Ending Self Employment?

[Rubybaby]

Hello all,
To cut a long story short, mindees parent's are soon to be emigrating, and with no others on the horizon, I'll be forced to sign on and look for paid work as I will have no income.
I'm assuming that you can't claim anything if self-employed, and expect to be relinquishing my self employed status as soon as the contract with the parents ends.
I just wondered if anyone else had been in this position?
Also, if a miracle happened and I was able to return to minding at a later stage, how easy/difficult is it to switch back from unemployed to self employed, with all the tax/NI implications etc, or is it possible to be both employed and self employed at the same time? eg minding 2 days a week, and working for an employer 3 days a week?

Sorry if this is a bit incoherent...has all been a bit of a shock!
Any advice or comments would be very welcome x

[teacakepenguin]

Not the same, but I'm partly child minding and partly employed, as I do 9 hours child minding and 7 hours in the local shop at the moment.

However I haven't got my head around anything I'm doing financially yet so I'm no help at all really, but I understand it should be fine.

I hope you find some more mindees soon, sorry to hear you are losing them
Jx

[MrAnchovy]

Also, if a miracle happened and I was able to return to minding at a later stage, how easy/difficult is it to switch back from unemployed to self employed, with all the tax/NI implications etc, or is it possible to be both employed and self employed at the same time? eg minding 2 days a week, and working for an employer 3 days a week?

Yes it is possible to be both employed and self employed at the same time, it is also possible to be self employed and available and looking for work, but only time spent in employment qualifies you for contribution-based job seekers allowance.

[Becci26]

If I were you I would keep my registration with ofsted open, u just need to inform them that u currently have no mindees on roll.
U will need to keep insurance/ first aid up to date so as not to breach your registration, but it will be much easier to come back to minding.
If u deregister my understanding is that u have to go through the whole registration process again Hth

[MrAnchovy]

If I were you I would keep my registration with ofsted open, u just need to inform them that u currently have no mindees on roll.
U will need to keep insurance/ first aid up to date so as not to breach your registration, but it will be much easier to come back to minding.
If u deregister my understanding is that u have to go through the whole registration process again Hth

You only need to have insurance in place to cover childminding activities; if you are not doing any childminding you don't need any insurance.

[Becci26]

My understanding is that u have to keep ur public liability insurance going so as not to breach your registration regardless if whether u are actively minding?
Is this not correct?
There was a thread recently about it too which I thought said the same, perhaps I am mistaken.

[Tazmin68]

Hi

It is an ofsted requirement that insurance is upto date even if you are not minding for example on maternity break. So insurance does till have to be paid.

[MrAnchovy]

My understanding is that u have to keep ur public liability insurance going so as not to breach your registration regardless if whether u are actively minding?
Is this not correct?
There was a thread recently about it too which I thought said the same, perhaps I am mistaken.

This is apparently what some Ofsted staff have said; I think childminders are increasingly coming to realise that what Ofsted tell them is not always correct.

[MrAnchovy]

To be clear, the requirement is that "Childminders and home childcarers must be covered by their own insurance in respect of liability which may be incurred for death, injury, public liability, damage or other loss". While you are not childminding (or carrying on any other business) your normal home insurance covers you for these losses.

[Ripeberry]

I always though you had to only keep your Ofsted fee paid up. As Mr Anchovy said, why would we need insurance if no-one is being minded? For the OP, I would keep your registration going as things could change and yes you can be self-employed and employed. At one time I was childminding and had two jobs (P/T) on the go.
Hope things improve for you soon

[Dilly Daydream]

I have mentioned pli on another thread. I am going on maternity leave soon taking the full 9 months off. I questioned pli with ofsted as mine is due for renewal whilst I am off and was told by ofsted if I was found not to have pli whilst I was off I could be struck off the registers. I argued my point that I would not even consider seeing prospective families until Jan 14 but was told I must keep pli continuous. I was told this only 3 weeks ago?! X

[Rubybaby]

I have mentioned pli on another thread. I am going on maternity leave soon taking the full 9 months off. I questioned pli with ofsted as mine is due for renewal whilst I am off and was told by ofsted if I was found not to have pli whilst I was off I could be struck off the registers. I argued my point that I would not even consider seeing prospective families until Jan 14 but was told I must keep pli continuous. I was told this only 3 weeks ago?! X

Oh dear, I think I've caused a bit of confusion here...(the last thing we all need right now!)
Thank you all for the kind wishes and advice though:I've renewed my reg already this year, and will have a month or so from now until mindee leaves and pli comes up for renewal, during which time there may or may not be prospective mindees. Either way, I need a source of income until one arrives, so I'm now wondering if it's possible to suspend pli payment (if I manage to find paid employment in the meantime),resume it if a mindee turns up,tell Ofsted I have no children on roll, and keep my NI contributions as a self employed person going ?
On the other hand, I really don't want to abandon minding completely, but might have to !!

