2. Wraparound Childcare (WAC) Scheme
Wraparound Childcare (WAC) Scheme
The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme for Armed Forces families was announced by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on the 29th of July 2022.
From September 2022, eligible Armed Forces families with children aged 4-11 years old will be able to apply for up to 20 hours per week (term time only) of wraparound childcare funding to be used at a before and after school setting.
For information purposes, a basic overview of the eligibility criteria is outlined below; for the comprehensive list visit Childcare for service children - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk):
To be eligible for the Wraparound Childcare Scheme:
- At least one partner (or single parent) must be serving in the Armed Forces (including Full Time Reserve Service Full Commitment)
- The chid/ children must attend school (including home schooled children) and be living with the Serving person for the majority of the time unless separated due to Service commitments (deployment, residential courses), or when on serving on unaccompanied assignments overseas involuntarily with the family in the UK
- The partner of the Service person must be in paid employment, starting or restarting work within the next 31 days (earning the equivalent of 16 hours at national minimum / living wage). Both partners must each have an adjusted net income of £100,000 or less per annum
- The WAC provider must be Ofsted, or equivalent, registered, including schools and childminders
- A Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account must be set up with HRMC for each child that the family wants to claim the funding for and the childcare provider must also be signed up to the TFC scheme
Where the child is normally lives separately from the Serving parent, for example with another natural parent or relative, the family will be unable to claim WAC funding.
Service families can check if they are eligible and make an application to claim the Wraparound Childcare funding by visiting the Discover My Benefits website.
This scheme is part of the wider package of support to Service families, as laid out in the Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022 to 2032
Questions on the scheme should be directed to the Serving individual’s unit HR team or admin office. Any questions about the policy can be emailed to [email protected].
Further information on WAC can be viewed on the Defence childcare portal on Defence Intranet or on Defence Connect (sign-in required).
