Charging for Transporting children

[mumofone]

If you have any requests for transporting children (that are outside of your regular school run) in the car how do you charge for petrol costs? Ie. Taking a child to a club, Do you do it using HMRC guidelines (45p a mile I think) and is this in addition to the hourly rate you are already charging. Just wondered how this would work so you don't end up out of pocket? Any advice gratefully received! :-)

[Kiddleywinks]

That would make you a taxi service - for which you would need a licence
If you have a minimum charge for care, you could charge that, you then don't need a taxi licence




Daft I know, but thems the rules lol :-)

[Simona]

If you have any requests for transporting children (that are outside of your regular school run) in the car how do you charge for petrol costs? Ie. Taking a child to a club, Do you do it using HMRC guidelines (45p a mile I think) and is this in addition to the hourly rate you are already charging. Just wondered how this would work so you don't end up out of pocket? Any advice gratefully received! :-)

When you say 'outside of your school run' do you mean 'within the hours you are contracted'?
For instance a parent may ask you to drive their child to a session they have organised and then pick up later?....lots of issues to consider there

[mumofone]

When you say 'outside of your school run' do you mean 'within the hours you are contracted'? For instance a parent may ask you to drive their child to a session they have organised and then pick up later?....lots of issues to consider there

Hi Simona, yes this would be within their contracted hours and I would just have my own child with me so no other children to consider initially (obviously this may change and then I would reassess the situation). Yep it's pick up from a sports activity on an occasional day (just in the school holiday though so by no means not a regular thing)....

[moggy]

If it suited my routine/setting I would do it as part of my standard hourly fees, like any other activity/cost.

So you are picking up this child from a sports club in the holidays and then looking after them? I would start my fee charging from when you leave the house to pick up (although register will start from you actually have the child) so that would help cover petrol cost anyway (is it a long journey?).

But, be very clear on things like- the sports club need parents' permission to hand child to you, what if child needs collecting early (ill/injury etc)? etc.

[Simona]

Hi Simona, yes this would be within their contracted hours and I would just have my own child with me so no other children to consider initially (obviously this may change and then I would reassess the situation). Yep it's pick up from a sports activity on an occasional day (just in the school holiday though so by no means not a regular thing)....

Yes...I would suggest you give it a try for a while and review but be careful if the child is contracted with you you should charge even if the parents have decided to use another facility as you are available and cannot give that space to anyone else
Think about the c/vouchers if used...will the parents want to use them with the club?are you on call in case of an emergency?
For Ofsted you need to prove that this service does not affect the care of the young ones and disrupt their routine

I was once asked to accommodate a child's swimming lessons during the holidays...it totally spoilt our day and outings.....never again!

[mumofone]

Any other thoughts on this anyone, wondered if anyone charges for petrol if picking up a child from somewhere that's outside of your normal routine?

[tulip0803]

If you charge a parent the mileage of journeys you could be deemed a taxi as you are driving for hire and reward. This would only be a problem if :
A) the local council found out and they could insist on you registering as a taxi
B) something happened and you needed to claim on your car insurance you could find you are not insured as you haven't declared it.

Both have been stated to happen in the world of childminding. To me it's not worth the risk - I include them in my fees and put through my accounts at 45p a mile. I once had a collection from a school that I do not normally do so I included the cost of collection in the after school session price - there was no mention on the contract about mileage it was just a session rate (was a 14 mile round trip)IYSWIM. Most collections/drop offs are local so I don't charge parents more than my normal rate.


A local pub had to stop collecting pensioners for an OAP lunch as the council deemed they were doing it for hire and reward and the council was
insisting they registered as a taxi. But someone not paid by the pub could volunteer to take people as then it is a favour not hire and reward!

[Simona]

Any other thoughts on this anyone, wondered if anyone charges for petrol if picking up a child from somewhere that's outside of your normal routine?

For business purposes you charge a fee to parents...that fee must cover your expenses...which in turn you can claim via your accounts....and reward you for your services

I don't think I have ever heard of cms charging parents for petrol...what would you charge them? the real cost of petrol or 45p? not all cms claim petrol that way
What you want to do seems a bit complicated if the travel is part of the contracted hours?...up to you to decide

[hectors house]

I agree that I would charge normally hourly rate from when I left home to when I returned home, so when picking up a mindee from a village school 3 miles away, I used to leave home at 8.30 (to get a parking space) get back home at 9.15 and similar in the afternoon. I didn't charge for the petrol - if it had been any further away than 3 miles I wouldn't have done it. Maybe you could find another way of charging for petrol indirectly by having a minimum hours contract.

[Ripeberry]

Easier to put the extra mileage down as expenses. Anything to reduce the tax bill