Billing model

Gemma confirmed in March 2026 that Wilf's term-time invoices are averaged over 38 weeks and spread across 11 months. Weekly chunks is still available as a comparison mode for auditing older invoices and month-boundary edge cases.

Rates

The planner uses the previous fee set before this date and the current fee set from this date onward.

Historical under-2 fees

Current fees

Fees before effective date

Funded day extras

Current extras

Extras before effective date

Tax-free childcare

The planner assumes the government adds 20% on top of what you pay in, up to the remaining quarterly cap you enter here, then resets future quarters to the standard £500 cap every three months.

Childcare Monzo pot

Use this to account for any buffer already sitting in the childcare pot so the monthly top-up can ease off until that balance is used.

Smoothed budget buffer

This mirrors your spreadsheet: weekly term-time cost across the school year, plus an allowance for extra holiday or inset bookings so the childcare pot carries a buffer when invoices come in higher than normal.