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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think Busy Bees charging £4 per payment for parents who pay via Tax-Free Childcare outside their app is outrageous?

32 replies

DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 12:10

Busy Bees (390+ nurseries, UK's biggest chain) have told parents that from 1 April, all payments must go through the Busy Bees App. If you don't use the app, you get charged £4 per payment.

We pay via HMRC's Tax-Free Childcare scheme directly. That's how the government designed the system to work. But Busy Bees say paying that way means it "is not being made correctly" and now want to charge us extra for doing it.

The app doesn't just handle payments. It also processes child observations, messaging and account management. So the only way to avoid the charge is to consent to all of that. I don't want to link my government TFC account to a third-party app with poor reviews just to avoid a penalty.

I raised a formal complaint with head office. They defended it as covering "manual reconciliation" costs, but every TFC payment already includes a unique HMRC reference. They wouldn't give any detail when I asked about their data protection impact assessment.

I've filed with the ICO and Trading Standards. We're leaving early because of this head office policy. Other parents at our branch are doing the same.
Anyone else at Busy Bees been hit with this? Is it happening at other branches too?

OP posts:
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Offherrockingchair · 25/03/2026 20:26

BookArt55 · 25/03/2026 14:48

Been with Busy Bees for almost 7 years and the last year I've been raging with them
-stopped term time only place with less than half a terms notice
-was put down for funded place and then then withdrew it at the last minute
-this week the billing went wrong so some parents at my nursery's bills have almost doubled
-graduation last year was at first cancelled to every other year due to yhe additional needs of some of the children... but none of the parents were asked to support, which they would have. Then we all got a Head Office survey and we all said how upsetting it was that it had been canceled, so rather than a play and ceremony it was just a ceremony, which took place during the first week of the summer holiday. Given less than two week's notice. So many had to miss it due to holidays.
-head office never answer a question straight, always around the houses or not at all

My son leaves in July- anyone else here whose child is leaving, make sure you give notice! It is in the terms abd conditions of your contract

Oh and the new contracts going out now say the 30hours funding goes across the year... so if you leave before the year is up you lose that funding! Read the fine print, it has changed a lot!

The funding allocation is wrong, that can be challenged.

Cat3rpillar7 · 25/03/2026 18:17

DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:29

Thank you! Also - whaaat? you can opt out?? How??

Show quote history

If you give four weeks notice, you can opt out of those weeks!

I only know because everyone was moaning about the April invoice - didn't understand why it was so much more - and then our new manager said, as you were told last year, you can opt out. Cue everyone asking to remove their children for that week despite being less than 4 weeks because we weren't told! Currently waiting to see an amended invoice...

CoffeeCup14 · 25/03/2026 16:53

I've never used them but they sound awful.

It is much easier if everyone pays for something using your preferred method (I work in finance/accounting) and managing payments outside that can be inconvenient and have additional costs. This kind of fee is one way to encourage people to use your preferred method of payment (I remember when you often used to get charged a fee to pay with a credit card) but most companies would prefer to suck it up so as not to lose customers

Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 15:11

BookArt55 · 25/03/2026 14:48

Been with Busy Bees for almost 7 years and the last year I've been raging with them
-stopped term time only place with less than half a terms notice
-was put down for funded place and then then withdrew it at the last minute
-this week the billing went wrong so some parents at my nursery's bills have almost doubled
-graduation last year was at first cancelled to every other year due to yhe additional needs of some of the children... but none of the parents were asked to support, which they would have. Then we all got a Head Office survey and we all said how upsetting it was that it had been canceled, so rather than a play and ceremony it was just a ceremony, which took place during the first week of the summer holiday. Given less than two week's notice. So many had to miss it due to holidays.
-head office never answer a question straight, always around the houses or not at all

My son leaves in July- anyone else here whose child is leaving, make sure you give notice! It is in the terms abd conditions of your contract

Oh and the new contracts going out now say the 30hours funding goes across the year... so if you leave before the year is up you lose that funding! Read the fine print, it has changed a lot!

Check this out too - it will boil your blood

"Busy Bees is being named and shamed by the government for underpaying 9,056 of their own staff by £485,374 across 2023-2024. They topped the list for number of workers affected and were fourth overall for total amount owed. They called them "inadvertent errors."

a company owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, pulling in £86M EBITDA, underpaid nine thousand of its own nursery workers, and is now charging parents £4 a pop for the crime of using a government payment system correctly. While their head of "Order to Cash" works evenings defending revenue policies and dodging GDPR questions."

and yeah, let's get more money from parents - someone's gotta pay for all the top tier bonuses!

