Childminders and charging for petrol..

[anewyear]

Does any one on here know if childminders can charge for petrol?
Ive been given to understand that we cant.
MrAnchovy, Nick, anyone??

No idea off the top of my head... but could I ask a couple of questions, just in case being clearer about what you would be charging for would help.

Do you mean charging a particular parent a fee for mileage?
Would it be transporting their children and no other children?

I've always been led to believe that it's illegal to charge for petrol as something to do with being a taxi service (different insurance) but I would wait for someone with proper info to come along as I'm not 100% sure

If you mean to cover school run or other places you go as part of your CMing role, then surely you just factor it into your hourly rate - to make sure each month you have enough to make all your work worthwhile, after you've paid the bills (incl petrol) ?

Same as Looney - I heard that if you charge specifically for transporting a child in a car, then it is seen as providing a taxi service.

I agree with HSMM

Though as a nanny I specifically transport a child in my car as part of my job and get reimbursed at approved mileage rate and MortonMichel have found me appropriate insurance cover for that.

I record all childminder mileage and deduct 40p per mile from earnings as recommended by hmrc.

I think it's different for nannies because they claim expenses from their employer, rather than charge for a service.

Bonkerz the rate allowed by HMRC went up to 45p per mile in April 2011 so you may want to adjust your records for your 2011/12 return.

Back to the main point, the issue is that if a passengers are carried in a vehicle for 'hire or reward' then (i) it may require licensing by the Local Authority and (ii) it almost certainly will not be fully covered under any insurance that is not specific 'hire and reward' insurance - even a specific childminder policy.

If you charge a parent 45p per mile (or whatever) for picking their child up from school and bringing them home by car, you are providing a vehicle for reward, so don't do it. Instead, charge them £20 (or whatever) for picking them up from school and looking after them for 3 hours.

Note that what I have said here does not apply to minibuses (vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats) which are covered by specific regulations which mean that if they are used for carrying mindees they MUST be registered as a Passenger Carrying Vehicle and require a specific driving license, insurance and maintenance regime whether you charge parents or not.

As HSMM says, totally different for employees - but this doesn't mean that you can charge a parent for an assistant's mileage because you would still be providing a vehicle for reward.

Thanks for all your replys.
I will be taking the other childminded children on a 3.6 mile round journey to pick another child up from another school.
They have not offered to pay anything towards diesel, just the contracted hourly rate (£4ph) which was for a private nursery which we used to walk too.
Would it be ok to put my hourly rate up for these particular parents?
(Ive not put my fees up at all since I started CMing, four years in all,
Ive had LO for 2 yrs)
We live in a fairly affulent area, both parents have very well paid jobs, however I appreciate I dont know what their financial circumstances are like.

As long as you are only taking children who are also contracted to be in your care you should not be considered a taxi. You may well be considered a taxi if, for example, you collect a child and take them to school but do not provide any childcare in addition to the transport.

So choosing to charge as part of the childcare fees does help to clarify the situation. Also, by charging an inclusive daily rate, without specifying the transport element as a separate service in your contract, you would not have to refund that part of the fees if the child is absent or you have not provided the transport for whatever reason.