Childcare voucher question

[BlueBee]

Hi, I hope this is in the right place?

I'm due our first in August, so will need full time nursery by July next year.
I'm aware the childcare voucher scheme is ending in the next few months.

I have a few questions if anyone can help please?

So I'm wondering do I join now so I have the choice to stay in the old scheme?

Does it effect how much maternity pay you get?

Could I just literally buy £5 a month now just to keep the option of the scheme open as we don't really know what the new governmemt will do?

Anything I've not thought of?

Thanks.

I have no idea I'm afraid but bumping for some traffic for you.

I don't think you can join until your child is born. Unless you already have one, but you say it's your first.

That's where it's confusing as a few people have said to join now and save some vouchers up, I'll have to ring them tomorrow and see what they say. It's so confusing!

You have to have a qualifying child. You can join as soon as she's born so can still be considered in the scheme if you join in August.

Ahhhh ok, well that's tricky as I'm not due till the last week in August. I may not be in time then.

You have to have a child and you can't sign up while on smp - you can't sacrifice salary while you're not actually earning any salary. You would have to sign up while receiving the 6w at 90% or any enhanced mat pay your employer offers.

There's no date yet but will probably be around October so should be fine.

trilby you can start getting the vouchers as soon as your child is born regardless of how the scheme is offered. You have the same rights as those at work even when not receiving salary,

If you get any contractual maternity pay then this may be based on the reduced salary after salary sacrifice and so could be lower.

The 6 weeks at 90% will not be affected as this is calculated during qualifying weeks and can't change.

I believe a new scheme is due to begin around October time which is a Government scheme not through your employer so it will be available to everyone. I also believe you can no longer join the employee schemes because of this but if you are already in (which I am) you will be able to claim on both schemes. I'm hoping this is true as it could potentially save me another £1000 a year in child care and every penny helps

Think I may have got this wrong, think you can still join the scheme until the new government one starts, sorry.

You can join as soon as the child is born and save up the vouchers until you need childcare - I did that and had enough for the first few months which was very helpful when I just started back. But you can't join before they are born, for obvious reasons.