Tax credits check - advice needed

[321Go]

Hi

I have received the dreaded tax credits check letter - they want me to verify my childcare payments. This isn't a problem, and the actual amount is pretty much in line with my predictions. With income, I'm expecting my annual review to say £0 for the childcare element. The estimate was about £150 for the whole year.

I mentioned this check to my child-minder in case I need an extra copy of her registration docs (we've been using her for years).
This lead to a confession that her registration lapsed a just before Xmas.
She's in the process of re-registering and the lapse arose around the time of huge family stresses.
I have no concerns over her ability to care for my kids.

The problem...............
1, If I send in my review with all my payments for the year, although I didn't know it until a couple of days ago, some of these will be unregistered childcare.

1. If I miss off these payments, although my entitlement will be the same (i.e. £0) my costs will be under my estimate for the year and I could be fined for not telling them of a change (that I didn't know about).
2. If I explain everything I have written here, I could land the child-minder in deep water.

What should I do?????

Bump!!
Thoughts much appreciated.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by her registration lapsed? (Am a cm so will help where/if I can. :-) )

Accidents happen. I don't think you can be expected to check your cc provider reregistered . If you received no payments for the cc element they won't fine you.

Not 100% sure either!! Something to do with DBS checks not being completed which got left for too long and so registration was ended?

I have been receiving a miniscule amount of the cc element which will be readjusted with the normal annual review.

Do you think just send everything off as though I know nothing? If I hadn't have mentioned the check to her, I wouldn't know anything! I don't want there to be any fall out for her (i.e. not notifying parents) but obviously don't want to be fined either!

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.

Dbs or crb checks are only done at the time of registration. Currently cms aren't required to update them. The only time another would need to be carried out would be if another adult moves in or children turn 16.

If this doesn't sound like your CMs situation I would gently urge you to delve a bit deeper into her resins for being unregistered right now. Something doesn't sound quite right.

I'm a CM. Maybe she didn't pay her registration fee on time? Not sure how else she would end up being unregistered though...

However having said that I just helped a mum out with her tax check and all she needed from me was a copy of our contract and my reg no. Wouldn't think they do too much checking on every case and if they do you tell them she was registered when you started and you had no reason to think otherwise

Thanks! TeddyBear5 - child turning 16 would fit the reason and make sense. I have no worries at all about the care she provides and in addition kids are all school age.
Thanks Purplehonesty - good to know what info you had to provide.
Got to get it all done tonight (might be back on later if I get stuck!)
Thanks everyone