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National Childcare Scheme

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    #32
    LCARDEN
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭LCARDEN


    Forthebuzz wrote: »
    My income assessed application was approved on the 27th. I applied the first day applications open

    Hey thanks for replying. I got mine in the day before it was officially opened. Fast tracked it too. Self employed husband might be the reason for the go slow.


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    #33
    LCARDEN
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭LCARDEN


    My application was completed today. Took 3 weeks...updating for people that might be searching the topic :)


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    #34
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    pardon my ignorance, but the only information I can find on this is marketing speil, with nothing stating what it actually is. I'm trying to understand if I can apply for it, but can't get onto their website! What exactly is this? Would I be able to use it, with a kid in school, who goes to creche for after school?


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    #35
    pc7
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,004 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    pardon my ignorance, but the only information I can find on this is marketing speil, with nothing stating what it actually is. I'm trying to understand if I can apply for it, but can't get onto their website! What exactly is this? Would I be able to use it, with a kid in school, who goes to creche for after school?

    Yes that’s considered wrap around care

    This might help https://ncs.gov.ie/en/faqs/


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    #36
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    Yes, my understanding is that there's two schemes. Universal and income assessed. I -think- that if you are already on social welfare you potentially qualify for universal. If you earn under 60k net as a household then you can apply for income assessed.
    We both work so we've gone for income assessed but it remains to be seen what kind of discount, if any, we get.


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    #37
    Iamhere
    Registered Users Posts: 253 ✭✭Iamhere


    Still no update on mine, it sounds like they don't know what is wrong with it, like it's stuck in the system!


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    #38
    DaisysB
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭DaisysB


    Hi, curious if anyone is still waiting on income assessed application? Mine is in for three weeks and no sign of it being processed. The helpdesk cant offer any timelines.
    I've been told the payment only starts from the date the creche inputs the CHICK number. So it will be another couple of weeks at this stage. Anyone else frustrated with the wait?


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    #39
    Iamhere
    Registered Users Posts: 253 ✭✭Iamhere


    Submitted my application on 19/11 finally got an update and decision yesterday.

    The lack of updates is very frustrating, the staff at the help desk try their best but don't seem to get any information in terms of timelines

    The IT system is not fit for purpose, and emailing the NCS is a waste of time.


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    #40
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Mine was finally awarded from the 23rd December even though I applied the 19th November. I queried why it wasn't backdated (we chose fast track, two PAYE incomes, nothing additional to declare) and was told that it is applied from the Monday after it's approved. Seems very unfair. I know people who were approved 3 weeks before me despite applying after me.


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    #41
    DaisysB
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭DaisysB


    Thanks for the replies, mine was income assessed & took 3 weeks to be processed,plus additional week to start. Thanks for the explanation, saves me a pointless call to the NCS helpsesk.
    I had become afraid that it would be a lot longer. Least it’s done now.
    It’s a shame to lose so many weeks payment after it was delayed from October to November too. Adding the extra week to the approval date is just outright annoying.
    Still, I am glad of the payment, i won’t be turning it down!


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    #42
    TheValeyard
    Registered Users Posts: 12,227 ✭✭✭✭TheValeyard


    Holy fcuk, dealing with this crowd has been an absolute nightmare.

    The amount of time you spend on hold because the computers are trying to load a page of details is shocking.
    The fact they wont let both parents deal with the issue is crazy, even if you authorise it.
    While some of the team are very helpful, others seem to be completely clueless on whats you are actually asking them.

    edit: so frustrating and have many more issues with a phone call just now, i need to walk away and get a coffee.

    Fcuk Putin. Glory to Ukraine!



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    #43
    ApolloDance
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭ApolloDance


    I applied for income accessed on the 29th of Nov and still waiting, coming up into the 6th week now. They can’t give me a timeline and meanwhile I’m paying for creche every week. Frustratingly my income is low enough that I’m entitled to the full award so really can’t afford to be paying out while they take their time. Keep being told ‘you should have fast tracked ‘ which I can’t do as I only returned from living abroad midway through last year so there isn’t tax records for me. Very frustrating.


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    #44
    youandme13
    Registered Users Posts: 372 ✭✭youandme13


    ApolloDance wrote: »
    I applied for income accessed on the 29th of Nov and still waiting, coming up into the 6th week now. They can’t give me a timeline and meanwhile I’m paying for creche every week. Frustratingly my income is low enough that I’m entitled to the full award so really can’t afford to be paying out while they take their time. Keep being told ‘you should have fast tracked ‘ which I can’t do as I only returned from living abroad midway through last year so there isn’t tax records for me. Very frustrating.

    I'm the same applied on the day it opened and still haven't got an answer. I'm on 22,5k full time so an eligible for it and still paying full fees while waiting :(


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    #45
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Does anyone else feel their income based award is incorrect??
    The award I got was much lower that what the assessment calculator indicated (note..I definitely inputted the correct info)
    I am demented from calling them and trying to get an answer or explanation from them. They were due to call me back after I called them before xmas but they never called me. Have called them twice today and their systems are down and no one is able to assist me at all.


