Funded hours yet charges for meals

[Oliviajones95]

Hi, does anyone else’s nursery charge funded parents an additional charge for meals?
And for some reason, it has to be cash only is that so the taxman isn’t on them?

Can't answer on the cash aspect but the funded hours don't include meals.

The amount the government pays for the funded hours don't cover what it costs nurseries to provide the service.

Many nurseries therefore need to charge top up costs.

Not unusual to pay for top ups on funded hours.

Unsure about cash only though.

This was on the news the other day, basically the money nurseries are getting from the funded hours isn’t covering all their costs, so they are charging for extras to try and fill the gap.

Charges for meals: normal.
Cash only: alarm bells!

That’s what I’m thinking as someone who doesn’t carry cash around it’s quite a pain cause I don’t live anywhere near a bank so I’ve gotta go to town to go to the cash point it’s just a pain

Do they send you a proper invoice and receipt? I'd be insisting on that as a bare minimum.

I do get a receipt but that’s about it. I’m not really sure why it’s cash only. I think it’s because they don’t want HMRC knowing about it cause it’s just a bit odd.