£500 in Childcare vouchers from Covid time - can I get it back or give to a charity ?

[partmermaidpartplant]

I've had an email from my childcare voucher provider that they are keeping my £500 when my eldest turns 16 - in June.

They say they can't give it back. Is this true? Has anyone managed to argue with them?

or even donate to a charity of my choice ! Seems mad they can just be like - nah it's ours now.

provider is 'care-4'

Could you use some kind of holiday club to use them on?

I got mine back from my employer. I contacted Care-4 and they explained it isn’t for them to return it, the employer who deducted it from your wages does.

i got £3,500 back because I’d worked out pretty much exactly how much I needed then Covid hit and we never needed the childcare again.

Oh and prior to that I’d donated £250 to the schools after school club staff for thank you drinks/night out. I emailed and asked them if I sent them that payment could they use it in that way and they said yes, so I did because I didn’t think I’d be able to get the money back.

wish I hadn’t bothered as they never even said thank you!

Ah ok thank you ! I am not with the same employer so that probably won’t work.

but I guess I could donate to the kids old school ‘after school club’. That is a good idea - they can buy some nerf guns or something in my honour

I'm a childminder and recently received a 'tip' from a parent as she had £75 in hers that she couldn't get back.