using childcare vouchers to pay for a nanny - advice needed

[DrCosyTiger]

I read a thread on here a couple of days ago about employing a nanny and one of the replies said that it is possible to claim childcare vouchers to help with the cost. I now feel like a complete idiot as we've been employing a nanny since last September but I had no idea you could do this - I thought it only applied to nurseries/registered CMs! Can anyone give me some quick pointers on how to set it up? Am I right in thinking I need to get my nanny registered with an agency? (She isn't at the moment.) If so, can you recommend one that provides a good but reasonably priced service? Can both me and my partner claim the vouchers or only one of us? (Our employers both have a voucher scheme - I'm working PT, he works FT)

Thanks so much in advance.

Your Nanny will need to register with OFSTED in order for you to be able to use childcare vouchers. In order to do this she will need relevant qualification (or evidence of experience with children I think) an up to date relevant paediatric first aid certificate and a CRB check. The rigistration fee with OFSTED is arround £103 or similar - and you will need to negotiate with Nanny who should pay this, a lot of the time employers pay this.
The whole process takes about 12 weeks to set up.
The Nanny does NOT have to be registered with a Nanny recruitment Agency.
Then , once Nanny is OFSTED registered you need to find out how to register to receive childcare vouchers, as does your DP. (ring your HR dept) It is fairly straight forward depending on which childcare voucher provider you employer uses. Your Nanny will then need to register with the voucher company in order to access the vouchers, which will be paid directly into your voucher account.
You can register to receive vouchers before your Nanny is OFSTED registered and then save the vouchers up to start using them once she is registered. You may also like to know that any higher rate tax payer joining the scheme after April this year will not save as much due to government changes so if that applies to you or DP it is worth signing up before that date.
The maximum you get tax relief on is £243 and both you and your partner can claim up to that ammount each.
HTH

I had a suspicion so I looked at your profile:

The basics
DrCosyTiger joined Mumsnet in October 2008. She lives in Glasgow...

The rules in Scotland work differently, she does need to register with an agency, West of Scotland Nannies and Butterfly Personnel spring to mind but there are links on other recent threads. The agency will walk you and the nanny through the process.

You can both claim vouchers.

Oh, as OverflowingMum says, if either of you is a higher rate taxpayer, sign up with your employer ASAP, you can always cancel it later if the nanny registration falls through.

Hi everyone and thank you so much. And especially mranchovy for remembering I live in Scotland, that's incredibly helpful. Still feel a bit for not realising I could do this until now ...

Oh...sorry! I jumped in without checking where you lived LOL Yep so it is as mranchovy says, ignore my advice (except about the chenges for higher rate tax payers LOL)
Hope it all goes smoothly.