Too many childcare vouchers! What to do?

[youaintmymother]

DH and I thought we were being organised by stockpiling CCV ready for DS2 (11mo) born last March (when all the announcements were made). We've really struggled financially to afford 12 months maternity leave and were so proud to have saved up enough childcare for the first year. We've got credit card debt that this could have paid off. I'm just gutted that I didn't check the dates since the initial announcements last March - I was convinced we wouldn't get free hours until he was 2y7m for some reason...

We've currently got £3300 of vouchers. In the last few months we've organised childcare: 2 days with MIL and 2 days with a childminder. I go back to work after Easter and work term-time only, so the childcare works out as £1274 until the summer holidays, after which we will qualify for 30-hours free. What are we supposed to do with all the spare vouchers?! I guess we may still have to pay top-up fees and we very occasionally use after-school provision. DS1 (6yo) is autistic, so things like PGL and week-long summer camps aren't really an option.

DH has emailed his employer (local government) to ask if they are able to refund.

Can anyone help me feel better. 😭 I've got a feeling a refund will be refused.

Do they expire?
You'll still have some childcare to pay after 30 free hours, it's reduced but never free

You can use them for any childcare until they are in their teens so any wraparound care, holiday clubs, lots of co curricular clubs will qualify when they are at school - I get what you are saying about being able to use the money but it will help you out int he future for sure.

DD is 9 and we're still using childcare vouchers to pay for holiday clubs during summer and Easter holidays. At £53 a day the holiday clubs are not cheap so the childcare vouchers are good to have.

You only get 15 funded hours this September, 30 hours isn't available for babies until next September 2025.

I assume you have reduced any top ips for now?
If you are desperate to get rid, baby could go into nursery one day a week on the holidays to give you time with the oldest or to catch up.

Or extra days when MiL has stuff she needs to do?

I hope not! I don't believe so... But will check! I think we will be able to use some towards top-up fees. I read on Mumsnet that the government gives £5 per hour - the childminder charges £5.50/£7 full rate, so if it were £2 per hour that's £30 a week, or 1 year of top-up fees at £1,170. So that would use a chunk! 🤞

We only need 15 hours. We thought we might need more, but MIL asked for 2 days. I know that isn't anything to be complaining about... 🫣

Yeah, we reduced it to £50 per month when I started months 9 to 12 of maternity leave. Having extra for random days is a very good idea. Thank you!

Don’t panic- you can use them for after school clubs etc. so you won’t lose the money as I am not aware they have expire dates.

I had loads left over that I couldn’t use as stockpiled by mistake during pandemic. And kids too old to make enough use of them. Got mine paid back by my employer. Think I might have had to pay the tax back but not 100 sure