NDNA's Chief Executive Purnima Tanuku OBE appeared on BBC Breakfast News today to discuss HMRC's apology to parents struggling to get eligibility codes.
HRMC wrote a letter to Nicky Morgan, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, which was published today. It apologised for any problems experienced and said it had paid out £45,000 in compensation for time wasted for parents.
On the sofa, with parent Helen Daykin from Halifax, Purnima said that nurseries needed to be paid compensation too because they were spending "an awful lot of time" trying to help parents who were experiencing problems. She also discussed more general problems around delivering 30 hours funded childcare and reiterated that it is not free, despite government claims.
Watch the broadcast here from 8.10am or from 2 hrs 11 mins in.
Purnima gave the following statement to the press: “The response from HMRC to Nicky Morgan has highlighted all the technical difficulties that many parents are facing when they try to access their eligibility codes through this website.
“The most important aspect of this for parents is that they receive their codes in time for their child to start their funded place from September. No-one who is eligible should lose out on their entitlement.
“We are pleased that HMRC is working to resolve these issues swiftly.
“But the government must also understand that nurseries are spending valuable time and resources trying to resolve these issues for their parents – at a time when the government funding does not even cover their costs of delivering childcare.
“Not only should parents be compensated for these problems, but nurseries should be fully supported to deliver these hours and paid for their admin time.
“We urge the Government to make sure the system works for everyone.”