Tax credits

**gemma659353** · 30-01-2015, 05:24 PM

Hi I have a parent asking how tax credits work with a childminder, I haven't got a clue any advise welcomed.

**moggy** · 30-01-2015, 05:29 PM

CM is an Ofsted registered setting like any other, makes no difference to how they make their claim if it is a nursery or CM.

Direct them to: https://www.gov.uk/childcare-tax-credits/what-you-get
a...nd then leave it to them, we do not need to get involved. Your contract is still with parents, if they get money back via tax credits then that is their business, parents still pay you as normal.

**gemma659353** · 18-02-2015, 10:29 PM

Have you ever had a parent say about the gov paying me directly?

**loocyloo** · 18-02-2015, 10:41 PM

We don't get paid directly for tax credits regardless of what the parent says!
Tax credits pays up to 70% of parents fees.

Simona · 19-02-2015, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by gemma659353

Have you ever had a parent say about the gov paying me directly?

It may be that parent is thinking ahead to the new Tax Free Childcare?...that scheme is not effective yet

Parents on tax credit may need additional information....their fees should not be late and Tax credits blamed as the reason

good luck

**bunyip** · 19-02-2015, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

It may be that parent is thinking ahead to the new Tax Free Childcare?...that scheme is not effective yet

Parents on tax credit may need additional information....their fees should not be late and Tax credits blamed as the reason

good luck

Could be that, or maybe the parent is confusing it with the "15 hours'"* "free"** "childcare"***. So many schemes running, it's not surprising parents are confused.

By the same token, there's so many schemes running it is surprising they can still moan about "the high cost of childcare."

Footnotes:-

* It's not 15 hours. It's only paid for 38 weeks of the year, so it averages out at slightly less than 11 hours and 15 minutes per week.

** It's not free. It's being subsidised by the 1000's of CMs who get paid below our proper rates.

*** It's not childcare, because they only pay it to settings providing "education"**** and jumping through all sorts of hoops to do so.

**** Whatever "education" is supposed to mean these days.

(Oh dear, I just got wound up and fell off my soapbox - ouch.)