TAX CREDIT PAYMENT QUESTION CAN ANYONE HELP ...

[jacqui 1528]

hiya , ive just recently registered as a childminder. i have a potential contract but im unsure of how to work out payments. theres two children . 1st child is straight forward hes 4 hours aday mon-fri but the 2nd child is needing care holiday time only . so both kids will be with me 6 hours during holidays . does the parent inform tax credits nearer the time about holiday cover or does she have to let them know holidays when she phones them up etc?? . someone suggested about charging a basic amount each week for the 2nd child but how on earth would i work that out ? its so confusing . any assistance would be great,. thankyou in advance x :blush:

[rosebud]

I would charge for the first child as usual and then ask the parent to pay for holiday hours booked for the second child at the time of booking. The parent really needs to ring tax credits herself and ask them the question as they seem to do it differently for different people. Sometimes they total the full amount for the year and then average out the payments but other times they make extra payments for holiday only care so she really needs to speak with them herself.

[sharonmanc]

For tax credits, I would expect payment as normal from the parent for the care she uses. Tax credits work out yoru childcare based on a weekly average, so she coudl add up the fees for the year then devide by 52 to give her a weekly total of what she pays for childcare, and give them this figure or she could give them the weekly figure for the first child, the call up tax credits during holidays and give the new figure for those weeks, and then at the end of the holidays inform them of the change again.