Childcare voucher information please!

[Cazz]

I've got someone who may be interested in spaces for her 2 children and she's asked me if I would accept childcare vouchers (her current childminder refuses to take anything other than a cheque).

I've never had anyone wanting to pay like this before and being a relatively new childminder I don't know anything about how the scheme works.

Is it easy to set up and do the parents give you vouchers or is the money just paid straight into your bank account without anything physically changing hands?

How does it work if the fees are not the same each month (ie holidays etc)?

Finally, would you advise saying yes to childcare vouchers? Is it a reliable method of payment or could it cause lots of hassle?

Thanks for your help - she's waiting to hear back from me!

[mayberry]

Very easy to set up I’ve had no problems with the vouchers myself I was paid monthly straight into my bank account. You will have a letter from then telling you how to set it up good luck. Lots of parent can claim, Why lose income because of vouchers because you don’t except them?
Sorry I can't say about different payment each month as I get the same each month.

Dawn xx

[Penny1959]

Agree with Dawn - no problems

Re different payment each month - can be done - but mine used to get same amount each month and then top up with cash.

Not used recently so do not have up to date info - sure someone will be along later who is using them at the moment

Penny

[angeldelight]

I agree I have never had a problem with them

There is a thread here with more information - also if you go through this area of the forum there are lots of threads about them so have a read.

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...dcare+vouchers

You need to register first

Busy Bees is popular here is the link so you can read about them

http://www.busybeesbenefits.com/

Good luck hope you get the job

Angel xx

[miffy]

It's easy to register for the vouchers but you will need to know which company the parents employer uses, there are lots of them.

You can receive different amounts each month, parent has to authorise payment and then the money goes directly into your bank account on the chosen date.

It can be a selling point for parents if you accept these payments as they are saving tax and NI contributions on the money

Miffy xx

[AliceK]

All my parents pay via childcare vouchers and all different companies. It's really easy to set yourself up and then the parent just transfers the money to the voucher company and then it goes into your bank account. It does take 2 / 3 days from when the parent authorises the payment for it to hit your bank though. The max amount a parent can use in vouchers in £273 per month although both mum and dad could use it so they could both pay £273 each if they wanted but if the invoice is more than that my parents just pay the rest to me in the usual way. I have so far not seen any downside to accepting the vouchers so if it helps the parents then go for it.

xxxxxx

[Cazz]

Thanks for your help - it all sounds okay so I will tell her that I can accept vouchers and as you say it may be a selling point for me and lead to some more work - fingers crossed!

[caz3007]

I like being paid in vouchers, as had no problem with it. I invoice a week before the end of the month and then parents ok the amount and it going into my account in due course. It is dependant on the parent oking it, so make it clear from the start how long it takes to hit your account and that its the parents responsibility to make sure its there on the pay date

[teacake2]

One parent I had used to have hers send to her in a book, looked a bit like travellers cheques, when she was due to pay me she gave me the amount owed, she had to sign them and I did also, but I then just had to ring up and give the company the details off the vouchers and the money would be in my bank the next day, I then sent the signed vouchers to the company in a sae and kept the counterfoil part for myself. I sent them because parent always used to forget.
This worked well for both of us.
I can't remember the company offhand, and I have not had the family with me for a few years now.
I think it was Accor but not sure.
Teacake2