Mystery amount in my payslip

[Wigeon]

I'm on maternity leave and currently just receiving statutory maternity pay. This month my payslip has a payment labelled "Childcare Refund" - £243. Any idea what this might be? I don't get childcare vouchers, or use my work creche, or anything like that. I claim child benefit and child tax credit, but I thought this was completely separate from my work's payroll?

£243 is the amount that you can buy of childcare vouchers. I suspect they accidentally signed you up and then refunded you when they realised... Check back over the last years worth of payslips...

Well £243 is the max monthly amount that can be claimed in childcare vouchers so I think it will likely be this. Speak to payroll to see if they have mistakenly added you to the voucher scheme.

Ah - I knew someone would be able to help! Thank you both.

I reckon there is a mix up somewhere. I'd put money on someone else in the company being £243 down at the moment.

I agree with grevling. Its probably an inputting error.?If you are employee 123, you have probably had employee 321's refund.
Don't spend it as employer 321 will probably query it and they are bound to identify the error and you will end up having to give it back.