Childcare vouchers

[kaj32]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to become a registered childminder by April. I have one child lined up already (friends baby) and she has asked about childcare vouchers.

I do intend to accept them but know nothing about them other than a fair number of parents use them.

To beat the tax change my friends husband needs to apply for the vouchers before I'll have my registration number which is where we have the problem.

Is it ok to apply using a different provider then change the details once I'm registered? Not having friends baby until May so there will be time to make changes.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks

When i applied for ccv through work i did not need to say who i wanted to pay. With the system my work use i can just save them for as long as i like (i think). To make a payment with them i just call to "add" a childcare provider to my list and then i can pay them using a web account log in thingy.

HTH a bit anyway

My husband was getting them for 4 months before we had even looked at childcare so yes can def get them beforehand, then just log into account and add 'childcare provider' :)

Fantastic, thanks for your help :-)

Hi I accept vouchers (use to be called accor voucehrs). Very easy to set up.

Word of warning though PLEASE ensure you have a payment policy which states if you use vouchers as full or part payment it is your responsibilty to ensure you pay all invoices in FULL by the agreed date. I have experience not enough vouchers being avail and the rest being paid late.

Hope that help!!!

I know I did not ask for payment in advance when I started.

Thanks for that,I'll update my policy. Funily enough had a friend over today who was complaining about the vouchers being late for her nursery and her being charged late fees.

Just be aware that there are several different companies that administer the CC vouchers and the set up is slightly different for each. (Between DH and I we have now used 3 schemes). The parent will have to check up the individual set up that their scheme offers. They also vary enourmously in how punctual and user friendly they are.

But in general IME most schemes allow you to stockpile vouchers in advance without necessarily specifying a provider.

Agree that it is important that you tell the parents that they should set up the vouchers to come out of their account at least a few days in advance so that you get paid on time. From this point of view it works in your favour for them to have a 'stockpile' as then it doesn't matter to them exactly when they pay you. IME if the parents are relying on paying out the vouchers as soon as they receive them then things always end up in a shambles.