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Original poster

Childcare Vouchers - who is the best provider?

27 replies

mumdebump · 15/09/2008 23:23

Has anyone set up a scheme for childcare vouchers? I am the only employee and have to set up the whole thing so any advice please on which providers to look at and also how much they charge...

OP posts:
gigglewitch · 15/09/2008 23:26

we use this lot
works well on the whole once teething issues sorted.

Original poster
mumdebump · 15/09/2008 23:29

How much do they charge to administer them?

OP posts:
gigglewitch · 15/09/2008 23:33

it's in the 'employers' bit. I didn't set it up, so I hope I've not been misleading you, but i'm a manager and i was the first 'guinea-pig' into the system along with the finance manager lucky us eh....

gigglewitch · 15/09/2008 23:35

better link

Original poster
mumdebump · 15/09/2008 23:45

Thanks. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

OP posts:
bigspender30 · 16/09/2008 14:50

sorry for thread hijack but can you register for childcare vouchers if you work freelance and are self employed? Is it worth the hassle?

DaisySteiner · 16/09/2008 14:51

I thought the company could actually administer them themselves and save the fees?

Original poster
mumdebump · 17/09/2008 16:03

Bigspender - you can if you are self-employed as a ltd co but not if you are a sole trader. In our case DH is self-employed and my employer (I do his admin for his co, hence I can get the vouchers but having to do all the set-up and admin for myself)

DaisySteiner - you can but I have no idea where to start and we are only talking small sums in my case so it's not worth the hassle for me.

Have found company which only charges 2.5% fee rather than 8.5% which BusyBees charge.

OP posts:
malfoy · 18/09/2008 11:05

Mumdebump, I am in a similar situation, ie sole employee of DH's ltd co.

What have you dound out so far? I need to do the same.

bigspender30 · 18/09/2008 12:28

Mumdebump, which company charges only 2.5% fee?

witchandchips · 18/09/2008 12:34

you should check the legislation+ ask your accountant. It may be easier for the company (i.e. dh) to pay your childcare provider directly.

Bramshott · 18/09/2008 12:40

When my DH was the only person in his company doing salary sacrifice, his firm set up a contract with the nursery (which the nursery provided) and just paid the amount automatically each month, and we paid the rest - twas very easy.

His current firm uses Accor and they're very easy to use.

witchandchips · 18/09/2008 12:46

I think the sales people from the voucher companies make it seem as if you need to use them to get the tax advantage. If you look as the legislation it clearly says firms can
a) fund (wholy or partly) a workplace nursery
b) contract with an external childcare provider for childcare for their employees
c) provide vouchers (either by themselves or an intermediary.

The key things are that all employees have to be eligiable for the perk and that the child care is for children under 16

Original poster
mumdebump · 19/09/2008 14:40

bigspender. Kiddivouchers

OP posts:
sitdownpleasegeorge · 19/09/2008 14:53

Providing you have a salary sacrifice agreement in place (and the vouchers are available to all employees) plus an sgreement between the employee and the childcare provider you can make out your own vouchers. You don't need to pay for any one to provide you with fancy vouchers so you don't need to incur any charges.

Original poster
mumdebump · 19/09/2008 15:05

We're just doing the vouchers as an addition to my salary and I'm the only employee so can DH just pay the nursery directly, & what paperwork would we need to create to give to the nursery and also to HMRC?

OP posts:
witchandchips · 19/09/2008 15:13

see hmrc fact sheet here but i would get your accountant to set it up

Original poster
mumdebump · 19/09/2008 15:22

Thanks, will check it out. Suspect it may cost more to have the accountant set it up than it would do to run it through Kiddivouchers.

OP posts:
witchandchips · 19/09/2008 15:27

shouldn't do as the accountant will have to justify the transfers to kiddivouchers anyway for the auditors

alibubbles · 20/09/2008 11:29

As a childminder receiving childcare vouchers from 6 different companies I would say Busy Bees is the WORST! Great website for info, but crap at service for the c/m and parent.

I didn't get paid for Aug and Sept, they didn't answer the phone, and so I emailed. When I got through to them eventually I told them I'd emailed, they said, oh you won't get a reply for 3 days as we are so busy, I said, what with complaints?

Suffice to say they are having to compensate me again for bank charges.

Care 4 and Accor are excellent.

mazzystar · 20/09/2008 11:33

busy bees have cocked up with ours on three separate occasions. once cost us £400. no idea about how the ohter providers work, but hmmm, would avoid.

peasoup · 26/09/2008 15:13

Can i ask- If my DH is self employed (not a limited company), can he employ me and therefore provide me with childcare vouchers for our nursery place for DS? If so, how?!!!

Original poster
mumdebump · 27/09/2008 20:02

That is our situation Peasoup. If you have an accountant, they can advise you. For your DH to employ you, he will need to provide you with a proper written statement of employment (like a contract) - you can get this from business link website -, register as an employer with HMRC, do all their paperwork, provide your payslips etc, & basically comply with all the legal requirements of an employer. HMRC have a new employer helpline and will send you lots of info. It seems a daunting amount of work at first but once you've got everything set up it's just a case of routine admin.

As for the childcare vouchers, you still have to meet all the criteria laid down by HMRC (see Witchandchips' link above), you can then go through a provider or your DH's company can adminster them.

OP posts:
Original poster
mumdebump · 27/09/2008 20:02

That is our situation Peasoup. If you have an accountant, they can advise you. For your DH to employ you, he will need to provide you with a proper written statement of employment (like a contract) - you can get this from business link website -, register as an employer with HMRC, do all their paperwork, provide your payslips etc, & basically comply with all the legal requirements of an employer. HMRC have a new employer helpline and will send you lots of info. It seems a daunting amount of work at first but once you've got everything set up it's just a case of routine admin.

As for the childcare vouchers, you still have to meet all the criteria laid down by HMRC (see Witchandchips' link above), you can then go through a provider or your DH's company can adminster them.

OP posts:
andyrobo237 · 27/09/2008 20:16

As an Employee my firm use Busy Bees and DH's firm use Care-4, who in my opinion are far better - their website is care-4.co.uk