​​​​​The latest on the blog​​​ 

​Why you should be tailoring your employee benefits
​​Read more

Catching up on missed vouchers

If your scheme rules allow parents to ‘backdate’ their childcare vouchers, just a heads up that we’ll be reminding them how to do this in our January newsletter.

​​

Holiday Trading - give your employees more 'me time'

​

Now that winter is well and truly here, many of us will chasing the sun and booking our summer holidays. Our Holiday Trading scheme is the perfect way to give your employees the opportunity to buy extra holiday from their salary, and spread the cost over a year.  

Working parents can use the extra days to better manage their childcare and it will help other employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

As an employer you'll see your wage bill fall, and because it's a salary sacrifice benefit your National Insurance contributions will come down too. With the money you save, you could fund other employee benefits (improving employee loyalty and engagement) or make a saving on your bottom line. 

​


 

If you'd like to know more about Holiday Trading, drop us an email​ or visit our website. ​


 

Back to top​

   

Everything you need to know about Tax-Free Childcare

​​
TFC roll-out delayed by government

When TFC first launched in April 2017, only parents with children under four years old could apply, before being extended to children under six in November. This means that the TFC roll-out is now behind schedule given that it should’ve rolled out to all children under 12 by the end of 2017.​
According to a recent article published by The Times, only 30K parents have signed up to TFC so far. The size of the gap between expected and actual take-up of the benefit was revealed by the Office for Budget Responsibility. “Take-up so far this year has been even lower than we assumed in March,” it stated. “Just a 30,000 caseload instead of 415,000 by October 2017.”

 

 
Applying for childcare vouchers before the April 2018 deadline
Government hasn't confirmed the actual date of when the childcare voucher scheme will close to new entrants. All we know at the moment is that it will close in ‘April 2018’.
To be eligible for childcare vouchers beyond April 2018, a parent has to either: 
> Register before the cut-off date and have received a childcare voucher within the last rolling 12-month period. 
> Register before the cut-off date and place an advance order no more than 12 months in advance.

 


 

Can a parent re-join childcare vouchers after applying for TFC?
A number of parents have been contacting us to tell us about the issues they're having with TFC, and want to re-join the childcare voucher scheme.
If, after joining TFC they realise the scheme’s not for them, HMRC have been advising parents that they CAN re-join a childcare voucher scheme providing:
- They haven’t completed a Childcare Account Notice (CAN)
- It’s before the April 2018 deadline

 


 

Childcare vouchers, the April 2018 deadline, and maternity/paternity leave

We’ve had lots of queries about maternity/paternity leave and the April 2018 cut-off date for childcare vouchers. To put it simply, all you need to do is make sure your scheme rules are fit-for-purpose and allow a parent to receive a voucher in every rolling 12-month period in order to remain eligible after the April 2018 cut-off. Take a look our October newsletter and recent parent blog for more detail on the topic.
If a parent finds themselves ineligible for childcare vouchers after April 2018, TFC will be their only option (and that's assuming they’re eligible, many won’t be).
If you’re not sure you’re doing all you can to help your working parents or just want to discuss your options, please contact your Relationship Manager or email us​. 

 

 
30 hours free childcare application process causing confusion

There has also been some confusion around the application process for the 30 hours of free childcare (England only). 
Whilst TFC and the 30 hours free childcare are two separate government schemes, they do use the same online application process, and a number of parents were given the impression they had to join TFC to get their 30 hours. 
This is simply not the case. Parents can apply for their free childcare allowance AND apply for/continue to receive childcare vouchers. They DO NOT have to join TFC to be eligible for the 30 hours.