[MrAnchovy]

You won't get Ofsted to agree that you don't need Public Liability Insurance.

Check the terms of your home contents insurance - here is an extract from Direct Line's standard terms:

We will pay all amounts you, or any member of your family, become
legally liable for as a result of living in your home, or for any other reason,
as a result of
a) accidental death of or bodily injury to any person; or
b) accidental loss of or damage to property;
caused during the period of insurance shown in the schedule.
But not liability for
i) death of or bodily injury to any member of your family or your
domestic staff
ii) damage to property belonging to or in the custody or control
of you, your family or domestic staff; or
iii) claims arising from the following
...
2) Any profession, business or employment.

So you should find that unless you are carrying on any profession, business or employment (i.e. childminding) you are covered for public liability.

You can get childminder cover for £44 a year so it is not a huge expense, but as a point of principle you should not be forced by bureaucratic inertia into spending any money for insurance that only covers you for something you aren't doing.

Unless you are going to end self employment, or your profits for 2013/14 are going to be less than £5,725 you need to continue paying Class 2 NI. If you are not eligible for Child Benefit for a child under 12 this is important for your basic state pension anyway, plus it entitles you to maternity allowance and some other benefits.

[Dilly Daydream]

Thanks Mr A - I did argue with Ofsted that I thought it was unfair and pointless. Just got standard answer of "it is a requirement of your registration which may be at risk if you are found not to comply"

I am going away now to consider my return to work options after mat leave. Not sure I am coming back to minding so far my experience hasnt been pleasant and I hate being dictated to!

Max - good luck with your future, hope you find work in whatever you decide you want to do or another mindee turns up xx

[Rubybaby]

Thanks Mr A - I did argue with Ofsted that I thought it was unfair and pointless. Just got standard answer of "it is a requirement of your registration which may be at risk if you are found not to comply"

I am going away now to consider my return to work options after mat leave. Not sure I am coming back to minding so far my experience hasnt been pleasant and I hate being dictated to!

Max - good luck with your future, hope you find work in whatever you decide you want to do or another mindee turns up xx

Thanks again for your advice Mr A...I feel a bit more confident now that I'm aware of the official position, and will see what happens over the next couple of months, keeping all options open if I can.
Helen - Thanks for the good wishes and so sorry you've had a rough ride... hope things work out for you, too x

[littlemiss60561]

Hi ,Personally I would keep my reg up with ofsted unless I knew for definite I wouldn't want to go back to it. When I went off on mat leave I also took the whole 9 months ( lucky I know ) and when I spoke to ncma they put a freeze on my insurance and membership as I didn't need it.
Something that Might be worth thinking about is on your cv , if you stop minding you will have a gap in employment. Might be best to have minding as ongoing?
Good luck with your decision x

[Dilly Daydream]

Hi ,Personally I would keep my reg up with ofsted unless I knew for definite I wouldn't want to go back to it. When I went off on mat leave I also took the whole 9 months ( lucky I know ) and when I spoke to ncma they put a freeze on my insurance and membership as I didn't need it.
Something that Might be worth thinking about is on your cv , if you stop minding you will have a gap in employment. Might be best to have minding as ongoing?
Good luck with your decision x

Thanks for that nugget of info I will give them a ring tomorrow and see what they say. Would be nice to keep my options open - I may feel I want to return after a break. The less it costs me to do that whilst I am off the better ;-)

[rickysmiths]

You only need to have insurance in place to cover childminding activities; if you are not doing any childminding you don't need any insurance.

Yes you do. It is a requirement of your Registration with Ofsted that you have PLI and it is required under the Statutory part of EYFS. It does not matter if you have no children on your books if you are Registered you must have PLI.

You are covering your childminding business, which by maintaining your Registration you are still running.

You might find if you did not have it and a parent came to you for an interview to use your services when you maternity leave had finished and they had an accident, you would not be covered by your own Home Insurance because this parent would have only have been on your property with regard to your business as a childminder, it would not be regarded as a friend on a personal visit.

Is it worth the risk for at most £44 or for as little as £22???