Childcare before registration? !

[sab]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself as I have been lurking for several weeks now. My name is Sab and im currently doing my childminding course and will have done all my training by the end of March, then just need to wait for Ofsteds visit.

I have been asked to look after a 3year old for less than 2 hours a day, after school mon-fri, from april 28th, which as it is less than 2 hours is fine, but would I be able to charge for that if im not yet registered??

[hectors house]

I think you can do less than 2 hours and charge for it - I would still make sure that you have everything else in place ie: first aid, safeguarding, public liability insurance, notified house & buildings insurers, updated your car insurance to cover business use.

Make sure you don't go over 2 hours with each child - so if you had child A for an hour before school and then 2 hours after school that is 3 hours in total. If you have child A for an hour before school and a different child (child B) after school for 2 hours that is fine - it isn't based on how many hours childminding you do, it is based on how many hours each day each child is with you. - Hope that makes sense? I found this out when I tried to report an illegal childminder who pinched one of my school aged children from me - she claimed that it was different children in the morning to the afternoon and she didn't childmind any younger ones in between!

[bunyip]

IIUC, Hectors House is correct.

You may struggle to find suitable insurance.

To keep it all above board, the income should be declared for tax/NI. Maybe a grey area, cos you are self-employed once you start receiving money, but cannot really describe yourself as a CM. If you fail to register as self-employed within a certain time period, HMRC can impose a fine. Contact HMRC for advice.