gas, electric, water etc

[Helen79]

Sorry if this has been done loads of times or if there's a link to it that I've missed.

How do I work out what percentage of the bills to put as expenses?

Do I do it on how many hours a week I work? Do you class the time you have the mindees with you as your working hours or do you include any time used for paperwork?

Also do you put mortgage, council tax down?

It's my first year childminding so I'm a bit lost with all this.

dh is self employed & does all his tax returns himself but only has his wages & his only expense is petrol so he's not much help with it :rolleyes:

[sarah707]

This link is the best -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim52751.htm

[rickysmiths]

Sorry if this has been done loads of times or if there's a link to it that I've missed.

How do I work out what percentage of the bills to put as expenses?

Do I do it on how many hours a week I work? Do you class the time you have the mindees with you as your working hours or do you include any time used for paperwork?

Also do you put mortgage, council tax down?

It's my first year childminding so I'm a bit lost with all this.

dh is self employed & does all his tax returns himself but only has his wages & his only expense is petrol so he's not much help with it :rolleyes:

Were you given NCMA membership for your first year? If you were look in the front of the green Accounts book and it will give you all the percentages of things you can claim.
I do know though that you can't claim for your mortgage though. Also if you search through the threads on here there are very comprehensive lists of the expenses you can claim.

[Helen79]

Thanks for the link :)

I work 33 hours a week so how do I work out what percentage to use? I'm rubbish with maths.

Sorry for another question but do you go on contracted hours or the actual hours you worked? My mindees are contacted to 33 hours a week but some weeks will be with me for less if they are sick or on holiday.

[rickysmiths]

The NCMA Accounts says:

Full Time-40hrs or more per week heat and light 33%of costs
water rates 10% of costs
council tax/rent 10%of costs

Part-time 20hrs per week heat and light 17% of costs
water rates 5% of costs
council tax/rent 5% of costs


Between full-time & part-time
i.e. 30hrs per week heat and light 25% of costs
water rate 7% of costs
council tax/rent 7% of costs


Wear and Tear 10% whatever hours you work

I would say 33hrs comes in the between band of %
You can't add up all the hours you work with easch child.
For example if you have 2 children from 8-6 on a Mon and Tues you could only count that as 20hrs not 40hrs which would be what you were paid for.
Hope this helps
I have always gone on contracted hours, if a child is off sick you are still ready and prepared to work and the same if they go on holiday and you don't.

[Helen79]

So can you claim your household rent but not mortgage?

We're leasehold & pay 30pound a month as well as our mortgage to the management committee for building repairs & buildings insurance, will I add a percentage of that onto my expenses?

[rickysmiths]

No sorry you can't do that either its very unfair isn't it. I lived in a flat when I started minding until we moved into a house 5 years ago and I paid £250 a month and couldn't claim a penny.

No you can't claim for your mortgage.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

There is an option to claim some of your mortgage but you could get levied with capital gains when you sell.

I strongly advice help from an accountant on this or the IR as it could cost you a lot in the long run

[Jelly Baby]

Hi i do 21hrs with one mindee during the week and have another child with her on the thursday..does that come inot my 21 hrs? then i do school runs which tally up 2.5hrs there and the same back so 5 in total..so grand total is 26 hrs per week...how much % should i do now for bits and bobs below? thanks

[Lady Haha]

If you are working 33 hours a week that are just with the children, I would bump that up to 40 hours for full time to cover the time spent on paperwork, research on internet, errands etc you might do in connection with your business. I bet you are actually spending more time than this doing all that anyway! It will make it much easier for you to work out your expenses then!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

The NCMA Accounts says:

Full Time-40hrs or more per week heat and light 33%of costs
water rates 10% of costs
council tax/rent 10%of costs

Part-time 20hrs per week heat and light 17% of costs
water rates 5% of costs
council tax/rent 5% of costs


Between full-time & part-time
i.e. 30hrs per week heat and light 25% of costs
water rate 7% of costs
council tax/rent 7% of costs


Wear and Tear 10% whatever hours you work

I would say 33hrs comes in the between band of %
You can't add up all the hours you work with easch child.
For example if you have 2 children from 8-6 on a Mon and Tues you could only count that as 20hrs not 40hrs which would be what you were paid for.
Hope this helps
I have always gone on contracted hours, if a child is off sick you are still ready and prepared to work and the same if they go on holiday and you don't.

Wear and tear is 10% on your total income - sorry not hours worked