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    #46
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    After all the hoops, we don't qualify for a penny. I had a feeling about that, and mainly wanted the small locally run creche to get any funding they were entitled to even if I saw no difference in my monthly bill but it's very unclear on the website how it's calculated.


    I think it's a way of foisting the PSC card (which is essentially the National ID card by any other name) onto people. With Revenue now rolling out an online service I can see them pushing you to get the PSC card in order to access your tax services. So they have cornered everyone in receipt of social welfare benefits by making their income dependent on having one. They are now targeting parents who work to get one, and if Revenue make having a PSC ID a requirement to access your tax services then they'll catch the working non-parents too.


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    #47
    peteb2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭peteb2


    Neyite wrote: »
    After all the hoops, we don't qualify for a penny. I had a feeling about that, and mainly wanted the small locally run creche to get any funding they were entitled to even if I saw no difference in my monthly bill but it's very unclear on the website how it's calculated.


    I think it's a way of foisting the PSC card (which is essentially the National ID card by any other name) onto people. With Revenue now rolling out an online service I can see them pushing you to get the PSC card in order to access your tax services. So they have cornered everyone in receipt of social welfare benefits by making their income dependent on having one. They are now targeting parents who work to get one, and if Revenue make having a PSC ID a requirement to access your tax services then they'll catch the working non-parents too.

    I don't disagree on some points but its a bit tin foil hattish isn't it?
    The PSC card has effectively been outlawed. Data Protection Commissioner came out against it and it can't be enforced for anything beyond Dept of Social Protection.
    you dont need it to access Revenue services. And they can't make it compulsory for anything beyond its initial need at this point. They tried to make it mandatory for drivers licences and passports and that's all gone by the wayside now.


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    #48
    wiggle16
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    Neyite wrote: »
    After all the hoops, we don't qualify for a penny. I had a feeling about that, and mainly wanted the small locally run creche to get any funding they were entitled to even if I saw no difference in my monthly bill but it's very unclear on the website how it's calculated.


    I think it's a way of foisting the PSC card (which is essentially the National ID card by any other name) onto people. With Revenue now rolling out an online service I can see them pushing you to get the PSC card in order to access your tax services. So they have cornered everyone in receipt of social welfare benefits by making their income dependent on having one. They are now targeting parents who work to get one, and if Revenue make having a PSC ID a requirement to access your tax services then they'll catch the working non-parents too.

    FWIW I would put my life on it that Revenue will not make it a requirement for people to have the PSC - they won't do anything that will make it harder for people to engage with them or make them less approachable, as they have a hard enough time getting people to review their own taxes without mandating the PSC to do it.

    You're right, the card is transparently an identity card in all but name and I can see it being required for more and more things, but I'd say Revenue will resist anything that makes it harder for them to get people to approach them rather than the other way around.
    peteb2 wrote: »
    I don't disagree on some points but its a bit tin foil hattish isn't it?
    The PSC card has effectively been outlawed. Data Protection Commissioner came out against it and it can't be enforced for anything beyond Dept of Social Protection.
    you dont need it to access Revenue services. And they can't make it compulsory for anything beyond its initial need at this point. They tried to make it mandatory for drivers licences and passports and that's all gone by the wayside now.

    I can see them legislating for it in order to make it more... digestible... to data protection law. I don't think it's tinfoil-hattish though to believe they will try to use it again for all the things they were trying to make it do. They'll wait a couple of years until any residual furore has died down, and probably until a couple of people in key places have retired, at which point they will start moving the goalposts again to make the card a requirement again. It's too valuable to the government not to try to exploit it for as many things as possible.

    But I think for the reasons above, Revenue will not be included in that. Revenue is probably the most independent government agency and in practise it decides its own policies. If the card doesn't confer it any advantage it won't mandate it.


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    #49
    ApolloDance
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭ApolloDance


    Now coming into my 7th week since applying for income assessed with no outcome, no timeline for a potential outcome and according to the multiple people I’ve spoken to on the phone nothing at all wrong or incomplete with the application I’ve submitted. Beyond frustrating now, and I’ve actually had to hand in my notice at work, I took a job with a salary that was just about workable if I got the NCS awarded but as it hasn’t happened I’m actually coming out with less a week then on social welfare at home with my child.


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    #50
    Steviewinger
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Steviewinger


    I was awarded 3.50 per hour per child. For 20 hours a week.


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    #51
    pc7
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,004 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    Steviewinger wrote: »
    I was awarded 3.50 per hour per child. For 20 hours a week.


    Jeez that's €70, that's a good saving for you.


