Left with childcare vouchers I can't use due to lockdown

ispookie666

Any update on this front. 
We have 5k stuck in this vouchers and have only 3 years left, cannot see what I can spend this on.

NewBornBaby

ispookie666 said:

Any update on this front. 
We have 5k stuck in this vouchers and have only 3 years left, cannot see what I can spend this on.

Wow!  5k is a record so far.  At the moment you should contact the following to let them know about your situation, explaining why you can't spend the vouchers, and asking for help:
- Your MP - ask them to raise this on your behalf in parliament and, with HMRC, and with the Department for Education.
- Your employer (or former employer, whoever issued you with the vouchers) - ask them to exchange the vouchers for cash (this will need to be subject to tax and NI).
- HMRC - MPs and individuals contacting them will start to put the pressure on.

NewBornBaby

Eassenav said:

I have had a response from my MP who is raising it with the Department of Education but I am not sure that they are the right people as it is more a tax issue (so I would have thought). But at least it is being discussed.

I will update with the response that I get.

My MP initially wrote to Dept for Education who referred it back to HMRC but I don't think this should stop us contacting DfE as well at this stage to put the pressure on.

ispookie666

NewBornBaby said:

ispookie666 said:

Any update on this front. 
We have 5k stuck in this vouchers and have only 3 years left, cannot see what I can spend this on.

Wow!  5k is a record so far.  At the moment you should contact the following to let them know about your situation, explaining why you can't spend the vouchers, and asking for help:
- Your MP - ask them to raise this on your behalf in parliament and, with HMRC, and with the Department for Education.
- Your employer (or former employer, whoever issued you with the vouchers) - ask them to exchange the vouchers for cash (this will need to be subject to tax and NI).
- HMRC - MPs and individuals contacting them will start to put the pressure on.

Will contact my previous employer and see what can be done. Then MP and HMRC. 
DD moving to senior school has limited our options, other than boarding - there is nothing else the school takes and it's a definite NO for boarding from her🙄.  

Eassenav

Just to say I haven't had a any further response yet, I am not sure how long these things take. I still have no opportunity to spend our vouchers. 

I really hope that common sense can prevail and this doesn't get swept under the carpet.  If nothing else if we can get out money back it is some tax that the Government can claw back and I would have thought they would want that.

sheramber

This is likely to be a problem for many parents  who have not been able to use their vouchers. I know my son has reduced his to a minimum as he  has a  large stock which were used for breakfast club and after school club, both of which were cancelled due to covid.
It certainly needs to be looked at. The more people who raise it with their MP's, the better.

NewBornBaby

Eassenav said:

Just to say I haven't had a any further response yet, I am not sure how long these things take. I still have no opportunity to spend our vouchers. 

I really hope that common sense can prevail and this doesn't get swept under the carpet.  If nothing else if we can get out money back it is some tax that the Government can claw back and I would have thought they would want that.

Yes at the very least they could assess the potential revenue from this.  In theory it is already possible, that is probably what HMRC will argue in the first instance, but this leaves us at the mercy of employers and ex-employers - we need HMRC to issue new rules that make the individual the decision-maker.

NewBornBaby

sheramber said:

This is likely to be a problem for many parents  who have not been able to use their vouchers. I know my son has reduced his to a minimum as he  has a  large stock which were used for breakfast club and after school club, both of which were cancelled due to covid.
It certainly needs to be looked at. The more people who raise it with their MP's, the better.

Agreed.  Need to find a way of getting this message to a wider audience.

Eassenav

Still no response from my MP - I have put a post in the Covid forum to see if anyone else has any experience to share or ideas on how we can escalate this.

NewBornBaby

Eassenav said:

Still no response from my MP - I have put a post in the Covid forum to see if anyone else has any experience to share or ideas on how we can escalate this.

Thanks @Eassenav sounds like a good plan.  I am in touch with a journalist and want to see whether her offer to help is going to be of benefit.