OP posts:
Denim4ever · 25/03/2026 14:57

Direct debit is the sensible way to pay, payment via an app is something no accountant would describe as best practice. I'd be most annoyed if they charged extra for that method. Sorry this doesn't address your query op

BookArt55 · 25/03/2026 14:48

Been with Busy Bees for almost 7 years and the last year I've been raging with them
-stopped term time only place with less than half a terms notice
-was put down for funded place and then then withdrew it at the last minute
-this week the billing went wrong so some parents at my nursery's bills have almost doubled
-graduation last year was at first cancelled to every other year due to yhe additional needs of some of the children... but none of the parents were asked to support, which they would have. Then we all got a Head Office survey and we all said how upsetting it was that it had been canceled, so rather than a play and ceremony it was just a ceremony, which took place during the first week of the summer holiday. Given less than two week's notice. So many had to miss it due to holidays.
-head office never answer a question straight, always around the houses or not at all

My son leaves in July- anyone else here whose child is leaving, make sure you give notice! It is in the terms abd conditions of your contract

Oh and the new contracts going out now say the 30hours funding goes across the year... so if you leave before the year is up you lose that funding! Read the fine print, it has changed a lot!

Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:46

ToKittyornottoKitty · 25/03/2026 14:18

But that bit is your choice, you can link up your childcare account to their app and not pay the £4, or have I misunderstood? I’d still be annoyed at them forcing the app and taking the piss with other charges, but actually paying the charge is avoidable isn’t it?

Show quote history

it is - if you do what they told you to do - but I have anxiety about linking my tax payments system with a 3rd party abb that has 2.1 review on google play. I shouldn't be forced by a company into a payments system I am not ok with.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:29

Cat3rpillar7 · 25/03/2026 13:51

Totally agree! It's so grabby, especially when costs have massively gone up for everything else. I have complained to our manager. Also, there was so little notice.

We've had local uproar because you can now opt put of the full price week at Easter and Christmas but they hadn't actually told anyone 🙄

Thank you! Also - whaaat? you can opt out?? How??

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:27

Offherrockingchair · 25/03/2026 13:26

Well done for reporting them. You need to go to the Early Years team at your local authority too. All that said, it’s Busy Bees. It’s like going to Costa and then complaining about the coffee being bad. You get what you pay for and there are much better nursery chains out there.

Thank you for supporting me in this stressful topic. People don't really realize it's not just about £4 fee - it's about everything that came before, and this just took the cake. I also reported them to Trading Standards, ICO, and my local MP. I don't think much will come of it, but that's the problem with all parents that just keep quiet and absorb the costs. Eventually, companies take us for granted and fail to realize there are other options. heh, yeah, agree with the Costa comment - it foes feel like it. But at least, I will have my voice heard in their ecosystem.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:25

MidnightPatrol · 25/03/2026 13:17

Presumably you pay the cost of processing for not using their -app… or they roll it into the fees and charge everyone…!

How much are busy bees charging out of interest? Our nearest one was £2,500 a month for a baby - an additional £4 on top of that seems a bit petty.

oh I am sure they will roll something else into all fees. Just this year, our costs went up by 14.8% from March - April. I have a problem with Busy Bees Nurseries constantly finding excuses how to charge parents more. I live in the North East, so it's less than down south. With all belts and whistles, cca 2k per child.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:23

NemesisInferior · 25/03/2026 13:11

From what you are saying you are trying to have it both ways.

You don't want to use their app which cause the nursery additional costs which they are now passing onto you, but you don't want to pay that cost?

I think you either need to suck the charge up, or use the app.

unfortunately there is no option to NOT use the app. It is their payment gateway.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:21

Justcallmedaffodil · 25/03/2026 13:07

So the only way to avoid the charge is to consent to all of that. I don't want to link my government TFC account to a third-party app with poor reviews just to avoid a penalty.

So for clarity, you don’t have to pay via the Busy Bees app, you could link your TFC account to the app and that would be acceptable to them, and you’d avoid the charge?

If thats the case, YABU. If you choose not to do it, then you pay the £4 manual reconciliation charge.

Appreciate your inputs - yeah, it does boil down to that. But I can't shake the feeling of this not being right. I am using a legal gov backed scheme to pay the fees on time - and now, if I don't wanna do it via their app - I get a financial penalty. And this penalty is a result of their inefficient operational processes. Honestly, just an excuse to cut down their staff, make more money from parents, and add another fragmented cost, on top of all other costs. Since the first day we walked into the Busy Bees nursery, our costs have gone up by 55%. Just this year, from March - April, 14.8%. What the heck.

OP posts:
ToKittyornottoKitty · 25/03/2026 14:18

DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:16

thank you - appreciate it. What pains me here is that Busy Bees are going to now financially penalize me for using the Gov UK system as I did so far. Yes, I understand it is "only £4", but it's more than just a fee. It is an extra charge on top of all other charges Busy Bees has introduced all these years. Just this year, from March too April, our cost will go up by 14.8% - and most of that is their cheeky increases of those extra fees. I am mostly P/O at them for all of this, but the £4 fee for using a gov regulated scheme has pushed me over the edge.

