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

samtheman1k

Hello, I'm having trouble find out the answer to this question. We are looking at starting a family next year, and one of us is a higher rate taxpayer, thus after April 11, we will only be eligible for the lower rate. However, I notice that the vouchers are valid for 3 years. Is it possible to claim for the vouchers if you don't yet have children? My employer runs the scheme. I ask because exisiting users of the scheme, come April 11, will remain on the more generous scheme, but new entrants will be on the less generous scheme.

cbewley

Hi
I am a teacher at a primary school. My school has run the childcare voucher scheme however because of changes to the rules and allowing people to recieve vouchers while on mat leave my school have decided to stop the scheme. As they say it makes it too expensive for them. What is so annoying is that if I was to have another child I would sign something to say I wouldn't claim them on mat leave but they arent interested. The vouchers save me and my husband so much. Dies anyone know if there is anything I can do to oppose this? Or any other way to save money on childcare?
Thank you

fizl

Hi

I'm hoping someone can help here with advice.

My husband is working in the UK, but with a Dutch contract (he is a Dutch national living here). As he has been working here more than 2 years, he pays tax in the UK, but doesn't pay NI here (he has an E101 exemption certificate).

We are both wanting to sign up to the voucher scheme before it changes for higher earners, and I have done so. HR have told him that as he doesn't pay NI here, he cannot have take this even though it is a salary sacrifice. I have done a search but cannot find this mentioned anywhere.

Does anybody know if this is true or not?

thanks in advance

Sharon

rpc

Has he rang the voucher sheme to ask? They are probably more likely to know the ins and outs of it than HR.

Which scheme does his employer use? When I signed up I didn't have to speak to anyone here. The compushare website asks for the company reference number, your payroll ID and how much you want to sacrifice and they sort it all for you. If that's an option, try that?

I've never seen this either - is he paid in the UK or paid in the Netherlands? Might that make a difference?

fizl

hi RPC, thanks for the response.

The company we work for require you to log the intent and amounts through their system, then you are diverted to the childcare scheme to fill in the details there.

His pay is very complicated, and I cant remember all the details as to what they do to work out the tax each month, but he ends up with english and dutch pay slips (although the english ones always balance to 0)

I'll give the voucher scheme helpline a call

thanks again

newstart1980

Hi everyone,

I am an employee for a small firm and am the only worker that need childcare vouchers. My employer is happy to issue these vouchers, but would prefer not to use a company. Can they issue homemade vouchers? My son will be attending a nursery soon and I am keen to start the scheme before the change in April.

Thanks in advance!

Anjomi

Our first child is due to start nursery on April 5th, 2 days a week. My company is not part of the voucher scheme, but does salary sacrifice so the tax savings are the same. They will pay the nursery directly via direct debit.

I'm a 40% tax-payer, and don't won't to loose out on the bigger savings by being registered after April 1st. As we don't use vouchers, how do I register for the scheme? Is it worth bringing his start date forward by a few days to March 31st so we are definately registered this financial year?

Thanks

rpc

Anjomi,

6th April is the first day that the new rules apply to for childcare vouchers. I don't know how that affects direct payments like yours though.

onlyroz

Just a query about the higher rate of income tax. I'm already registered in a scheme and this year, after nice mister Cameron fiddled around with the tax brackets, I might just scrape into the 40% tax band. So I'll lose my child benefit, but will I get the higher rate tax relief on the Childcare vouchers?

wrclondon

I think the Childcare Vouchers are great but the school my kids attend does not accept them. So where do I go to use my vouchers?

I have searched high and low for a list of registered providers that I can contact to enrole my kiddies onto some activity (e.g. tennis camp in the school holidays) but there isn't a list as far as I can see. It appears you have to work backwards and find an activity provider then ask if they are enrolled and if they are not then ask them to become enrolled. How hopeless is that!?

Wouldn't it make sense and be much more user friendly to have a list of registered providers in your area so you can go straight to them without the hassle?!

What am I missing?