Summer holiday pay help?

[Workingmum34]

Some advice needed please. Our kids are changing childminders in September as we weren't happy with the previous one for a couple of reasons. They last went on the last day of the summer term and we gave her notice in April so she could fill the place when the school places came out. To make payments easier for her and us we had averaged out the amount over the year as she only has them for term time. But this had in included half fees for this summer which is nearly £200. Do we need to pay her for the holidays even though the kids have finished? Or do we take this off the last payment? My husband mentioned this briefly to her and she says we had a years contract but I can't see anything on the paperwork other than information about the notice period. I don't want to underpay her but also I don't want to overpay particularly as we haven't been very happy. Help please. X

You need to refer to what it says in the contract.

As you gave plenty of notice and as you are term time only, I would have thought that last day was the last day of the summer term, not first day of autumn term. However the contract may say differently.

Talk to your childminder, see if you can reach a compromise.

The averaging out of the payments may be causing the problem. You would still need to pay August month for example in terms of the amount that was averaged out. Is your childminder perhaps thinking they won't get the August childcare payment part?

Hi. No we agreed to work out how much we owe her as it was averaged but she seems to think she gets the 6 weeks half pay as well even though the contract is finished.

When you wrote the notice letter what date did you put?