My childs nursery is only giving out some of my 30 hours free childcare

sheramber

Jhorkan50 wrote: »

Good morning,
I have used a childcare calculator this morning to determine the best option for my wife and I in terms of tax-free childcare benefit. I am a 40% rare taxpayer and my wife a 20% - day es it matter through who’s wages the childcare vouchers are deducted in terms of taxable savings please?

A 40% tax payer is restricted to the amount of vouchers he can claim compared to a 20% tax payer.

bo_rai_cho

PersianCatLady wrote: »

If it is that much of a con, why don't you not use the scheme at all and keep your child at home with you and allow someone more grateful to make the most of the free hours?

That seriously is not the point, the point is as taxpayers, the government is giving our cash out back to Nurseries, they are abusing that cash by charging more for the same thing, e.g £200 a month if I pay before joining the scheme, but if I join the scheme I shouldn't pay anything so they are claiming that £200 back from the government and still charging on top, if I use the vouchers.

Comms69 wrote: »

Sorry you think the nurseries make money in these schemes?....

It’s a private business; they can set their own rules. You don’t walk into Waitrose and say Tesco’s only charge X, so that’s all I’m willing to pay...

Not if they are doing something which smells a bit dodgy.

johnsmiffy wrote: »

Having said that, most settings will provide a snack to children which they do not charge any extra fees for - this may be something which they can't charge for and is covered by the funding.

Thank you! This is exactly what I was thinking. How can they charge say £200 before the free scheme comes into play, then when the free scheme comes into play, claim the £200 from the government and charge you on top! THey never charged for extra meals before it was in the included price. Now I'm claiming the free hours they should be getting the full amount from the government but continue to charge me. I will be contacting my LEA.

midnight_express

As you think the scheme is a con, the only moral thing to do would be to remove your child.

marliepanda

bo_rai_cho wrote: »

Thank you! This is exactly what I was thinking. How can they charge say £200 before the free scheme comes into play, then when the free scheme comes into play, claim the £200 from the government and charge you on top! THey never charged for extra meals before it was in the included price. Now I'm claiming the free hours they should be getting the full amount from the government but continue to charge me. I will be contacting my LEA.

The issue is that the money the govt gives to the nurseries does NOT cover the cost of delivering 30 hours childcare!

They are not double dipping at all

JimmyTheWig

bo_rai_cho wrote: »

That seriously is not the point, the point is as taxpayers, the government is giving our cash out back to Nurseries, they are abusing that cash by charging more for the same thing, e.g £200 a month if I pay before joining the scheme, but if I join the scheme I shouldn't pay anything so they are claiming that £200 back from the government and still charging on top, if I use the vouchers.

The point is that they don't get the full £200 from the government. They'll get, maybe, £170 from the government. Add £20 from the parents for meals and they're still £10 down.

bo_rai_cho

midnight_express wrote: »

As you think the scheme is a con, the only moral thing to do would be to remove your child.

Its not the scheme thats a con, its the nurseries implementation of it.

marliepanda wrote: »

The issue is that the money the govt gives to the nurseries does NOT cover the cost of delivering 30 hours childcare!

They are not double dipping at all

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

The point is that they don't get the full £200 from the government. They'll get, maybe, £170 from the government. Add £20 from the parents for meals and they're still £10 down.

This makes a lot of sense, however the amount they are charging on top, does not add up, they are certainly only getting a smaller number from the government, but adding ridiculous charges on top to make more than they usually would.

On top of that, requiring parents on the scheme join 3 days a week, which renders the scheme pointless for a lot of parents who send their kids in 2 days a week. But on the governments website their is no stipulation that to use the 30 hours free childcare that THEY HAVE to come in 3 days.

JimmyTheWig

bo_rai_cho wrote: »

This makes a lot of sense, however the amount they are charging on top, does not add up, they are certainly only getting a smaller number from the government, but adding ridiculous charges on top to make more than they usually would.

Do you know how much funding they are getting?
If they are bringing in considerably more than they would have done were it the parent paying this may be worth flagging with the Local Authority, as this isn't the intention.

On top of that, requiring parents on the scheme join 3 days a week, which renders the scheme pointless for a lot of parents who send their kids in 2 days a week. But on the governments website their is no stipulation that to use the 30 hours free childcare that THEY HAVE to come in 3 days.

This isn't a government restriction, as you say. This is a rule the nursery have put in place. And there's nothing to say that they shouldn't do this.
I'd imagine that they don't want the paperwork unless it's worth it for them. If you are doing more hours in these two days than some would do in three it might be worth asking nicely if they can make an exception in this case.
Presumably it would be possible (not necessarily in your circumstances, but for some people) to send a child for 3 days a week and not be charged?

midnight_express

You aren't forced to do business with this nursery, if you don't like their terms and conditions you are free to make alternative arrangements.

sheramber

If everybody only uses their free hours the nursery will go out of business as it wiil not get enough money to cover its costs.

There is not obligation on any nursery to use the free hours scheme and many have opted out due to lack of income.

Your nursery has decided that stay viable they have to have more income from paying clients. As they don't have enough income from paying clients at present they are requiring the clients they do have to pay for a third day.

If you are not happy with that arrangement you can always stop using them and go elsewhere.