Registered Childcare Providers
If your employer operates a childcare voucher scheme, then as a parent you can claim up to £55 per week, net of tax and insurance, as long as you have a child that qualifies under the UK childcare voucher scheme regulations. However, not all forms of childcare qualify for these vouchers and tax breaks. It's important, therefore, to understand which types of childcare are approved by the scheme and which are not.
Childcare vouchers can be used to pay for all registered childcare, including registered childminders, day nurseries, crèches and play-groups, after-school and breakfast clubs, holiday schemes and workplace nurseries. Childcare vouchers can also be used to pay for more than one form of childcare, for example if you use different types of childcare for one child, and/or if you use different childcare providers for a number of children
What counts as approved childcare?
The childcare voucher scheme covers children up to the age of 15, or 16 if the child is disabled. In fact, as a parent your child will continue to be eligible up to the 1 September after their 15th birthday. However, the provider of the childcare must be approved and registered/regulated by the appropriate authorities: this rule applies whether a child receives care through a childminder, playgroup, a nursery, an employers' nursery or an au pair.
What counts as approved childcare for the benefit of the UK childcare voucher scheme varies for each country within the union.
- In England a qualifying child-carer must be registered under part 3 of the 2006 Childcare Act. They will also be registered on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register.
- In Wales a childcare provider must be registered by the National Assembly for Wales, through the Care Standards Inspectorate.
- In Scotland a childcare provider has to be registered with the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.
- In Northern Ireland childcare has to registered by a Health Care and Social Services Trust, or approved by the Approved Home Child Carers Scheme(Northern Ireland).
The easiest way to find out whether a child-carer is registered is to ask the Local Authority Children's Services Department, or search for the nearest family information service on the Nafis website:
www.familyinformationservices.org.uk
Will your childminder accept childcare vouchers as payment for childminding services?
Childcare providers are not obliged to accept vouchers, however most childcare providers are familiar with childcare vouchers and will readily accept them. Early Years Vouchers Ltd can provide childcare provider information packs and helpline support - 0845 0945 804/5/6 if your childcare provider has any queries. Your childcare provider may already be registered with us. If not we will supply you with a childcare provider registration form. It is your responsibility to contact your childcare provider(s) and ask if they are prepared to accept vouchers. If they have any doubts about the scheme they can contact Early Years Vouchers Ltd directly on 0845 0945 804/5/6. If your childcare provider already accepts Early Years Vouchers Ltd vouchers, there is no need for them to complete another Childcare Provider Agreement form.