childcare
costs
Most childminders
charge between £3.00 and £3.50 per hour per child although some
offer discounts for additional siblings. Providing meals
is usual additional to the normal hourly costs but most childminders
will provide snacks during the day for your child free of charge.
Help
with childcare costs
There
are a number of schemes and grants available to help cover the
costs of your childcare.
Childcare
Vouchers
Childcare vouchers are a way of paying for registered or approved
childcare which means that the employee does not pay tax and
national insurance on up to £55 of the money they spend on childcare
per week.
A child qualifies for childcare vouchers up to the 1st September
following their 15th birthday, or 1st September following their
16th birthday if they are disabled.
Parents can make a saving of around £1200 per adult per year
depending on their individual circumstances. It is important
to note that receiving a childcare benefit or childcare vouchers
from your employer can affect your entitlement to tax credits
because these benefits are not counted as income for tax credit
purposes. Receiving childcare and childcare vouchers will normally
help you when given in addition to your normal salary as they
are not liable for tax or national insurance.
Whilst
the practise of accepting childcare vouchers is common within
nursery and pre-school providers, there are only a few childminders
who participate in the voucher scheme at present but this number
is growing.
Working
Parents
Some companies offer childcare schemes to help cover costs,
or to offset your tax against your childcare costs. You
should contact your employer to see if they offer such a scheme.
If you
are a working parent, you could also be entitled to money from
the Government to help you pay for childcare. You may be able
to claim up to 70% of childcare fees from the Inland Revenue.
Click
here for further information
Lone Parents
If you are a lone parent bringing up a child and are receiving
Income Support, you could join New Deal for Lone Parents.
This is
a Government programme designed specifically to help lone parents
who want to work. You can arrange to see your New Deal for Lone
Parents personal adviser for advice and information. Call the
information line on 0800 868 868 or call in at your local Jobcentre
or Jobcentre Plus office. You can also get further information
here.
Students
If you are a parent who wants to study or train, you may be
able to get help paying for childcare while you study.
If you
are over 16 but under 19 and start learning anytime after 1st
August 2003, or if you are continuing a course in a school sixth
form or sixth form college that you started before you were
19, you may be able to get your childcare and any necessary
travel costs up to £5,000 per child per year.
You can
find out more through the
Care to Learn? web site or you can phone the Care to
Learn? helpline on 0845 600 2809 (Monday to Friday - 8.30am-5pm)
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