IF private nurseries shut down?

[Undecided91]

So yet another Q about Corona! What IF private nurseries start closing? Are we supposed to still pay upftont fees? My son goes to nursery and if he cant go I cant work so potentially I wont be paid but then would I pay the nursery regardless? How would this supposed to work? i.e. it cost around 70% of my wage to pay the nursery but if we dont pay - we lose our place. I am so confused and scared tbh...

It wouldn't be a withdrawal though it would a forced closure.

@FoxtrotSkarloey you actually want someone to put their business plan on mymsnet for people to pick apart ?

Just had a quick look and it's a council decision. So it depends on your own area.

My contract says that if there is unforeseen closure over three days we get it back in sessions or refund.

@FoxtrotSkarloey - The main costs are staff wages and rent. In London, rents are astronomical and take between 30-50% of what comes in.

Utility costs are also grossly inflated for small businesses. My electricity costs for example are about £6000 per year. The phone and broadband costs me about £2000 per year. Insurance is £250 per month (and for what?!!!).

But the staff costs are crippling. The on costs, even for those on NMW are barely affordable. When employers pensions were introduced, the costs were low, but in recent years, they have spiralled.

To compound matters, we now have a culture where parents expect not to pay and in fact resent paying anything.

If you looked at my nursery, you would think it made a big profit because we have lots of children. But in fact, everything that comes in gets paid out. I can’t even afford to pay myself a salary - I have to rely on housing benefit to survive.

I keep my nursery open because it provides a valuable service to the community (I think), and frankly because I hope to sell it at a profit to get some money back out of it after putting in so much for so long. But it looks like that won’t happen now and I’ll have to close.

I’m sure most nursery owners are like me.

Also isn’t SSP only if you’re sick not because the place has closed.
It’s going to be hilarious in a not funny way, the conversations at universal credits. Are you fit to work, yes. Get a job, you closed down my job. Sanctioned

I don’t doubt it costs a lot to run a nursery and if mine doesn’t provide a service and have to do free ones or refund I don’t think they’d do it.

Make it that is.

@DigitalGhost - You are talking then about a local authority nursery which is funded by the government.

That is entirely different, and as always, maintained nurseries will be protected.

There are only a few maintained nurseries however, so protecting them will not prevent the collapse of the childcare industry.

It will be to everyone’s detriment when that happens.

About SSP I understand that is paid by the employer so they are still paying wages AND as someone else said if closed by order they presumably have to pay full wages anyway.

None of this works out ok for anyone and is why those demanding a full lockdown are wrong. A country can't shutdown.

I have just been told that our nursery will remain open for parents who are essential worker and staff will work in rotas.
Other children will recieve nursery work packs and daily communication with their key worker.
This is if there is a closure.

I wonder if anyone knows any more on this topic? SUrely if nurseires will remain open for key workers then we wont have to pay? DOes anyone know if delivery drivers classed as key workers?

Many insurance policies (if nurseries even have communicable disease insurance) won't be covered as wording often requires that it's a notifiable disease, but Covid-19 is new. In other words, even if nurseries think they are covered, they are probably only covered for other known diseases. Covid-19 only became notifiable on March 5th.

For as long as I get paid, I have no issue with paying nursery fees when it is closed. These are unique times. Our income will be reduced slightly in the coming weeks but should remain relatively steady. If that changes then I can’t guarantee I will pay. My contract doesn’t contain provision for this kind of crisis so I will just try to do the right thing for as long as I can. I hope that if everyone does the same they should receive enough.