If schools are closed due to Covid 19.are we liable to pay for nursery fees

[Hannsmum]

Hi

Just wondering as above ..

Are we liable to pay as bank holidays for nurseries or as its a national emergency, we are not liable to pay or we're entitled to a refund of days not used?

[SMaCM]

AlveyTan it's always worth asking, but remember all the other families might be asking too.

[Apple40]

Alveytan sorry I don’t understand are you saying you have a term time only contract so don’t pay for school holidays at present or you want to move to a term time only contract now and then ask her for extra days in the August holidays? If it’s the later you would still need to give 4 weeks notice of change of contract

[Evguenia]

The nurseries say they need to continue paying their staff their salaries, which is fair enough, however it is not fair to continue charging parents at this difficult time when some people may not even have paid work.

I have started a petition to the Government to raise this issue, with a two-fold intention: (a) to get the nurseries to survive, and (b) most importantly for us parents – to avoid paying full fees to keep our children’s nursery places.

Please kindly support and share: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301836

[anotherdayanothername20]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301836
Sign the petition and maybe they'll get included in the emergency bailout relief fund?

[Hannsmum]

Now my sons nursery said they are staying open because they are private and not run by the Govt. Im sure they are doing this because they want to find any means to get people to pay because what i understood from the press conference is that " all schools and nurseries should close"

I honestly dont mind paying because im meant to be working from home which would help with the 2 yr old but at the same time..i don't want to leave my kid out when everyone is home??

[NameChangedAMillionTimes]

This Petition will mean it gets discussed in parliament if there's enough signatures. Please sign and share.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301836?fbclid=IwAR2wA3IU1wtYLhnUISgze8XmZ1pyoncS2f0RX3QHfWw7aKL4JY4vio4mUyo

[milliememum]

It's a vicious circle, I'm a nursery worker with 3 school aged children, at the moment we have no plans to close which is good for me wages wise but bad childcare wise, I can't win !

[MarshaBradyo]

There will be lockdown soon I can’t see how they can continue to offer a service then.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Just dropped my son off at school nursery and they said that as far as they know right now they will be closed. The private nursery that partners it are staying open though.

[DrMaryMalone]

Our nursery have advised:

If they are forced to close by government or staff shortage then we will not have to pay
If child doesn't attend due to illness or isolation then we do pay
If they are short staffed but able to open they will have limited places and if you volunteer not to use your place so it could be used by the child of a key worker you will not have to pay.

They have said all staff will be paid SSP plus a top up.

[Alsonification]

I’m in ROI and a childminder (& single parent so mine is the only wage). We have been told to close til 29th March. Ordinarily if I take time off I don’t charge however in this instance I contacted all the parents I mind for & explained that as it’s out of my control & I’m being forced to close, I would have to charge. However I appreciate not everyone is getting paid themselves so we’ve agreed half the weekly rate for the 2 weeks. 2 of the families have insisted on paying me the full rate which is extremely good of them & the others are all happy with the half rate. After the 29th I intend to take back any children that need me. If our schools close til September then I will most likely lose 2 children as their parents are teachers & obviously won’t pay me for nothing for that long but the others I mind for all have to go back to work.
It’s a very scary time. Our government has said that mortgage companies will give a 3 month break so if it wasn’t for that I’d be far more worried.

[Tashyliza]

I've just been emailed by nursery saying that we have to pay full fees for our 4 day attendance despite no service. Fuming!! No hit at all from the nursery. All on parents. Nine hundred odd pound a month.
I've written back and contested as nothing in contract about this.
Other nurseries in area are asking for contributions. Have signed the petition on here and written an assertive, factual response, contesting the request.

[MarshaBradyo]

Tashy what is the next step if you don’t pay? You have to withdraw your child? Look at your contract. If so well that’s done already.

[Youvebeenmuffled]

I’m being told that I still have to pay due to being an Nhs worker - even though my partners work has closed without pay until further notice. Not sure how they expect me to pay when we’ve lost a wage? Even if we take a mortgage break my wage won’t cover the childcare/bills/food and petrol ( due to my role being non essential I’ll be sent here there and everywhere in our trust once the staff shortages happen )

[Tashyliza]

MarshaBradyo well it makes no mention beyond closure for the odd snow day etc so don't see how they can contest. Will talk with my feet. He went be there anyway. I've paid until end of March which means they get a free week but won't be paying next until we know when we return. They can take take it legal but think it will be a weak case given the huge disparity between nurseries and no firm guidance from govt. Come on Boris...!!

[Tashyliza]

Done

[MarshaBradyo]

Mine has closed but I have £900 to pay at Easter

They think they will re open on 23 April and I can see them asking for it

I’m paying for the weeks now until Easter and fine but I’m not just handing over £900 with no real chance of it being open.

[Tashyliza]

Meant to add "done to the petition post 🤣. This rage is making me sloppy!!😜

[mummyh2016]

My private nursery has said tonight that they've had no formal notification from our LA that they have to close so they won't be.
I'm expecting another message tomorrow to say that they are closing but cynical me is wondering are they just doing all they can to drag it out as the invoice for next month will be due next week?

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

mummyh2016

To be fair I dont think anyone really knows. We still dont have the list of key workers who can still send kids to school. My school nursery told me they are expecting to close but they think the private provision will remain open, theres so much uncertainty around it. I think everyone expected to hear more today but nothing.

[radioband]

My private nursery is closing. I've been asked to pay full fees. Feel stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[Hannsmum]

@radioband its insane isnt it? How do they ecpect full fees when the kids wont be there?

At least they should reach some sort of compromise

[MarshaBradyo]

Radioband what do they do usually if you don’t pay? Withdraw your child? Who is not in.

I understand if you feel you should pay to help them out, then it’s a hard one.

[Tashyliza]

They need to look into other options like guarenteed govt loans, staff using annual leave/unpaid leave etc, just like the rest of us. Funny how other nurseries aren't asking for a penny...husband and wife owners of two big sites...seems to me that greed and not wanting any inconvenience may be the answer...

[Lucion]

We used to pay for the kindergarten after it closed. So, our kid was at home for two months. Then we started to look for another daycare. We were not sure our daycare would open soon. And, to be honest, we were not satisfied with paying money for nothing. I found a chain of Little Scholars daycare centres Brooklyn. That was the best option for us. The kindergarten worked. Of course, they were following all the requirements regarding Covid-19. Parents were not allowed to come in. As I see, my son enjoys every day he spends there. I am happy for him! This place is much better than his previous kindergarten.