Childminder question

[R2519]

A question for childminders out there......as a result of the chancellor's announcement yesterday should parents still be paying childminders now if the government is also going to be paying them their lost income for 3 months?

Genuinely not a goady question.....we had said to our childminder we will keep paying whilst we can, but I'm not sure we should now if she is able to claim 80% etc. Back from the government.

I know it's not as cut and dry as a direct reimbursement but my thought is if we pay her and other parents do and she can also claim missing income from those months from the government and be significantly in the black afterwards. I know we are all in this together but there are some people who are having to cut hours and not able to work to look after their kids so significantly out of pocket. What are people expecting or doing now as a result of the measures the chancellor has put in place?

I'll keep paying until she's ironed it out.
We've both been furloughed and need to take basically all the financial holidays available.
So I'm hoping this gets enacted soon.

Every childminder will surely set their own policies about this. Our nursery (not a childminder) is not billing us going forward. I don't know what their staff will do, but I assume they'll be able to claim the 80% as they are out of work. The nursery owner, however, probably won't as a company director. Dh owns a small business and will be able to claim nothing as even though he is paid through PAYE, he is director. You can't claim the 80% if you are the director of a company, even if you are the only 'employee'. If your childminder is set up as a limited company (no idea if any childminders would go this route?), they aren't eligible to any government help, except maybe could apply for a loan from their bank. Similarly, if their accounting is a bit dodgy, and they do a lot 'off the books'.

It's difficult. The package, although a great relief, doesn't start until June so we're left a bit high and dry until then.

On the other hand, I would not want any parent to struggle either.

At the present, I would suggest that, if you're being paid yourself or receiving the 80%, you should continue to pay something, but then I am a childminder so probably biased!

My childminder flat out refused to even reduce my fee last night (my child is full time so it's a significant cost) - both DH and I are to be furloughed

She basically said she'd had lots of enquiries from essential workers and didn't need us!

I'd assume that she can't claim the 80% if she still has money coming in. In the same way that employed people on furlough aren't allowed to earn money elsewhere.

I should point out she's still getting our 30 hours funding entitlement so it's just the balance we have to pay but she's not budging

@stardance.
My understanding from the announcement is they can still earn money and still claim the 'missing' months. That was what was announced, or my understanding of it.

@stardance I should add that applies to every self employed person apparently.

I suppose my 'concern' is continuing to pay hundreds of £'s every month (our daughter is 20 month so no free childcare) whilst having to work flexible and reduced hours, which our employers wont allow us to do forever, then our Childminder can also make a claim from the government.

Im just curious if now the government has announced this whether people were going to stop paying or if any childminders on here were going to stop charging.

I’m quite shocked at that itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted
I think it can’t be enforced.

I’m also surprised she’s getting essential workers applying direct to her rather than going through the council. All my advice (such as it is!) is that we should be minimising risk as much as possible. Filling the house with potentially infectious children is irresponsible and dangerous.

One of my keyworker families has been badly let down by the nursery they also used. Basically had the door slammed in their faces and told it’s not their problem. I don’t doubt they’ll remember it when this is over.

I’m still looking at the package: only got the email this morning. It looks as though it may be backdated, too. If it is, I’ll refund those kind parents who thought of us. I hope to goodness I can! They didn’t need to do this and I won’t forget it.

@Tanith
I would be grateful to hear your thoughts on the package when you have gone through it in detail. Would be good to know from a CM perspective what you feel should / shouldn't be done at this point.

I would never want to see anyone lose out or struggle but i think its fair to say this is unprecedented (as the chancellor keeps saying) so its a little unfair if we are expected to pay full fees whilst we lose out but our CM loses nothing......if we are all in this together.

@tanith
Yeah I certainly won't be forgetting this. I'm hoping that in 2 weeks we ll find out if DC has got into a certain primary - If they have then we were going to be changing childminders anyway from September but we will just pull her out early and hope that we can take annual leave between now and school starting

I would pay back the parents when I'm paid...but the ones who dont pay but are getting full pay can expect a fees increase and a less helpful childminder offering no unpaid care...currently d9nt charge for occasional lates extra...
No loan of toys or books...currently send home when asked or if child is off, no extra trips or outings, no support when they are stuck....currently will cover if emergency occurs, unexpected events etc. You get back in life what you give out.