Trial of new digital childcare service to start later this year
Monday, September 19, 2016
Parents taking part in the trial of a new digital joint childcare service later this year, will be able to access Tax-Free Childcare early, ahead of the 2017 rollout.
The new joint childcare service is being developed by HMRC with National Savings & Investments, who will be the sole operator running the scheme.
Around 1,500 parents will take part in the trial, including some who are also taking part in the Department for Education’s early implementer phase of the 30-hour free childcare entitlement, which is being trialled in eight areas across the country from this September.
Parents will be able to apply online for both Tax-Free Childcare and the extended free entitlement through the new joint childcare service.
A spokesperson for HMRC told Nursery World, ‘We want to test the system with parents who are applying for both new schemes to ensure that it is effective and user-friendly, and provides a good customer journey.’
Tax-Free Childcare will be gradually rolled out to parents from early 2017, based on the age of their youngest child.
However, eligible parents invited to participate in the trial will be able to receive Tax-Free Childcare straight away. They will be able to continue using the scheme once national rollout begins in early 2017 providing they still meet the eligibility criteria.
In a parliamentary written statement, David Gauke, the chief secretary to the Treasury, said, ‘The trial will involve around 1500 parents, including some who are eligible for both schemes. It will enable HMRC to extensively test the system and ensure it provides a smooth experience and quality service for parents.’
He added, ‘The joint childcare service will provide a simple and straightforward way for working parents to access both schemes, avoiding the need to provide the same information twice, and saving them valuable time.’
Commenting on the plans, Claire Schofield, director of membership, policy and communications at the National Day Nurseries Association, said, ‘It's welcome that the trial will include both 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare - we need the system to be seamless for parents and childcarers.
‘We will be watching the pilots carefully. It’s important they are learned from and that new admin burdens on nurseries are minimised.
‘This joined-up approach could be built upon with a single childcare passport system with entitlement to funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare paid into a single account that parents can then use with the childcarer of their choice.’
