Childminder wanting to still be paid 70%!!!!

[BusyBeeMummy1]

Hi all,

I am a keyworker and so is my husband. My Childminder has remained open for Keyworkers children but I am lucky enough I am able to wfh until things go back to normal.

I told my childminder that DS won’t be going back For April atleast. She told me she was advised by PACEY (A childminder body) that she can charge on a child by child basis and as she’s open for keyworkers its our choice to keep him home and she wants 70% of her usual monthly pay.

I pointed out to her that as she charges monthly she has also been paid in full for the week coming and that the childcare vouchers I pay her with had already automatically been paid to her (inadvertently) and FURTHERMORE the govt are meant to be paying self employed 80% aren’t they!

Please can any childminders or other parents using a childminder advise me on this because I don’t think it’s right.

Thankyouuuu

If you are still being paid I would pay her

I would expect to have to pay in full in this situation so think a 30% discount is generous.

Pay her!! And pay your cleaner too! She still has bills to pay, doesn’t she deserve an income? We are currently paying our full time nanny to stay home because we are not essential but she still has the same rent to pay! DH and I are both still getting paid, why shouldn’t our nanny?

I can’t believe what I’m reading.
You’re still being paid.
She is following the rules and staying open to offer you a service.
Of COURSE you should pay her! It’s likely to be around 2-3 months at the earliest before self employed people see a penny.
I think she is being generous to offer you 30% off
If you don’t pay her then, I jolly well hope she takes you off her books tbh

Self employed get 80% of their annual profits from the previous three years, which may not add up to their usual income. Say in 2016 you only earn 11k then and now 20k you will get the average of those years. It’s not as simple as you are getting 80% of what you normally earn that month, because it’s just your profit and not cash flow.

Anyway it sucks but if you want her to have your child back in a few months you will have to suck it up and pay like everyone else

😂😂😂😂 op picks the one comment hat agrees with her and ignores the dozens that say it’s distasteful that she wants to financially gain from this awful situation

YABU

Feels somewhat unfair that I’m out of pocket for following guidelines.

How? You're working from home and still being paid. You're in no different position than you would have been had you still been going to work. And how can you do a proper job of working from home if your child is at home too?

Have you posted this before?

Yabu

Don't pay her if you don't want to, but also don't be annoyed if she gives your place away. If you're not paying to retain her services you don't have any right to them in future.

Just shows how little respect some people have for the person who looks after their child

You aren’t listening

At best she will get 80% of her profit in JUNE. At best.

What do you propose she does about her bills and eating until then?

She gas opted to stay open to either survive or help parents out. I think 70% as you’re choosing not to use her is fair.

I know you’re following guidelines to keep your child at home if you can but YOU are still getting paid!

I can understand that you feel you’re working for your pay & she's not, but she’s prepared to & I bet your employer isn’t getting 100%out of you either, but you’re being paid.

It is morally corrupt not to pay her, especially when you are being paid.

Do the right thing!

if you don't pay her then you are profiting from the entire situation

She’s not profiting as she still has to care for her children and work as well. That’s a lot of extra work for the OP.

What service is the CM offering except holding the spot, which could be done for less than 70 percent

It is morally corrupt not to pay her

This. Stop being so self-centred.

Jut don't pay her then as that's what you seemed determined to do, but be prepared to find a new childminder when all this is over - I'm sure she wont have any trouble filling your space.

*Just

I'm confused by all this tbh. I know she will not get anything until June but surely it's backdated? So does that mean in June the childminder will refund the OP?

If business owners are expected to be out of pocket paying staff until they get funds backdated at the end of April, why not the same for SE?

OP, if you really feel you should not pay her then, don't. However as others have said she will probably bin your place.

@Sorka

Honestly. Keep up.

SE won’t get a penny until June. Then it’ll be 80% of the average of the last three years profit & less a bunch of tax. Many self employed still have overheads to pay and they’re only getting 80% of profit, not turnover. And not until June.

Until June, are they supposed to eat cardboard?

The ‘ benefits’ they can apply for until then are not going to cover living costs, let alone fixed business costs.

@TeaYes. Yes it will be back dated, but read my previous post to see why it’ll be far less than 80% of their usual take home. And that’s without considering that her profits from previous years might be a lot lower than now.

If you are still being paid then you should pay her. Otherwise you are profiting from this situation -even more than you already are by paying her only 70%-
I am wfh, it's a nightmare with 2 bored kids to try to entertain/keep their brains even slightly open to the possibility of learning. But I am fortunate enough to still have a job and still being paid in full. I am paying full wraparound fees even though I am not using them. I don't want them to fold and be unavailable when this is all over. I don't want the workers there to be unable to support their own families.

The government's public health advice is that children - including key workers' children - should be at home unless absolutely necessary. If there is a parent at home able to care for them, then they should be at home. Your child wouldn't get a school place under these circumstances.

So your childminder is being unreasonable. You're not making any kind of meaningful choice not to send your child, you're following the government's public health instructions like everyone else. So either she charges ALL families, or she doesn't charge you.

We have a keyworker in our household but are able to wfh so are choosing to keep our children home with us unless absolutely necessary. But we will still be paying our childminder for our usual before & after school place, even though they won’t be attending. CM will not receive financial help from the government until June & she needs income to live on just like we do. So we are doing our bit to help.

I'm paying my childminder in full. I'm lucky enough to still be getting paid so it's only fair. Also, it's not as if I'm paying for other childcare is it? I would feel so guilty thinking about the extra few hundred pounds a month I was saving that could really mean whether she pays her mortgage or not.