Guide discussion: Tax-Free Childcare

IvysMom

Danielson1971


Thank you for responding at least I know I am not alone, I will let you know how I get on and please keep me updated from your side. Its shocking that we are having to go through this.


With regard to the compensation, I haven't claimed this yet as I was told that you could only claim once so was waiting to do this once everything is resolved. Have you been able to make more than one claim? I'm currently £500 out of pocket.


We really need to know how to escalate this, MSE Team do you have any suggestions?

Danielson1971

No, you are not alone and I suspect there are 1000's if not 10's of thousands that are going through the same thing, but they don't know how to complain or just put up with it.
However there is no way of knowing how many people are affected without setting up some kind of facebook or social media campaign (for which I am happy to try and organise but don't know if many of my contacts would share, or best way to go about this)
I don't do twitter. Maybe twitter would work actually as it is of course instant. We need someone with some clout to take this on and champion the cause. (I don't have any clout I'm afraid!)
I did write to MSE to ask them if they wanted to follow this up but not heard back.
I have written to The Guardian (they ran a piece earlier in the year).
I have written to my MP


No one is interested!


Regarding compensation, I have not been told there is a limit on the number of claims you can make, as long as they are justified of course but I may be wrong.
The only reason I have now submitted 3 claims is because each month I am paying £320 out of my own pocket to make up for the amount that Tax free childcare is supposed to provide to me.
So my first claim was paid, leaving an additional 2 claims unpaid (plus additional expenses, I am owed over £700).
I will be making a 4th claim at the start of January as fees are due for nursery on 1st Jan (over £1600 a month for me)

bigvernzxsw

Oh Dear, I'm lost (i think)

Both myself and wife work - Childcare costs relatively low at about 3k per year. Both employers offer Childcare Vouchers which i thought was good news. I'm higher rate tax payer, she is lower rate. So i was thinking we'd both apply for vouchers, with me getting £124 per week as Salary sacrifice (which also helps as in the 50 - 60k child benefit trap) and her the rest. But THEN realised as she is on minimum wage and working 43 hour week, any salary sacrifice would put her below min wage and therefore not eligible for vouchers - i think???

So, if that is the case does anyone know whether I can continue to receive the Vouchers, and she could sign up for the tax-free child care scheme when they finally bother to open it?

Mupette

bigvernzxsw wrote: »

Oh Dear, I'm lost (i think)

Both myself and wife work - Childcare costs relatively low at about 3k per year. Both employers offer Childcare Vouchers which i thought was good news. I'm higher rate tax payer, she is lower rate. So i was thinking we'd both apply for vouchers, with me getting £124 per week as Salary sacrifice (which also helps as in the 50 - 60k child benefit trap) and her the rest. But THEN realised as she is on minimum wage and working 43 hour week, any salary sacrifice would put her below min wage and therefore not eligible for vouchers - i think???

So, if that is the case does anyone know whether I can continue to receive the Vouchers, and she could sign up for the tax-free child care scheme when they finally bother to open it?

In short no.

TFC is family based if one goes over, you all go over.

Siriki

How does is work if one of us has a childcare voucher scheme through work and one of us doesn't?

morrisa1985

I've just signed my up for tax free childcare and my little boy is 19 months old, he's been going to nursery full time since he was 10 months old. Can we get anything backdated from what I could have saved the past 9 months?

sheramber

Siriki wrote: »

How does is work if one of us has a childcare voucher scheme through work and one of us doesn't?

You can only claim one lot of vouchers or you join the Tx free scheme where both of you ( and anybody else) can pay into the account.

You cannot use both schemes.

You cannot claim tax credits if you join the tax free scheme.

sheramber

morrisa1985 wrote: »

I've just signed my up for tax free childcare and my little boy is 19 months old, he's been going to nursery full time since he was 10 months old. Can we get anything backdated from what I could have saved the past 9 months?

The Government add 20p for every 80p you pay into the account, up to £2000 support a year.

The money is paid electronically to the child carer direct from the account.

You can only get the top up on money you have paid in.

You can withdraw the money but then the 20p top up will be taken back.

IvysMom

After almost 6 months, 2 official complaints and numerous phone calls to HMRC I can still not access my Tax Free Childcare account. I have complained to my MP and The Adjudicators office and am getting nowhere. So today I have put in a Freedom on Information Request for the following:




1) The number of individuals who have made 1st tier complaints through your complaints process due to not being able to access their Tax Free Childcare Account.


2) The number of individuals who have made 2nd tier complaints through your complaints process due to not being able to access their tax free childcare account.


3) The number of complaints that the Adjudicators Office have investigated due to individuals not being able to access their tax free childcare account.
4) The number of compensation payments that has been made to individuals who could not complete their application for tax free childcare account and how much money has been paid in compensation due to this.


5) The number of compensation payments that has been made to individuals who could not access their tax free childcare account and how much money has been paid in compensation due to this.


6) The contact details of Angela McDonald Director General for Customer Services as this is not available on the website and after phoning HMRC staff have been unable to provide it.


Unfortunately I am now going to be so much a pain in the backside to them that hopefully will just phone me and get this sorted which is all I wanted 6 months ago.

smash7

Did you get anywhere with this...? The help online is limited and the whole process has been so frustrating!