say care vouchers

[Bluebell]

Hi does anyone use the say care vouchers? Have a mum who has started using me but not sorted the vouchers - I was going to go online and register with them but she says i have to sign an invitation from her?
Also parents are shift workers so amounts owed will change weekly - how does this work with vouchers? does the mum tell them what is owed or does the vouchers need to be a set amount each week?
Any advice appreciated x

[Bridey]

As far as I recall with voucher schemes (I'm a member of several but joined them all some years ago) - they will approach you and ask you to sign a form and send it back.

The parent sorts out how much they pay you. There is a cap on how much she can claim anyway so she may need to top you up out of her own pocket. They take the money out of her wages and place it in a seperate 'account' - she then electronically draws the money she needs from this account - either via her bank or by handing you a paper voucher - and pays you what she owes. Any left over stays in her 'account' for next time.

The paper voucher comes with a phone number and a code. You ring the number, press the code and they pay the money into your bank account. Its very easy.

She mustn't overpay you - you cannot hand refunds back to her. This is tax fraud. Any overpayment must be sent back to the voucher scheme company or be balanced by the next payment.

These can take some time to set up and start to work smoothly. You need to make sure the parent knows that SHE is responsible for paying you on time and that if the voucher company hasn't got things together SHE must still pay you - you cannot be expected to wait.

[miffy]

I'm not sure about an invitation from mum, I was under the impression you could register with any voucher company you wanted although it makes sense to wait until you have a parent who is using the company.

The maximum amount parents can set aside for childcare each month through vouchers is £243 for each parent - the amounts they pay over to you can vary, I invoice parents and then they authorise the payment from the voucher company but as it takes 3 to 4 days for payment to reach my bank account you just need to make sure you give them the invoice in plenty of time.

Hth's

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

I'm not sure about an invitation from mum, I was under the impression you could register with any voucher company you wanted although it makes sense to wait until you have a parent who is using the company.

The maximum amount parents can set aside for childcare each month through vouchers is £243 for each parent - the amounts they pay over to you can vary, I invoice parents and then they authorise the payment from the voucher company but as it takes 3 to 4 days for payment to reach my bank account you just need to make sure you give them the invoice in plenty of time.

Hth's

Miffy xx

Unless they are 40% Tax payers and then the max is £124 per month

[miffy]

Unless they are 40% Tax payers and then the max is £124 per month

Cheers Ricky, forgot that bit - never likely to affect me! :laughing:

Miffy xx

[MaffAnna]

Lots of good advice already, but just to say I accept SayCare and have always found them really good. Registered with them quickly and always paid on time!