Journey time/hours worked query

I wonder if anyone can confirm whether we can claim time spent walking to school (to pick up) as 'working hours', when calculating expense percentages, or is this a really daft question?
If I have to leave the house at 3 in order to pick up at 3.30, and the child is collected at 5, I've worked for 2 hours that day and have been paid accordingly as these are contracted hours. However, I suspect that for the purpose of working out heating/lighting/water/council tax percentages, I'm only able to claim from the time we get home (and actually use said utilities) to the time children leave, which is a bit of a faff with totting up quarter hours and half hours etc according to the attendance register. Is this correct? I have a wobble over this every single year!

I always work mine out on my number of working hours in the week. So I am open for business from 7.30 am - 6.30 pm for 5 days in the week - definitly full time so I claim the maximum for gas/electric etc. If my hours go down I will adjust to part time, I think if less than 30 hours then it's classed as part time. This is how it used to be when I started childminding so if anyone knows different let me know please. p.s. I'm not only open for those hours I do actually have mindees here during those hours lol.

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Originally Posted by chris goodyear

I always work mine out on my number of working hours in the week. So I am open for business from 7.30 am - 6.30 pm for 5 days in the week - definitly full time so I claim the maximum for gas/electric etc. If my hours go down I will adjust to part time, I think if less than 30 hours then it's classed as part time. This is how it used to be when I started childminding so if anyone knows different let me know please. p.s. I'm not only open for those hours I do actually have mindees here during those hours lol.

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Thanks for your reply...My working hours will vary over the weeks, and I'll work out an average over the year , but just concerned if claiming for, say 2 contracted (working) hours every Monday when half an hour of that time was spent en route to school and not actually in the house and using any heating/lighting etc! I know it's small potatoes percentage wise, but it does all make a difference and I want to keep it as simple as possible and not fret about it anymore:)!!

I spend most of our days outdoors , in the forest or garden , but I still claim for those hours so I don’t see the school run as any different x

I charge from 3 pm when I leave the house to collect the children, if they leave at 5 pm it’s 2 hours charged.

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

I charge from 3 pm when I leave the house to collect the children, if they leave at 5 pm it’s 2 hours charged.

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Thank you all for your replies...I'm sure I've been over thinking it (as usual)! xx