Childcare Vouchers: cut childcare costs by £1,000/year Discussion Area

gpen

Hi

I have been searching through a number of the providers sites, HMRC, articles, etc., to find an answer, but no joy.

Basically, we are in the position of stockpiling vouchers since taking our son out of childcare a few months ago due to a change in circumstances. Considering the amount of money accumulating our accounts (different providers), how is this actually guaranteed - all I have seen so far is a mention of a "ringfenced" account?

We were lucky not to lose out when the nursery closed its doors without warning, so don't want a repeat with the voucher provider

Savvy_Sue

mandy wrote: »

I have been an ofsted registered childminder for some years now and have never been asked about childcare vouchers,however a new client has recently asked me if i can accept them, i am not to sure how this works do i get paid in vouchers and then redeem the vouchers somehow or do i just need to register to accept them an still get paid cash/cheque, i am hoping some childminders out there will be able to help me

If not, get in touch with NCMA and ask them how it works, or your local childminding network.

HAUGHTON7705

Hi

I wouldn't nomally be very negative about anything on this site but because I used the voucher scheme after seeing it advertised here I thought I would give some feedback.

In the 8 months I used the voucher scheme (busy bees) I think I paid my childminder twice without a hiccup.

Partly due to the fact I am not techno minded and didn't understand all the things I was asked to download for security; and also partly due to the voucher scheme server only seeming to work in office hours.

One month on my wageslip the money had been paid to the scheme but didn't show in my account for 3 days it was in cyberspace somewhere. Then when it did get paid in it was in two halves!!!! As a result it was nearly two weeks after the childminders payday she finally recieved her money as when you 'pay' the childminder it takes 5 working days to go into their account.

So to sum up it is an excellent scheme but only if you know what you are doing technically and the childminder doesn't mind being paid willy nilly.

I have given up and gone back to paying cash weekly.

DBO_3

If an employer opts to run the scheme themselves - how do they actually go about paying the voucher?

Is it a matter of just paying the childcare provider the sacrificed amount say by BACS/cheque - ie no physical paper voucher is handed over to the employee/provider

Also if an employee opts to sacrifice the maximum a month and the amount paid to the childcare is less i suppose the Employer just opens up a ledger showing what is owed to each employee in respect of salary sacrificed to what has been paid out?

jaws79

Hi everyone,

I read through the previous posts a while ago and have been lobbying my employer to start a childcare voucher scheme ever since.

I today got an official answer back that they won't start a childcare voucher scheme because of the legislation that came into effect recently(ish) regarding Employer Supported Childchare during Maternity Leave (something that I'm all for btw! :j). They say that there is the *potential* for the scheme to cost them money, therefore they won't entertain the idea.

I found a figure on a factsheet that estimates that the additional cost of paying for childcare vouchers during additional maternity leave will cost UK employers £3.4million/year compared with the £120million/year saving they make by operating voucher scheme. This is only around 2.8% of the saving they'll make so I can't see why they're reluctant to do it!?

Does anyone know of any other compelling facts/figures that I can go back to my company with to try and pursuade them to still go ahead with the scheme? I could be looking at potentially saving around £1000 a year so I don't want to miss out on this!

Any help/advice gratefully appreciated!!
:beer:

lordgaz

Hi all -

I read that if I claimed £55 a week for childcare voucher through an employer scheme, that my employer would benefit from not paying national insurance on that amount - -
Should i ask my employer to contribute vouchers to the saving they would make on NI (is it a viable argument) so they do not "make money"

Cheers
G

sigur

Hi there folks, Im looking for some advice.


My employer runs the childcare voucher scheme but it is only applicable to certain sections of the workforce. I have asked my HR department and they have informed me that due to the current financial climate they will not roll it out any further.


Are employers allowed to only offer the scheme to certain sections of their workforce ?

Savvy_Sue

I'm not sure, but definitely not if there might be any element of discrimination by not offering it throughout.

So, for example, if a car dealership decided that the mechanics (predominantly men) couldn't have it, but the front of house staff (predominantly women COULD have it, that would be discrimination.

Plus I thought it didn't cost them anything?

minnie123

Hi,
I have asked my employer today about the childcare voucher scheme and they said they were going to offer it as it was a benefit to them but the rules have now changed which means if they were paying vouchers to someone and they went on maternoty leave they would still have to pay them the vouchers which means it could cost them money so they are not not going to do it. Has anyone else heard of this. Why have the changed the scheme?

This means I will get no help whatsoever with childcare costs now which is very annoying.

palomino2424

Hi all

My company uses Voucher Solutions Limited - I have found them to be extremely helpful - I think they are a smaller company than some of the others that have been mentioned in the past on this forum and maybe that's why I feel like I get a personal service - anyways re. maternity leave as I have already asked my employer this, you never know when you may need it(!) - they called up Voucher Solutions and advised my company that the employee taking the vouchers needs to opt out of the childcare voucher scheme about 15 weeks before due date of baby - otherwise my company would potentially have to pay me for the vouchers, thus costing them money. I would much rather my company had a scheme and that I opted out before my baby was due - than not having a scheme at all - as that doesn't seem fair to me. I think in October last year new EU maternity rules came into effect which means that if an employee has childcare vouchers and leaves to have another baby the company may potentially be liable to pay for the childcare vouchers during the maternity leave period - companies don't want to do this as it will cost them money as at the moment the scheme doesn't cost them any money at all? Not sure if I am 100% correct though I think that's how it works.