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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/aug/23/thousands-still-unable-to-claim-free-childcare-after-hmrc-site-problems
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| Thousands still unable to claim free childcare after HMRC site problems | Thousands still unable to claim free childcare after HMRC site problems |
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| Thousands are still unable to apply to claim free childcare because of technical difficulties with HMRC’s website, a letter to the Treasury select committee chair, Nicky Morgan, has revealed. | Thousands are still unable to apply to claim free childcare because of technical difficulties with HMRC’s website, a letter to the Treasury select committee chair, Nicky Morgan, has revealed. |
| Morgan said she would quiz the department at the committee’s hearing in the autumn, after the HMRC chief executive, Jon Thompson, wrote to her admitting that 2,600 parents are still waiting for technical issues to be resolved. | Morgan said she would quiz the department at the committee’s hearing in the autumn, after the HMRC chief executive, Jon Thompson, wrote to her admitting that 2,600 parents are still waiting for technical issues to be resolved. |
| Thompson wrote to Morgan apologising for the problems on the new website, launched in April, which allows parents to apply for two separate government schemes: tax-free childcare and 30 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds. | Thompson wrote to Morgan apologising for the problems on the new website, launched in April, which allows parents to apply for two separate government schemes: tax-free childcare and 30 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds. |
| “I am very sorry that some parents have experienced problems and have not received the service we aim to deliver,” he said. “We have emailed all these parents and are working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.” | “I am very sorry that some parents have experienced problems and have not received the service we aim to deliver,” he said. “We have emailed all these parents and are working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.” |
| Morgan said it was clear further improvements needed to be made to the system, though HMRC said it had been issuing voucher codes manually to eligible parents for free childcare if they were unable to make the website work. | Morgan said it was clear further improvements needed to be made to the system, though HMRC said it had been issuing voucher codes manually to eligible parents for free childcare if they were unable to make the website work. |
| “Whilst it is welcome that HMRC has made significant improvements to the website since it was launched in April, thousands of parents are still unable to apply for the childcare to which they are entitled in the way that the government has envisaged,” she said. “Clearly, further improvements are still required.” | “Whilst it is welcome that HMRC has made significant improvements to the website since it was launched in April, thousands of parents are still unable to apply for the childcare to which they are entitled in the way that the government has envisaged,” she said. “Clearly, further improvements are still required.” |
| Morgan said the Treasury select committee, one of parliament’s most influential committees, would question representatives of HMRC on the technical issues with the childcare service website when they are called to give evidence. | Morgan said the Treasury select committee, one of parliament’s most influential committees, would question representatives of HMRC on the technical issues with the childcare service website when they are called to give evidence. |
| In his letter to Morgan, Thompson said that from 244,000 applications, 208,000 parents had been found eligible for one or both of the schemes but more than 2,600 still needed a technical issue to be resolved before HMRC could confirm their eligibility. | In his letter to Morgan, Thompson said that from 244,000 applications, 208,000 parents had been found eligible for one or both of the schemes but more than 2,600 still needed a technical issue to be resolved before HMRC could confirm their eligibility. |
| The department said it had paid out more than £45,000 to parents as compensation for government top-ups that parents would have received if they had been able to access their accounts. | The department said it had paid out more than £45,000 to parents as compensation for government top-ups that parents would have received if they had been able to access their accounts. |
| Thompson said the number of people experiencing significant difficulties was low, around 1% of all applicants, and said the system was on course to meet the Department for Education’s estimates for free childcare take-up by the end of August. | Thompson said the number of people experiencing significant difficulties was low, around 1% of all applicants, and said the system was on course to meet the Department for Education’s estimates for free childcare take-up by the end of August. |
| The letter also states that 5% of applicants have encountered a “technical difficulties” while using the service, and that HMRC has received 1,507 complaints about the service, more than 90% of which were to do with technical issues. | The letter also states that 5% of applicants have encountered a “technical difficulties” while using the service, and that HMRC has received 1,507 complaints about the service, more than 90% of which were to do with technical issues. |
| The website has been down for more than 160 hours since it launched on 21 April, Thompson said, though he added that approximately half of that time was maintenance between 10pm and 8am in order to limit the impact on parents. | The website has been down for more than 160 hours since it launched on 21 April, Thompson said, though he added that approximately half of that time was maintenance between 10pm and 8am in order to limit the impact on parents. |