Childcare voucher payments - how to furlough?

[PavoReal]

Sorry, another nanny question. I have googled this to death and still can't find the answer. I have a nanny 2 days a week for after school pick ups and I pay her with childcare vouchers so 243 a month. Although I'm still working I'm not using her as her other family are NHS doctors and I feel the risk is too great if she came into my home.

This month I was just going to send her some cash but I can't carry this on indefinitely - when she is working for me, in those hours my hourly wage goes to below minimum wage if that makes any sense. I'm a single parent with no financial support from their Dad, and there is still a danger that I could get furloughed myself.

I want to do the right thing for her but I have no idea what that is! I don't want to make her redundant if I can help it. As far as I can work out, I don't pay her via PAYE so I can't claim? Childcare vouchers are taken out of my salary and then passed to another company (Salary Extras) who then pays my nanny. Salary Extras have told me I need to investigate this myself. Anyone got any ideas?

She's either self employed or running her own business. You can't furlough her as you are not her employer, you are just contracting her services

You don’t employ her so you can’t furlough her. You can however choose to stop paying her by giving notice on her services.

I use a childminder- I am still paying her with my childcare vouchers but am stopping from next month as she has said she won’t be having my children back until a vaccine is introduced due to seriously ill family members.

OK thank you both. I think I understand, on top of that I guess she doesn't pay tax on the childcare vouchers I give her as well. I feel awful!

@PavoReal

If your gross pay dips below a certain amount will your employer continue to pay for the vouchers on your behalf?

Ive been on mat leave and when my wages really dropped I noticed that childcare sacrifice wasn't included on my deductions. I still wanted to build them up whilst I was on leave so that I had a nice sum for when I did go back. I called payroll and they said that when my basic pay drops to a certain amount they pay them for me... Couldnt believe it!!

@Whattodowhattodooo

Blimey that’s amazing. That is worth an investigation. Thank you!