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    #52
    pc7
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,004 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    ApolloDance wrote: »
    Now coming into my 7th week since applying for income assessed with no outcome, no timeline for a potential outcome and according to the multiple people I’ve spoken to on the phone nothing at all wrong or incomplete with the application I’ve submitted. Beyond frustrating now, and I’ve actually had to hand in my notice at work, I took a job with a salary that was just about workable if I got the NCS awarded but as it hasn’t happened I’m actually coming out with less a week then on social welfare at home with my child.


    If you hand in your notice I don't think you get social welfare for maybe 6 weeks, could be worth holding on if you can.


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    #53
    beazee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Are all awards based on 52 weeks?

    Does this mean if the kid is off for two weeks of Easter Midterm (ECCE) the creche still gets it's share (NCS) even though the kid is not attending?

    Is that the same for summer holidays?
    Can't find a definite answer on the website


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    #54
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    shesty wrote: »
    Note (I have said it here before) that my OH was told if he had a new drivers licence, the info from that could be used to create a new public services card for you. It worked fine for him, the PSC card arrived in the post with no visit needed to their offices.
    As to the rest of it, it sounds overly bureaucratic.Personally I am assuming I won't be eligible (because I never am for anything, regardless of the fact that I am not exactly minted) so I am not bothering.(also your childcare provider has to be registered with tusla, right?)

    How exactly did your OH apply for the PSC card based off is license? I have the new license and when I go into my Mygov account, it just will ask me to book an appointment?


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    #55
    neris
    Registered Users Posts: 20,042 ✭✭✭✭neris


    beazee wrote: »
    Are all awards based on 52 weeks?

    Does this mean if the kid is off for two weeks of Easter Midterm (ECCE) the creche still gets it's share (NCS) even though the kid is not attending?

    Is that the same for summer holidays?
    Can't find a definite answer on the website

    No the ECCE scheme is done so that centres mark out on their calendars when they close for holidays & mid terms


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    #56
    TheValeyard
    Registered Users Posts: 12,227 ✭✭✭✭TheValeyard


    TheValeyard wrote: »
    Holy fcuk, dealing with this crowd has been an absolute nightmare.

    The amount of time you spend on hold because the computers are trying to load a page of details is shocking.
    The fact they wont let both parents deal with the issue is crazy, even if you authorise it.
    While some of the team are very helpful, others seem to be completely clueless on whats you are actually asking them.

    edit: so frustrating and have many more issues with a phone call just now, i need to walk away and get a coffee.

    Still waiting for resolution

    Fcuk Putin. Glory to Ukraine!



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    #57
    gazzaman22
    Registered Users Posts: 900 ✭✭✭gazzaman22


    attachment.php?attachmentid=502603&stc=1&d=1581504184

    Currently paying approx 140 to care service, for 4 hours a day for 3 kids(before school and after school)

    What does the above equate to does anybody know as i havent a notion what the results from the calculator mean, wonder is there any savings to be made ??

    Thanks


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    #58
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    I’m currently waiting on my new PPS card to apply for this childcare subsidy so I was just wondering can anybody tell me what questions they ask when I actually get in to apply? Like will I need to upload payslips, P60’s etc when I apply? It would be nice to have everything ready for when my new PPS card comes. TIA


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    #59
    peteb2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭peteb2


    gazzaman22 wrote: »
    attachment.php?attachmentid=502603&stc=1&d=1581504184

    Currently paying approx 140 to care service, for 4 hours a day for 3 kids(before school and after school)

    What does the above equate to does anybody know as i havent a notion what the results from the calculator mean, wonder is there any savings to be made ??

    Thanks

    It means you get €41 euro allowance per week. So you give the details (CHK number and amount) to your provider, assuming they are registered, and they discount your price by that amount.


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    #60
    Cakerbaker
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭Cakerbaker


    I’m hoping someone might be able to help as I can’t find this info anywhere! So my kids are in crèche 3 days a week. Under the universal scheme they got 3/5ths of the discount as they were in 3 days. I applied for the NCS (which currently gives a discount for a max of 40 hours) and received an hourly discount.

    My crèche calculated my discount on the basis of 30 hours as my kids are in 3 10 hour days. When I queried this and asked if they should only be getting a discount of 24 hours as they’re in 3 days out of 5, the crèche said that they’ve seen nothing to say the discount has to be divided by the number of days and as my kids are there for 30 hours they’re entitled to 30 hours. Now if that is the case it’s great as I’m getting a bigger discount but part of me is worried that someone will come looking for money back in 6 months time!!! We also seem to be the first family in the crèche that have applied for the new scheme so the staff don’t have a lot of experience with it!

    So if anyone could point me to any info about how the hours should be allocated/ split I would really appreciate it!!!


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    #61
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users Posts: 2,427 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Does anyone know how long it takes for your application to be approved/processed? I applied yesterday after great difficulty - ended up having to ring the help line. Why do they not make these things easy?


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