HELP! REFUNDING VIA TAX FREE CHILDCARE!

**loocyloo** · 12-01-2023, 07:59 PM

HELP! ...

so a new parent, who is only with me for a few months, has managed to pay me twice using their tax free childcare account... no worries, I was just going to carry the payment over to the next month ... and NOW, they are going to start using the funded hours as well, which, even with a session fee, is unlikely to use up all of the monies they have already paid!

so, I need to sort out a refund. Tax free childcare website says that i need the parents 'code' and must refund from original bank account, back to childcare account ... BUT THAT IS ALL !!! and any queries to contact 'customer services' on a 0300 number (that i can't find an alternative for!) and will probably be on hold for eons!

But to make any payment from my bank account, I need an account number/sort code!

HELP!

**loocyloo** · 12-01-2023, 09:03 PM

Ah ha ...

https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/...are-providers/

Page 9 ... explains what you need and gives you bank details.

Thank goodness for a childminder friend who knew what to do

**Pixie dust** · 13-01-2023, 08:40 AM

Morning glad you got it sorted.

**loocyloo** · 13-01-2023, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Pixie dust

Morning glad you got it sorted.

Thank you .... I haven't actually refunded yet ... awaiting a reference number from dad but fingers crossed!

**Mouse** · 15-01-2023, 06:36 PM

They want us to encourage parents to use tax free childcare, but then make it so difficult to use.

One of my mums has had a real problem setting up payments. First of all she couldn't find me on the system and had to phone up to add me to her account. Now she's made a payment that's left her account but hasn't reached mine. Goodness knows where it is

**loocyloo** · 15-01-2023, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

They want us to encourage parents to use tax free childcare, but then make it so difficult to use.

One of my mums has had a real problem setting up payments. First of all she couldn't find me on the system and had to phone up to add me to her account. Now she's made a payment that's left her account but hasn't reached mine. Goodness knows where it is

So ... the reference numbers that they want ... I can't find them .... parents can't find them either! ... Dad is an accountant and used to dealing with HMRC, but says this is crazy!

**loocyloo** · 18-01-2023, 03:57 PM

FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

so .... the reference number that is needed is the child's ref number ... so Fred Smith would be ... FSMI12345 and then you add TFC at the end ....

ALL done, all sorted ... all refunded

10 hrs later ... tax free childcare REPAY ME the amount I refunded !!! it appears they did it ALL BY THEMSELVES without anyone authorising it

.

I've now decided that I'm not going to refund it, and the parents will have to use it up ( which is a FAFF for me each month working out what they have paid, and how much is left ) and IF there is any left at the end when they leave ... then we'll attempt to sort it out then !!!