General Eligibility Information: Nursery (Ages 3-4)

• In keeping with the regulations of the DIN (2022DIN01-008), members are only able to claim from the start of the term following your child’s third birthday.
• The ONA entitlement begins at the start of the term, and only after your child turns three. Such terms are UK-based for the 3 specific term and start dates of: September 1, January 1, and April 1.
• Authorisations typically apply from the time the child turns 3 until age 4 when the child becomes eligible to attend Pre-K.
• Fees are re-paid Monthly by the Embassy, as such, all registration/enrolment fee(s) are refunded at 100%.
• Providers should ensure all invoices clearly show registration/enrolment fees separate from monthly nursery fees.
• Any future changes to the authorised number of hours or the setting will require the submission of a new Annex A to ONA DIN.
• While you are required to inform us of any changes in fees, and evidence of/reason for such change(s), a new Annex A is not required however, and once approved we will issue a new email authorisation.
• Under ONA guidelines, you are eligible to claim the cost of 15 hours of nursery education per week, up to a maximum total of 38 weeks.
• For Overseas Nursery Authority applications, and in keeping with UK-based guidelines, an additional 15 hours will be available to families in which both parents are working (or a single- parent household in which the single parent works) a minimum of 16 hours each per week.  In essence, the child will be entitled to 30 hours per week up to a maximum of 38 weeks per school year.
• It is important to note that: Once you have exhausted the allowed 38-week maximum, ALL nursery costs incurred thereafter, become your own personal expenses. You can also use the 15/30 hours in any manner you wish. For example, you can evenly spread out such hours in a week or condensed into a few days. However, as a reminder, if you desire that your child attends more than the allotted 15/30 hours, this will be an ‘out of pocket,’ personal expense for you.
• If you submit a claim for a week, this will be counted against your 38-week total, and regardless of whether your child attended the full week or not. In other words, if you paid a flat monthly fee, but your child only attended one week, you can still submit a claim for that week if you chose to. However, be advised this will be included in your 38-week maximum total.
• If your child’s school is officially closed at any point during the school year and you wish to receive credit for that week, you can, but you are required to submit the child’s complete school calendar for that year with your claim.
• Please note as well that if the minimum provision provided by the nursery exceeds 15 hours per week, you are also required to provide evidence of the minimum provision at the school where your child is enrolled, to support the fact of no other viable alternatives available.
• ONA rates are not capped. As such, applicants will receive payment for the full cost of nursery fees as stipulated within the 15/30 hours per week, 38-weeks per year entitlement.
• BDSUS also reserves the right to choose not to support a nursery based on cost-effectiveness particularly in cases where there are other appropriate and comparable nurseries available.
• The application process for applying for Overseas Nursery Authority (ONA) has changed. Historically held by the Army, ONA now budgets for all three Services and Civil Servants. In keeping with the changes ONA and DINs have been updated accordingly, to reflect DIN reference as: ONA – 2022DIN01-008.
• With the termination of DCYP and the creation of Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS) and Defence Children Services (DCS) on 1 April 2021, the budget for ONA and related transfers to the Head Office, Army Res, and CEAS support has now ceased, and a new JPA solution for such issues was implemented on February 1, 2022.
• Under the new process, applicants are solely responsible for communicating, sending queries, and researching etc., to confirm their own eligibility checks for ONA applications.
• Applications should be approved/signed off by the relevant local Chain of Command where possible. This will expedite and simplify the process.
• Regular audit checks will also ensure only correct claims are processed.
• Those eligible to claim but without access to JPA (including UKBCs), are required to do so, via their admin/J1 staff to identify alternative payment options (CPC etc).
• All refunds will be charged to Head Office owned UINs and communicated within the updated DINs.

• With the termination of DCYP and the creation of Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS) and Defence Children Services (DCS) on 1 April 2021, the budget for ONA and related transfers to the Head Office, Army Res, and CEAS support has now ceased, and a new JPA solution for such issues was implemented from 1 February 2022.
• In keeping with the changes the ONA DIN has been updated accordingly. The DIN reference is: 2022DIN01-008
• Under the new process, applicants are solely responsible for communicating, sending queries, and researching etc., to confirm their own eligibility checks for ONA applications.
• Applications should be approved/signed off by the relevant local Chain of Command. 

• The application process for applying for Overseas Nursery Authority (ONA) has changed. Historically held by the Army, ONA now budgets for all three Services and Civil Servants.
• With the termination of DCYP and the creation of Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS) and Defence Children Services (DCS) on 1 April 2021, the budget for ONA and related transfers to the Head Office, Army Res, and CEAS support has now ceased, and a new JPA solution for such issues was implemented from 1 February 2022.
• In keeping with the changes the ONA DIN has been updated accordingly. The DIN reference is: ONA – 2022DIN01-008
• Under the new process, applicants are solely responsible for communicating, sending queries, and researching etc., to confirm their own eligibility checks for ONA applications.
• Applications should be approved/signed off by the relevant local Chain of Command. 
• All refunds will be charged to Head Office owned UINs and communicated within the updated DIN.

ONA – Application Process

• Application for ONA Annex A is submitted to authorising officer (Desk Officer / Commanding Officer / Head of Location) as applicable.
• Application is approved by authorising officer.
• Authorising officer sends applicant an email as per the format at Annex D.

ONA – Extra Hours

Annex B is to be completed alongside Annex A if requesting over the 570/1140 hours entitlement in a 12-month period.

Claiming for ONA

ONA claims should be submitted monthly to the CPC with the following documents:

• • Annex C – ONA Claim Form.
  • Annex D – Email Authorisation.
  • ONA Invoice and Payment Receipt.

Returning to the UK

• If you are currently claiming 30 hours free overseas childcare and will be returning to the UK soon, you must register at this Childcare Choices website:  www.childcarechoices.gov.uk after which you’ll be able to apply for a 30-hours childcare code.
• If you experience any difficulties in obtaining such code, please contact the HMRC helpline at:  0300 123 4097. In some cases, if you are eligible, but are unable to sign-up online, HMRC will then be able to issue a manual code.