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Original poster

Refund of childcare vouchers

42 replies

JustStuck · 16/02/2023 16:10

Hi,

I am entitled to a refund of my childcare vouchers.

It is a fair amount that accumulated over the years.

Can anyone advise how I can calculate the amount I will receive after the appropriate tax deductions? Or know of an online calculator.

Thanks

OP posts:
MrMarkham · 16/02/2023 17:27

I thought they couldn't be refunded?

AnotherAppleThief · 16/02/2023 17:29

Have you actually checked you can get them refunded? Not all voucher companies will.

Sallycinnamum · 16/02/2023 17:56

Edenred won't refund childcare vouchers. I didn't think any companies did because of the tax implications. Are you sure OP?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Childcare & nursery Families General money
Shylo · 16/02/2023 18:03

Another one saying they can’t be refunded I’m afraid - I accumulated them over one fo the covid years and just gave them to my childminder in the end because there was nothing else I could do

strawberry2017 · 16/02/2023 18:07

I also thought they couldn't be refunded.

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/02/2023 18:08

Some voucher companies will refund but only via your employer. That's because your employer has to calculate the tax to deduct to send in to HMRC.

So you need to get both the voucher company and your employer to agree to do this.

Most won't unfortunately.

Good luck though and hope you get it sorted if you can.

Endeavormorse · 16/02/2023 18:09

I had some refunded from sodexo. It was just added to my salary and taxed as the usual rate.

Haggisfish3 · 16/02/2023 18:10

I had some re funded as well, through my employer and taxed.

LandlubbingKraken · 16/02/2023 18:28

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/02/2023 18:08

Some voucher companies will refund but only via your employer. That's because your employer has to calculate the tax to deduct to send in to HMRC.

So you need to get both the voucher company and your employer to agree to do this.

Most won't unfortunately.

Good luck though and hope you get it sorted if you can.

This is correct - both the childcare. Ouch et company and your workplace need to agree to do this; I believe they're generally stated to be non-refundable. I had some refunded, but I had to fight to get them - it was a huge PITA.

LandlubbingKraken · 16/02/2023 18:29

^both the childcare voucher company and your workplace

AdInfinitum12 · 16/02/2023 18:36

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/02/2023 18:08

Some voucher companies will refund but only via your employer. That's because your employer has to calculate the tax to deduct to send in to HMRC.

So you need to get both the voucher company and your employer to agree to do this.

Most won't unfortunately.

Good luck though and hope you get it sorted if you can.

Agree with this.
The caveat is that they can be used until the child is 15 or 16 and includes various summer/half term clubs as you obviously won't be needing the same sort of childcare when they're that age.

Allboundformoomooland · 17/02/2023 06:14

In my experience you'll have to ask your employer if they would be kind enough to arrange a refund. They aren't obliged to so a good explanation would be helpful. There will be a small admin fee that normally you would pay, and then tax and NI would be deducted at your marginal rate.

Lilybo7 · 17/02/2023 06:26

Eden Red won't refund and neither will my employer.
It was a pain as I had booked a holiday club for week with vouchers and the club had to cancel due to lack of uptake. But I couldn't get refund even in those circumstances Angry

SlaveToTheVibe · 17/02/2023 06:35

I have this irk Ken every year -
too many vouchers.

as my kids are older I’ve started to send them in courses etc in the summer. There are a lot of programming courses that take child care vouchers and that would normally just be too expensive.

PGL also takes childcare vouchers

Brendabigbaps · 17/02/2023 06:42

Kiddivoucher refunded ours, classed as exceptional circumstances tho, ND child (diagnosed) who refused to go so we were never going to be able to use them. The request had to come from employer tho

RoseMarigoldViolet · 17/02/2023 06:54

I was told mine couldn’t be refunded so I made an effort to use them up on after school clubs. Kids did more clubs than they would have otherwise!

dew141 · 17/02/2023 07:01

I had to fight tooth and nail to get mine refunded (Care4). Eventually managed it during lockdown on the basis we couldn't use them. It was a relief as we had a few thousand accumulated.

AnotherAppleThief · 17/02/2023 07:11

How come you all accrue much more than you need?

NoWeaponsOnTheTable · 17/02/2023 07:12

I also got money refunded via Sodexo, they were really helpful.
Such a pain if you can't 😕.

NoWeaponsOnTheTable · 17/02/2023 07:15

@AnotherAppleThief

I started off using vouchers for nursery fees then obviously as kids get older clubs tend to cost less or it's limited to holiday clubs.

You don't change your contributions so end up accruing more than you need.

*when are they going to sort the Android issue..posting replies is such a nightmare!!!!

islandtime · 17/02/2023 07:21

I had a load refunded from Sodexo during covid and am having around £300 refunded now my daughter is no longer going to after school club and we won’t need them again.

During covid it was very straight forward - my HR department organised it all and just had to fill out one form. This time it has taken three months but I am not sure if the delay is on my side or theirs.

My partners employers have said it isn’t possible to refund his so I think it is very much down to the discretion of the organisation that you work for.

if we hadn’t been able to get a refund for mine I was thinking of putting them towards a PGL holiday for my daughter.

Bigpinktrain · 17/02/2023 07:25

I think as is pretty clear from these comments, that it depends on the company and it depends on the reason why you want a refund. Good luck!

Afoggyplace · 17/02/2023 07:41

I fought for ages to have almost 1k refunded because my childcare provider died suddenly and family stepped in at it was very traumatic.
Even then the council refused. Heartless. We eventually used them 18mths later on a holiday club for sake of using them.

AuditAngel · 17/02/2023 07:54

I got mine refunded. I used to only get £25 a month and use them in the summer holidays, then COVID hit, and my daughter (DC3) got old enough not to need holiday clubs (especially as I still wfh).

I had to complete a form and the vouchers were refunded back via the payroll

maeveiscurious · 17/02/2023 07:55

Sallycinnamum · 16/02/2023 17:56

Edenred won't refund childcare vouchers. I didn't think any companies did because of the tax implications. Are you sure OP?

Mine were through my employer