PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Children: Day Care (17 January 2018)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many formal complaints have been made to HMRC on problems with reconfirming eligibility codes for 30 hours of free funded childcare for three and four-year-old children since April 2017; and whether his Department has made an assessment of HMRC’s capacity to efficiently process applications for 30 hours of free childcare.

Asked by:
Matt Western (Labour)

The Department for Education does not hold information on complaints made in relation to reconfirmation of eligibility for 30 hours free childcare. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will release further information on complaints they have received in due course.

The vast majority of parents are using the digital childcare service without issue. As shown in our management information release, 30 hours free childcare eligibility codes issued and validated: January 2018, more than 325,000 eligibility codes have been issued for the spring term. The department continues to work closely with HMRC to support parents through the application process for 30 hours free childcare.

Answered by:
Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative)
24 January 2018