Government childcare top up scheme

[Willow4987]

Hi

After some advice as calling the helpline has got me precisely no where

I’ve set up a standing order to go to the childcare 20% top up account for nursery fees

But it keeps bouncing back

The sort code and account number are correct and in the correct boxes

The 13 digit reference number I’ve put in the account name box - is this wrong?!

It’s the only thing I can think of as the helpline say the numbers are all correct and washed their hands of it. Saying it’s a bank issue (funny that it’s only this standing order I have an issue with though!)

[mindutopia]

Do you mean paying for nursery via the tax free childcare scheme? I have never paid via standing order or used a reference number.

But you can log into your account and just put your debit card in. It goes out pretty much automatically. If you haven’t logged into your account though and are just trying to pay via your bank’s standing order, you may need to log in and approve something on the other end. HMRC is known for being difficult like that.

[Willow4987]

Yes It’s the tax free childcare scheme.

I’ve logged into the account, got all of the info and it said I could set up a standing order with the info it provided. Which is what I’ve done

But it keeps bouncing back. The helpline have washed their hands of it which isn’t great

I’ve been putting it in manually now because I don’t want to miss the cut off to pay nursery but its just a pain as it means going in each month when I could just let the standing order do it for me

[Angeldust747]

I've just done it by standing order for the first time (it goes into the account much quicker than by card payment!) and had no issues. I'm with santander, which bank are you using? Maybe speak to them and see if it is a problem at their end?

[Kungfupanda67]

The 13 digit reference needs to go in the reference box, not the account name

[Willow4987]

@Kungfupanda67 what goes in the account name then?

[Kungfupanda67]

Either Tax free childcare or your child’s name? Payee name isn’t actually important for a transfer though, it’s the sort code and account number that gets it there, so it doesn’t really matter what you put

[NeedAnExpert]

what goes in the account name then?

The name of the account holder.

Eg J G Smith

[Helpmedecide123]

That will be why it's bouncing back - the electronic payment system will be trying to match the account holder name you put in with the actual legal owner of the account.

[Willow4987]

But it doesn’t say on the government website what to put in the account holder name at all....

Suppose I’ll have to ring them again and see if they can actually tell me or claim everything’s fine again

[NeedAnExpert]

That field is expecting letters, not numbers.

Have you never set up a standing order before? Have you tried putting the bank account holder’s name in? Why do you need to ring them?

[Willow4987]

@needanexpert

As I’ve said before, the information they give you to set the standing order up is only sort code, account number and reference. The account holder name is never given....which is why we’ve been ringing them to find it out

And yes I’ve set up multiple standing orders before. I do know how banks work but in this case they haven’t given me all the info so I was hoping someone on mumsnet might know what the generic account holder name is

[Willow4987]

@Kungfupanda67 this is what I thought...the sort code and account number are correct as per what they’ve told me to set it up to

@Angeldust747 I’m with Halifax. Did you put something generic in the account holder name box or did HMRC provide you with what to put in?

[NeedAnExpert]

As I’ve said before, the information they give you to set the standing order up is only sort code, account number and reference. The account holder name is never given....which is why we’ve been ringing them to find it out

Can you post what they’ve sent you? I can’t believe, with the millions of people using tax free childcare, that they routinely miss out a vital piece of information which requires all of those people to have to phone in.

[Willow4987]

@needanexpert no I can’t as there’s personal information on there. They’ve only sent sort code, account number and reference

[NeedAnExpert]

You can’t redact the personal information?

You’re making it quite hard to help you.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

Put your child’s or your name in the account name. It won’t stop your money reaching the account if all else is correct.

[mummyh2016]

Have you set up a standing order from your bank into the tax free childcare account, or just from the tax free childcare account into the nursery account? If so that's why it's not going through as the payment hasn't been moved into the tax free childcare account to start with. You have to set to two separate standing orders.

[Willow4987]

@mummyh2016 I’ve done both...one into the account (that isn’t working) and one out to nursery (that is working)

[Willow4987]

@NeedAnExpert no I can’t as it would be redacted as it’s full of personal bank information or names

[Rosebud1302]

@Willow4987

I am with Halifax and have had no problems. I was sent a reference number when I applied for the scheme which goes in reference. The payee I simply put as nursery. And obviously the account number and sort code is self explanatory.

[Willow4987]

@Rosebud1302 thanks! I’ll try that and keep my fingers crossed it works next month. If not I’m out of ideas

[Rosebud1302]

@Willow4987 I can't see why it wouldn't work! Just going back through again and pretending to set up a new standing order, it was in the "payee's name" that I simply put "nursery" and then the next page (this is on the mobile app) it said reference which is where I put his unique number. Fingers crossed it works!

[Willow4987]

@Rosebud1302 thanks so much! I’ll try the same and see if it works

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

It’s also literally what everyone else said to do

[rottiemum88]

Just checked and the account name I've used is DS's name, as it's shown in the letter.