With the cost of living creeping up and people looking to make savings wherever they can, Gloucestershire's Stagecoach Performing Arts schools are encouraging families to take advantage of the government's tax-free childcare scheme.
Being Ofsted-registered, Stagecoach Cheltenham, Cirencester and Gloucester are all able to offer tax-free childcare as a fee payment option for their dance, singing and drama classes – and many local families might be able to benefit from the scheme without realising.
Tax-free childcare is available to working parents, including those who are self-employed, who earn a maximum of £100,000 per year and a minimum of £152 a week.
It's available for families with children up to 11-years-old – or 16-years-old, if the child is disabled – and can only be claimed by those who aren't already receiving Tax Credits, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.
Stagecoach Performing Arts delivers weekly classes in dance, singing and drama for children aged four to 18-years-old, helping youngsters to build their confidence, explore new skills and tap into their star quality, all while making new friends.
Using the tax-free childcare scheme, Stagecoach families can make an annual saving of just over £208 for Main Stages students, aged six and up; and over £104 for Early Stages pupils, aged four to six – which equates to a 20 per cent discount on their fees for the whole year!
Stagecoach is currently enrolling for its 2023 summer term, with most classes due to start from the third weekend in April, making it the perfect time for families to explore their fee paying options – whether their child has been attending Stagecoach for a while, or is considering it for the first time.
To register for tax-free childcare and find out more information about the scheme, visit childcarechoices.gov.uk.
Gloucestershire's Stagecoach Performing Arts schools also accept childcare vouchers, which parents can claim by talking to their employer about sacrificing part of their gross salary for vouchers to cover their childcare costs.
To find out more about fee paying options, parents can contact their local Stagecoach school directly, or visit stagecoach.co.uk/cheltenham, stagecoach.co.uk/cirencester and stagecoach.co.uk/gloucester.
