Claiming child care for an au pair?

tincat

At present my kids go to a childminder, but I'm not happy with the arrangement. They never get to actually go anywhere like a playground or anything while they're in the cm's care for 3 hours after school each day.

I want to get an au pair as then I can decide what they do each day, like once a week she'll take them swimming or have friends back to play at our house, and I think it'll be nicer for the kids to be in their own home as at the cm's there is not much of the house that isn't off-limits.

However, at the moment I think 80% of my cm costs are paid for in tax credits. I was told that if I get an au pair, I could have her register as a childminder from my home, and then I would be able to claim back costs for her. Is this true? Has anyone else done it?

Although the people in the council have told me it's theoretically possible, they also don't know if it is definitely allowed as they haven't heard of this arrangement before.

Thanks

bestpud

I don't know tbh but it doesn't look like you can according to this site:

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/if/options_nannies.htm

Au Pairs

An au pair placement is an arrangement where a single person between 17 and 27 years of age comes to the UK, from overseas, to study English and:

<LI class=text>Lives for up to two years as a member of an English-speaking family; and
• Helps in the home for up to five hours a day with at least two full days off a week, in return for a reasonable allowance and their own room.

Au pairs usually earn between £45 - £50 per week pocket money, which includes accommodation and meals.
An au pair is unlikely to have childcare qualifications and it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the au pair knows the basics of childcare and first aid, and to be able to call on a responsible adult if necessary. For this reason, au pairs are generally not suitable to care for young children on their own although they may be an option for after school care. As au pairs are not registered childcarers, families are unable to claim the childcare element within the Working Tax Credit, or use employer sponsored childcare vouchers to help pay the au pair’s allowance.
You can look for an au pair agency in the same way as you might for a nanny (see above). Au pair agencies that are members of the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) are listed on the website www.iapa.org and addresses of UK agencies can be downloaded.
For more information on the Home Office’s guidelines on au pairs, please visit www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk or ring them on 0870 606 7776.
March 2008 – Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that information was correct at time of going to press, the London Borough of Enfield can not be held responsible for any inaccuracies or subsequent changes in information and shall in no way be held liable for any loss, damages or expenses incurred as a result of information contained within this fact sheet.

tincat

Thanks for your reply, but once the au pair registers as a childminder from my home, she won't be an au pair anymore. She'll be a registered, ofsted approved childminder - only she'll be working from my home, not hers.

Do you see what I mean? To me it should be allowed, and the council people think it's theoretically possible, but haven't experienced it before.

bestpud

Looks like home carers have to be registered with ofsted as a voluntary provider. It seems au pairs can register if they meet the requirements. There's some more info here:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.455968b0530071c4828a0d8308c08a0c/?vgnextoid=738eb1ae1a801110VgnVCM1000003507640aRCRD

Hth

Edinburghlass_2

I would assume then you would need to pay the au pair the going rate for a nanny rather than the "pocket money" plus board that an au pair gets?

edited to add I see they are at school so I guess that makes a difference?

edited to add again, I would imagine you would need to get your house inspected, fire regulations etc in the same way a child minder does?

Oldernotwiser

tincat wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, but once the au pair registers as a childminder from my home, she won't be an au pair anymore. She'll be a registered, ofsted approved childminder - only she'll be working from my home, not hers.

Do you see what I mean? To me it should be allowed, and the council people think it's theoretically possible, but haven't experienced it before.

But YOUR home will be HER home; au pairs live with you, that's the point!

bestpud

I'm just wondering, after looking at the 'wage' differences between au pairs and nannies/childminders, if you may actually be financially better off with an au pair but paying the full cost yourself anyway?

You already pay 20% of your costs and if you factor in the costs of regsitration and ongoing inspections...?

I'm merely talking about the financial implications here though!

Oldernotwiser

But don't forget to factor in their living costs.

[Deleted User]

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc5.pdf

This is the HMRC leaflet regarding childcare providers if you want to have a read.

Kimitatsu

This is the guidance for registering as a childminder :

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/Internet_Content/Shared_Content/EYD/Files/Type_B_CM_guide.pdf

It strikes me that who is going to pay for your au pair to go through this registrion process? You will have to have a work visa for her, pay for an enhanced CRB check, ensure that she has whatever qualifications (if any) are required by Ofsted, and pay for any alterations to your house which are required. Also as a registered childminder she will cost you more than £40-£50 a week, and you will be liable to declare the income from letting the room out to her if you plan to ofset those against her wages.

Also this is not something that happens quickly, the Local Authority have pre-registration meetings with the au pair, she has to have a first aid certificate and she is the one who has to make the application - you cannot do this for her. In addition she has to agree to be available to Ofsted, and be inspected at a time of their choosing. It all seems a lot of hard work for someone who will be here for a relatively short space of time.

You may do better to look at a nanny share with someone or another childminder.

[Deleted User]

Whilst all the checks are done and all through the registration process you are not able to claim ANY childcare costs. You cannot claim help towards any costs until the day the childcare provider if fully approved.

You will need to look at the costs in the long run to decide if it is financially worth your while.

What would happen if the au pair became fully registered then decided to go work for someone else offering a bit more money? You would be up the proverbial creek and right back where you started from.