-olds who will be eligible for a 30-hours free childcare place in September can apply through the childcare service and start arranging a place with their childcare provider.

The Childcare Choices website provides information on the government’s childcare schemes – and explains how parents can pre-register or apply. It also includes a childcare calculator to show eligible families how much they could receive.

For parents across the UK, Tax-Free Childcare will cut childcare costs by up to £2,000 per year for each child under 12 years old – or by up to £4,000 per year for disabled children under 17 years old.

The programme will be rolled out throughout the year, with all eligible parents able to receive it by the end of 2017.

From September, working parents of three- and four-year-olds living in England will also be entitled to the new 30-hours free childcare offer, worth around £5,000 per child.

Parents will only need to make a single application for both schemes when their children become eligible.

Duncan Lewis Child Care Lawyers

Duncan Lewis Child Care can advise parents on a wide range of child care law and family matters, including parents’ duties under the Education Act 1996 and SEND.

Duncan Lewis can also advise on Section 38 enquiries, pre-proceedings meetings, children taken into Local Authority care and Court of Protection cases.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales – and Duncan Lewis advises on family and child care matters under UK law and Islamic law, as well as being able to advise on cross-border family issues, such as child care arrangements, leave to remove and international parent-child abduction.

For expert legal advice on family and child care matters, call Duncan Lewis children lawyers on 0333 772 0409.