Show quote history

But that bit is your choice, you can link up your childcare account to their app and not pay the £4, or have I misunderstood? I’d still be annoyed at them forcing the app and taking the piss with other charges, but actually paying the charge is avoidable isn’t it?

Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:18

OneKookyPinkShaker · 25/03/2026 13:07

I'm having a pain with this I'm set up as the Bill Payer on the app I think just because I registered my child originally with the nursery but my partner actually has the tax free childcare account. They have been zero help so far in helping with this

I feel you. You should see what they did in 2025. Busy Bees has introduced the paywall to even access the app. Unless you added your bank details, you were not able to see your child reports. They later backtracked on that, but all in all - they seem to care about what benefits them the most. Kids and parents are just an excuse to make profit. Profit 1st, Kids 2nd, Parents 3rd should be Busy Bees Nurseries slogan.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:16

ToKittyornottoKitty · 25/03/2026 13:06

So you could link your tax free childcare account to the app to avoid the penalty but don’t want to? I think YANBU to be annoyed but it sounds like you do have options

thank you - appreciate it. What pains me here is that Busy Bees are going to now financially penalize me for using the Gov UK system as I did so far. Yes, I understand it is "only £4", but it's more than just a fee. It is an extra charge on top of all other charges Busy Bees has introduced all these years. Just this year, from March too April, our cost will go up by 14.8% - and most of that is their cheeky increases of those extra fees. I am mostly P/O at them for all of this, but the £4 fee for using a gov regulated scheme has pushed me over the edge.

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 14:12

Whiskyfromsmallglasses · 25/03/2026 12:51

It's Busy Bess they tend to do what they please

They sure do - my favorite are the new charges on top of new charges. Just recently they introduced an early drop off charge, which used to be a part of the full fee. And then they keep increasing it, alongside other fees. Our costs from March to April just this year are going up 14.8%. Mad!

OP posts:
Original poster
DtM1988 · 25/03/2026 13:59

Whiskyfromsmallglasses · 25/03/2026 12:51

It's Busy Bess they tend to do what they please

oh tell me about it... honestly, it's not even about that recent extra charge, it's about ALL THE NEW extra charges they introduced over the months and years. I get it, they are a business - but don't be an evil greedy business. Just recently, Busy Bees has changed their policies about early drop offs - extra chagre, which keeps going up every while. Then meal charges, then this, than that - they jump on every possible opp they get to get more from already bled-out-dry parents.

OP posts:
Cat3rpillar7 · 25/03/2026 13:51

Totally agree! It's so grabby, especially when costs have massively gone up for everything else. I have complained to our manager. Also, there was so little notice.

We've had local uproar because you can now opt put of the full price week at Easter and Christmas but they hadn't actually told anyone 🙄

Offherrockingchair · 25/03/2026 13:26

Well done for reporting them. You need to go to the Early Years team at your local authority too. All that said, it’s Busy Bees. It’s like going to Costa and then complaining about the coffee being bad. You get what you pay for and there are much better nursery chains out there.

MidnightPatrol · 25/03/2026 13:17

Presumably you pay the cost of processing for not using their -app… or they roll it into the fees and charge everyone…!

How much are busy bees charging out of interest? Our nearest one was £2,500 a month for a baby - an additional £4 on top of that seems a bit petty.

NemesisInferior · 25/03/2026 13:11

From what you are saying you are trying to have it both ways.

You don't want to use their app which cause the nursery additional costs which they are now passing onto you, but you don't want to pay that cost?

I think you either need to suck the charge up, or use the app.

Justcallmedaffodil · 25/03/2026 13:07

So the only way to avoid the charge is to consent to all of that. I don't want to link my government TFC account to a third-party app with poor reviews just to avoid a penalty.

So for clarity, you don’t have to pay via the Busy Bees app, you could link your TFC account to the app and that would be acceptable to them, and you’d avoid the charge?

If thats the case, YABU. If you choose not to do it, then you pay the £4 manual reconciliation charge.

OneKookyPinkShaker · 25/03/2026 13:07

I'm having a pain with this I'm set up as the Bill Payer on the app I think just because I registered my child originally with the nursery but my partner actually has the tax free childcare account. They have been zero help so far in helping with this

ToKittyornottoKitty · 25/03/2026 13:06

So you could link your tax free childcare account to the app to avoid the penalty but don’t want to? I think YANBU to be annoyed but it sounds like you do have options

GoldenRosebee · 25/03/2026 13:03

RocketLollyPolly · 25/03/2026 12:54

What is it you object to with their preferred payment method? It sounds like you don’t want to rather than can’t but I don’t understand the issue. Surely you’re using the Busy Bees app already?

Privacy anxiety

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