Hi,
Really hoping I can find someone else that's been in my position for some advice.
So our daughter has been at the same nursery for about 3 years, and we've been paying them using the tax-free childcare government portal, but she also started at the local primary school who also need paying, but they don't use the tax-free childcare thing (no idea why, just seems they won't).
But before I found out they didn't use it, I tried to be proactive and added the school to the account, which as it came up, I thought was all good.
But in November, after receiving a bill for the main nursery, I stupidly, accidentally clicked the school and sent the nursery money to them. I didn't realise, and when I got chased for payment by the nursery, logged in and realised my monumental error.
First thing I did, was went into the school, tried to speak to reception about it, who claimed they'd never even heard of the tax-free childcare portal (I can't be the only parent at the school that's ever asked them about it?). So they advised me to email over the detials, and they'd get it over to accounts, which I did.
Their accounts replied, and said they'd found the money, it's in the schools 'trust' account and they'd look at getting it back to me.
I've chased their accounts several times, but no refund. The last time I got any reply on it was 15th December, assuring me it was still 'in hand' and waiting on a remittance.
I've chased a further 2 times since 15th Decemember, but they seem to have stopped replying now.
The school has also had a change of headmaster, and the new one stands out front at school opening, so I went over and spoke to him about the issue, and asked if he could try and get accounts to look into it, or look into it himself, he said he'd get on it. That was over a week ago now, still nothing from anyone.
At this point, I don't honestly know who else I can speak to about it? If accounts will no longer reply, reception claim to know nothing about it, and the headteacher can't seem to get it to move, who else is there?
Can the government do something (since techinally the school has money that isn't for them?). I've tried Googling, and there doesn't appear to be any escalation process for this?
At this point, I feel like the money is just gone.
I wouldn't even mind if there was a way they could move the money into either the service the school uses for payment, or even move it over to the nursery it was supposed to go to, rather than refund me.
If anything, I'd prefer if they'd said originally they can't find it, and don't know where it's gone, but the fact they've said they've found it, surely it shouldn't take 2 months to refund it?
Please, if anyone else has been in this, or a similar position, please let me know how on earth you got it resolved.
TIA.