Flexible support fund for child care costs

Hi

ive had a look through previous post but cant find something exact

im hoping someone can help as ive looked and i just dont understand this at all

so tenant has recently started a new job on 9th January - she has a 2yr old son who she has put into childcare whilst shes at work - shes had the invoice for the childcare which has taken off her 15hrs free

i had mentioned to her about the flexible support fund when she started work to help cover the costs of her childcare for the first month of being in work - advised her it was discretionary

She has had an appt with JC+ this morning and they have said that the person that normally deals with them isnt in today and that the flexible support is only available for people prior to starting work, even though its taken her this long to get an appointment to discuss this - even though she mentioned this was what she wanted on her journal
she was sent away from the JC+ with advice they will look at the regulations and get back to her

shes now received a response saying that prior to starting work we can look at upfront childcare costs through flexible support fund and as she started work the funds available change - consideration is taking into account of when you receive your wages (25th of each month) and when you receive your UC (her MAP is 25th-24th) as she has received her wages and will get her full UC on 1st she has to pay for it herself (even though her wages actually fall outside her last MAP so i dont think they should even be taking these into account- as shes going to have a UC reduced next month due to the wages - so its like she is being penalised twice)

so JC+ have basically just said nothing available she has to pay it herself - which she cant do

to be honest we dont deal with a lot of tenants that require help with childcare costs so this is a whole new area to wrap my head around - but to me how can you pay upfront costs when the provider charges in arrears?

im hoping this makes some sense and someone can point me in the right direction

UC Universal Learning states that the FSF could be used for upfront childcare costs. It also says that a Budgeting Advance could also be recommended and used to retain employment ( unfortunately the BA has to be repaid, unlike the FSF )
Barriers to work
Before considering any award, the claimant profile should be checked to see if any previous
FSF awards contradict or affect the reason for the current request.
FSF should be considered to remove barriers that are:
 preventing claimants from moving closer to the job market
 hindering a claimant’s search for work
 preventing a claimant from accepting a firm job offer or moving into self-employment
Examples are:
 smart clothing for interviews or to start work
 essential work wear (but not safety wear as the employer has a duty to provide this)
 essential tools and equipment, for example chef’s knives
 travel costs
A barrier award should not be made where it is the employer’s responsibility, under Health & Safety legislation, to provide the item.

Budgeting Advances
Budgeting advances provide valuable access to interest free payments for oneoff items.
They are designed to help claimants with irregular expenses, for example:
 obtaining or retaining employment such as work clothes, tools, travelling
expenses and childcare costs
 buying essential household items such as furniture, cot, pram, appliances,
clothing and footwear
 help with rent in advance or removal expenses to secure new accommodation
 improvement, maintenance and security of their home
They are not intended to help pay for unexpectedly high household bills for
example an electricity or gas bill.

unfortunately she not eligible for a budgeting advance

but im still none the wiser with the grant - because surely these would be upfront cost with him starting and them having an invoice issued 3 days after she started work

i just need a more idiot guide for it as ive read things on housing systems and UC and i cant see why this wouldnt fall under the grant (i know its discretionary)

I’ve struggled to find good detailed info on flexible support fund, but some of the documents I saw showed that childcare costs can be eligible for support from the flexible support fund when that support enables you to take up a new job, but not when the support is needed to help you keep an existing job. I was looking in the context of people returning from mat leave and needing childcare support to put their child into nursery when they went back to their old job.
I guess here, since your client has actually started the job, its getting defined as help to support her to stay in work and so not eligible for flexible support fund help.

Here is a link to the Universal Credit Full Service Flexible support Fund Guidance.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/473644/response/1143337/attach/7/8e.UCFS%20guidance.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

This should be the most recent version of the UC guidance: https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2022-0860/062._Flexible_Support_Fund_V19.0.pdf

Not sure if there’s any changes? This is from the v handy indexed links here on Rightsnet: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/universal-credit-guidance

Had this brief bit from a DWP person on a Dangos webinar today. “DWP has a discretionary fund called Flexible Support Fund which can pay for upfront childcare costs, UC will then cover up to 85% of ongoing childcare costs subject to ceiling limits for 1 child / 2+ children.”