Q: Can I request Childcare Vouchers for any child?
A: In order to qualify for the scheme, you must be parent or legal guardian of the child.
Q: What’s in it for me?
A: You get to save money on registered or approved childcare as you won’t pay tax or National Insurance Contributions on your Childcare Vouchers.
Q: Is it a hassle to join? Will there be lots of paperwork to do?
A: Not at all. You just need to call our customer advice line on freephone 08000 430 860 – our advisors will talk you through the scheme and let you know how much you can save each month. They’ll take your details, fill out a form which will be sent off to you by e-mail, fax or post. Simply sign it and send it back to us and you’ll be registered and ready to receive our Childcare Vouchers.
Q: Does it cost my carer anything to use the scheme and how easy is it for them to set up?
A: It costs your carer nothing to register with Busy Bees. They simply complete a short registration form and post it to Busy Bees, along with proof of their registration with OFSTED or appropriate body.
Q: So how do I pay my carer?
A: You will either receive paper or electronic Vouchers. Paper Vouchers work in the same way as shopping Vouchers, so you simply physically hand them over to your carer to redeem with us. With the electronic version, you can set up AutoPay, which is similar to a Standing Order and will automatically pay your carers on a fixed date each month.
Q: What happens if my carer changes regularly?
A: The Busy Bees scheme is flexible, so you can send payments to the carer of your choice. If you use numerous carers (an out of school club and a childminder, for example) you can split the value of your Vouchers between both.
Q: Does it make any difference to payments if I have more than one child?
A: Savings you can make using the scheme are based on salary per parent, not the number of children. Each parent can only request a maximum of £243 worth of Vouchers each month.
Q: If I am a higher rate tax payer can I still claim Childcare Vouchers?
A: Yes, Childcare Vouchers are available to both basic and higher rate taxpayers.
Q; My employer doesn’t offer Childcare Vouchers at the moment. What can I do to encourage them?
A: We can provide your employer with all the information they need to set up our scheme. All you need to do is get them to call our employer support line on freephone 08000 431 861.