Tax free childcare help

[cocomelonmom]

Hello I have just signed up for TFC and just have a few questions. So my invoice to the nursery is different every month depending on how many days are in the month. Can I just change the payment amount every month? Also I have my balance in there ready to pay this month, how do I send it to the nursery? Or will it automatically go out on the date I have set on the frequency section. I have paid via bacs.
Thanks

Within the TF childcare system you can set up regular or one-off payments for specific dates. Once set up, they go across to the childcare provider automatically for example our bill is same each month so I have a standing order putting money into the account from my bank and also a regular payment going out. Once set up I do nothing.

Sounds like you'll be doing one off payments due to bill varying so when you receive bill, if you log on and set up payment for when you need it to reach nursery (or a day or two before if you want to make sure it clears - not 100% sure how long that takes these days) then the payment will go out on the day you specified and shouldn't have to do anything further.

I used to do it manually every month - just set a reminder on my phone and worked fine. Means you can vary the amount to what you need

You can change the payment amount at each payment via the HMRC website and it goes out on the date you set. You select your nursery from the list on the website and they pay them directly. It’s an arse of a system. I sit there with a calendar and set up weekly payments according to how much I know DCs will be in that week, all of which varies, and of course you have to then calculate 80% of the cost to transfer in as HMRC then pay the full cost to your childcare setting. But at least it’s done and set up in advance.

Much preferred childcare vouchers but it’s cheaper for us to use TFC.