Do grandparents get money from state to look after their grand children?

midnight_express

Is this the modern version of selling your own granny ?

pollypenny

It's just cost us £1700 to look after our baby grandson for a month: airfare and car hire.

It's worth every penny.

Wilma33

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23878366
http://www.saga.co.uk/money/pensions-and-savings/looking-after-a-grandchild-may-boost-your-pension.aspx

DevilsAdvocate1

I don't know if the rules have changed, but if you registered as a childminder then it used to be possible for the parents to claim for the childcare element of working tax credits. They could use this money to pay the grandparents for looking after their grandchildren. In theory they are supposed to pay the grandparents, but in practice I think many grandparents refuse to accept the money.

When I was registering as a childminder, there were 3 grandparents on the course who were planning on doing this and it was being actively encouraged. They were not intending to look after any children other than their own grandchildren. And two of the grandparents told me that they did not want paying, but they were registering so that their child could claim this extra money.

I stopped being a registered childminder 7 years ago so the rules may have changed.

McKneff

Send your child the bill................

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

I don't know if the rules have changed, but if you registered as a childminder then it used to be possible for the parents to claim for the childcare element of working tax credits. They could use this money to pay the grandparents for looking after their grandchildren. In theory they are supposed to pay the grandparents, but in practice I think many grandparents refuse to accept the money.

When I was registering as a childminder, there were 3 grandparents on the course who were planning on doing this and it was being actively encouraged. They were not intending to look after any children other than their own grandchildren. And two of the grandparents told me that they did not want paying, but they were registering so that their child could claim this extra money.

I stopped being a registered childminder 7 years ago so the rules may have changed.

It wasn't allowed for a long time before that, either. Probably relying on the grandchild and parent both having different surnames to the grandparent.

peachyprice

summerof0763 wrote: »

to be honest grandparents should get money for looking after the grandkids, but they don't x

Money from whom?

Surely that's for them to sort out with their children, not the state?

Child care vouchers aren't free, they're paid for before tax, surely it's down to the children to pay their parents the difference between what they would be paying a normal childminder if they were using the vouchers for a tax break.

onlyroz

Person_one wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-credits-for-adults-who-care-for-a-child-under-12

I didn't know that. Not much use for me because my parents are already pensioners, but could be useful info for others.

Spendless

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

I don't know if the rules have changed, but if you registered as a childminder then it used to be possible for the parents to claim for the childcare element of working tax credits. They could use this money to pay the grandparents for looking after their grandchildren. In theory they are supposed to pay the grandparents, but in practice I think many grandparents refuse to accept the money.

When I was registering as a childminder, there were 3 grandparents on the course who were planning on doing this and it was being actively encouraged. They were not intending to look after any children other than their own grandchildren. And two of the grandparents told me that they did not want paying, but they were registering so that their child could claim this extra money.

I stopped being a registered childminder 7 years ago so the rules may have changed.

It was changed that they also had to be looking after another (unrelated) child/ren too.

heretolearn_2

Yes, it can be done. There is a childcare allowance paid to qualifying parents through Working Tax Credit. And this can be used to pay a relative providing (see quote from HMRC):

When you can claim for childcare provided by relatives
You can only claim tax credits for childcare provided by a relative if the relative is either:
a registered childminder who cares for your child outside of your child's own home

The amount depends on the number of children, but doesn't cover the entire cost. So if the grandparents are registered childminders looking after the child in their own home, not the child's, then the parents get the allowance.