charging for food

**hollyoaksmad** · 28-02-2009, 04:50 PM

Im not registerd yet but just av a question
Do any of you charge extra for your meals that you give the children?I was thinking of charging around £1.50 extra

I heard that you can claim back on taxes some how but dont know how?

And is anyone getting free milk in their childcare settings as i have a letter about this but dont know if it will actually happen.

**singlewiththree** · 28-02-2009, 04:57 PM

I include the food in my prices and most of the childminders around here do too. Some ask for packed lunches but the majority offer food in with the price. Its £9 a week for school meals so if I was going to charge I would do that £1.70 a day and 50p for a snack.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 28-02-2009, 05:11 PM

I charge £2 per meal dinner/lunch/tea and £1 for breakfast with snacks at no charge. To claim back my expenses I take my food bill each week and divide it by the amount of children I have in my care and my own family and then multiply the amount by the amount of childminded children. Before workiing this out I take out all cost for only the family - beer/wine/clothes etc.. If there are any for the childminding I take these off to and put 100% through.

i.e. family of 4 plus 8 minded children would be £150 shopping divided by 12 and multipled by 8

Register for the milk as you can back claim to that date and it is definately worth it. They have started on line claiming too so it can be done monthly.

**hollyoaksmad** · 28-02-2009, 05:23 PM

thanx- sounds very complicated debbie but im sure u get used to dividing all of that im not very good at maths lol

so parents dont mind you charging extra for the food?

**mushpea** · 28-02-2009, 08:00 PM

i have been told by the tax office that you cant both charge parents for food and claim it back at the same time so i opted to put it through my books as i feel i can claim more back then i would like to charge the parents.

**rickysmiths** · 28-02-2009, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by mushpea

i have been told by the tax office that you cant both charge parents for food and claim it back at the same time so i opted to put it through my books as i feel i can claim more back then i would like to charge the parents.

Thats odd because I would have thought that what you charge the parents for food would be added to your income so the cost of buying the food is a claimable expense.

I include food in my hourly rates, always have most people round here do as well I think.

**sammy** · 28-02-2009, 11:01 PM

i dont charge the parents extra for food, but ive worked it out to be £2 per meal thats breakfast, lunch and dinner - this also includes fruit/snacks and drinks, sweets etc. so £6 a day if full time.

i have kept my food reciepts but cant be bothered with dividing between everyone so i just put down on my accounts £2 per meal.

**janey81** · 28-02-2009, 11:04 PM

I include food on my charges as I find it easier, I try to keep the receipts and put it down against my expenses.

Jane

**beerheaven** · 28-02-2009, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

I charge £2 per meal dinner/lunch/tea and £1 for breakfast with snacks at no charge. To claim back my expenses I take my food bill each week and divide it by the amount of children I have in my care and my own family and then multiply the amount by the amount of childminded children. Before workiing this out I take out all cost for only the family - beer/wine/clothes etc.. If there are any for the childminding I take these off to and put 100% through.

i.e. family of 4 plus 8 minded children would be £150 shopping divided by 12 and multipled by 8

Register for the milk as you can back claim to that date and it is definately worth it. They have started on line claiming too so it can be done monthly.

That's exactly how I work out my weekly food expenses!!
Find it pretty easy to do now!

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 01-03-2009, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by sammy

i dont charge the parents extra for food, but ive worked it out to be £2 per meal thats breakfast, lunch and dinner - this also includes fruit/snacks and drinks, sweets etc. so £6 a day if full time.

i have kept my food reciepts but cant be bothered with dividing between everyone so i just put down on my accounts £2 per meal.

As long as it can be justified if the IR audit you are fine.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 01-03-2009, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by mushpea

i have been told by the tax office that you cant both charge parents for food and claim it back at the same time so i opted to put it through my books as i feel i can claim more back then i would like to charge the parents.

This cannot be right. If you are charging you can claim the expenses. it is no different from claiming expenses such as toddlers when you go out as the money paid by the parents is paying for this.

Add the food onto the total income and you can claim 10% wear and tear (from the mouths at IR). Then claim the expense to cover the service you provide - i.e. food

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 01-03-2009, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by liljt1987

thanx- sounds very complicated debbie but im sure u get used to dividing all of that im not very good at maths lol

so parents dont mind you charging extra for the food?

It isn't hard and you include all the children you look after in a week that has food (snack is food so I include all of mine).

I give my parents the choice:

If you don't want to include food then offer them food at a higher rate and if you are happy doing food off them food at a lower ate - easy peasy!

If you get stuck, pm me anytime

**peanuts** · 01-03-2009, 06:35 AM

mine is included in my fee, but thinking of changing it as i geve tea to a family of 2 every night.

**sammy** · 01-03-2009, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

This cannot be right. If you are charging you can claim the expenses. it is no different from claiming expenses such as toddlers when you go out as the money paid by the parents is paying for this.

Add the food onto the total income and you can claim 10% wear and tear (from the mouths at IR). Then claim the expense to cover the service you provide - i.e. food

how can you claim for wear and tear on food - just interested?