Nursery Vouchers - how do they work?

[Holymoly321]

I plan to go back to work in September part time - 3 days a week. I'll be paying out for childcare for those 3 days. Someone has mentioned nursery vouchers to me. Are these something that my employer gives to me? (My employer is not at all clued up about this type of thing - think I'm the first person there to have a baby!). How much would I get? And where can I find out more?

You save money by not paying tax and NI on nursery payments. Your employer save on NI contributions too.

here

I both DP and I are working full time, with DS in childcare two days a week, earning around 45k will we get help? Does anyone know? I find the whole thing completely confusing.

The vouchers are a scheme set up by the Govt. You agree with your company to sacrifice part of your salary which they then pay you in vouchers. The first £217 a month is tax free and it is all NI free. Also if both you and your DH receive vouchers you are both entitled to the tax free element, so potentially £434 a month tax and NI free which would say you over £100 a month. We get the vouchers through Accor so maybe worth looking at their website. Flossam income is irrelevent - other than that 40% taxpayers make more of a saving.

Thanks Bozza. Still find it all rather confusing. Will the NHS do it do you think?

I thought the NHS already had a voucher scheme?

don't know whether all employers offer voucher schemes or whether they have too.

ours offers Busy Bee vouchers we both surrend £217 a month (£434 total) from our salary to be transferred to a voucher/s. We don't pay pension contributions on this (nor does work) but apparently it won't effect the long term as we still have many years at work left!

this covers two full days (8-5) with a childminder for 2 children and this is all we need, plus pays the childminders holiday pay.

you obviously can only use where childcare provider is willing to accept them - not all childminders will, so may limit your choice.

I too am looking into this today as my company use Busy Bee. Apparently, any child carer, private nursery etc can register free for Busy Bee, it just means that rather than receiving payment by you, they receive payment directly into their bank and you don't pay any tax or NI contributions on that monthly element. My eight month DS has only just started one afternoon a week, but with the tax saving, it means that I am only paying for two days a month and the other two days a month are free!

we hve just signed up for these through dh's office. so angry that teachers are not part of the scheme - a scheme the gov't is running, we could save even more

Flossam - NHS uses busy bees, they also have something called Kiddilinks - they are a charity but linked to the childrens information service - they will do all the ground work for you by phoning around for vacancies within your chosen childcare choice. so all you have to do is phone the vacancies and go and meet and decide. It saved my about day and half of telephone bills!

phone your HR and speak to your mat leave co-ordinator - they'll fill you in and give you all the info.

My company also uses Busy Bees here or www.busybees.com if link doesn't work.

I can CAT a carer pack if anyone is interested which is how it works from the childminders side.

Sorry here is the link.

THANKS FOR oops caps, help. Will talk to my new manager when i speak to her next.