Child Minding Fees during Restructions
Poll: Child Minding Fees during Restructions
Total Members Polled: 29
Discussion
Asking on behalf of a friend who is having a heated debate with his wife and the childminder.
Childminder has presented their bill for April at full rate, but is not taking the children (my friend he randomly classed as a key worker).
Her argument being if he is getting paid then she should
His reasoning is that he is being paid as he’s going to work every day, she’s doing nothing.
His wife wants to pay, he doesn’t, or at most only pay the 50% they pay during summer holidays.
He pointed out to her she could claim via the government schemes but she apparently doesn’t make much profit, on paper
PH massive thoughts.....
Childminder has presented their bill for April at full rate, but is not taking the children (my friend he randomly classed as a key worker).
Her argument being if he is getting paid then she should
His reasoning is that he is being paid as he’s going to work every day, she’s doing nothing.His wife wants to pay, he doesn’t, or at most only pay the 50% they pay during summer holidays.
He pointed out to her she could claim via the government schemes but she apparently doesn’t make much profit, on paper
PH massive thoughts.....
I'd say pay 50%, but only to keep the slot at the childminder (assuming the childminder is good), if she's not minding the children why does she expect to get paid? Her not putting things through the books (I'm assuming that's why she doesn't make much profit on paper) is her problem...
Our Scout Group rents our hall out to a pre-school during the day.
Obviously we don't have much in the way of any fixed costs, as we don't employ any staff and we've not got a mortgage on the building or anything, so it's really just a few bills, so we decided the right thing to do would be to waive the pre-school's rent for the duration, as they have far more to worry about financially than we do.
As for the pre-school themselves, not only are they not taking any fees from the parents whose kids can't attend, they have also stayed open for the kids of key workers, and have waived all fees to those key workers.
I was amazed at that approach, and just hope that with the rent being waived, they'll be able to keep it up for the duration!
It did make me wonder though... Let's say they normally needed three workers and now only need one - can they claim furlough for two headcounts and let each of the staff work one week in three, or do they have to say worker 1 has to work all three weeks and workers 2 & 3 can't work at all for three weeks?
Obviously we don't have much in the way of any fixed costs, as we don't employ any staff and we've not got a mortgage on the building or anything, so it's really just a few bills, so we decided the right thing to do would be to waive the pre-school's rent for the duration, as they have far more to worry about financially than we do.
As for the pre-school themselves, not only are they not taking any fees from the parents whose kids can't attend, they have also stayed open for the kids of key workers, and have waived all fees to those key workers.
I was amazed at that approach, and just hope that with the rent being waived, they'll be able to keep it up for the duration!
It did make me wonder though... Let's say they normally needed three workers and now only need one - can they claim furlough for two headcounts and let each of the staff work one week in three, or do they have to say worker 1 has to work all three weeks and workers 2 & 3 can't work at all for three weeks?
Fatboy said:
I'd say pay 50%, but only to keep the slot at the childminder (assuming the childminder is good), if she's not minding the children why does she expect to get paid? Her not putting things through the books (I'm assuming that's why she doesn't make much profit on paper) is her problem...
Apparently it all goes through the books (I'm not completely convinced) but there are lots of costs they can be applied so the net profit isn't that high....they need here for another 18 months until their youngest goes to skool so are trying to do the right thing without feeling like they're being ripped off...Depends what the contract says.
I have an 18 month old at nursery and fully expected to be paying fees for the duration (within reason).
The nursery have been very fair and stopped all fees from 20th March.
I would pay the childminder if the contract says you should or 50% if they are very good and you couldn't easily replace them.
Outside of that I would pay nothing.
I have an 18 month old at nursery and fully expected to be paying fees for the duration (within reason).
The nursery have been very fair and stopped all fees from 20th March.
I would pay the childminder if the contract says you should or 50% if they are very good and you couldn't easily replace them.
Outside of that I would pay nothing.
Our childminder has stopped all service and I'm now in credit with her as the money for April had already gone through. All paid via the Gov tax-free childcare scheme so its "on the books". We do have a contract which says we are expected to pay for service 40 weeks per year, but she has taken the decision to suspend all service and income during this time.
Interesting thread, our breakfast/after school club rinsed us for March and April fees in advance (paid end of feb) which is not normal, usually it’s split. We pay a retainer for Wednesday’s and Thursday and then other days are booked on spec in advance depending on my shift pattern.
I’ve canceled my voucher salary sacrifice but still have about £300 stuck in vouchers and my lad is in year 6 so they’ll be pretty much useless after July or August depending on what happens with school and holiday clubs.
I’m trying to find out about getting the vouchers back as cash which is apparently possible if my company will do it.
For the OP it depends on whether you can go elsewhere after the dust settles... depending on how the child minder runs their business can they get the government grant? I would have thought the summer retainer would be reasonable, after all she stopped the service (she could be open for key worker’s children), and under consumer law you cannot charge for a service which you do not provide, if they were a member of PACEY they would know this as it’s clear in the FAQs.
I’ve canceled my voucher salary sacrifice but still have about £300 stuck in vouchers and my lad is in year 6 so they’ll be pretty much useless after July or August depending on what happens with school and holiday clubs.
I’m trying to find out about getting the vouchers back as cash which is apparently possible if my company will do it.
For the OP it depends on whether you can go elsewhere after the dust settles... depending on how the child minder runs their business can they get the government grant? I would have thought the summer retainer would be reasonable, after all she stopped the service (she could be open for key worker’s children), and under consumer law you cannot charge for a service which you do not provide, if they were a member of PACEY they would know this as it’s clear in the FAQs.
Edited by r159 on Tuesday 7th April 09:58
Kingdom35 said:
whats the contract in place state?
Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
They have to pay here for a 2 week holiday taken during the summer skool holidays. If they choose not to send the kids during the summer holidays they still pay 50% of the fees.Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
The contract is (unsurprisingly) silent on the current situation or anything like it........the kids are available to be minded but she won't take them, despite key worker status.
uuf361 said:
Kingdom35 said:
whats the contract in place state?
Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
They have to pay here for a 2 week holiday taken during the summer skool holidays. If they choose not to send the kids during the summer holidays they still pay 50% of the fees.Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
The contract is (unsurprisingly) silent on the current situation or anything like it........the kids are available to be minded but she won't take them, despite key worker status.
Contract and the childminders attitude aside: Is she a good childminder? Is she more convenient than others.
It's much like private school fees - often you have a medium term vested interest in the private school/childminder. You can argue you're not paying fees, but will the private school or childminder be there when CV19 is over? If no-one pays, what if the childminder decides it's more lucrative to drive for Tesco and never go back to childminding?
It's much like private school fees - often you have a medium term vested interest in the private school/childminder. You can argue you're not paying fees, but will the private school or childminder be there when CV19 is over? If no-one pays, what if the childminder decides it's more lucrative to drive for Tesco and never go back to childminding?
uuf361 said:
Kingdom35 said:
whats the contract in place state?
Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
They have to pay here for a 2 week holiday taken during the summer skool holidays. If they choose not to send the kids during the summer holidays they still pay 50% of the fees.Do they pay her for when theyre on holiday? Do they pay her for when shes on holiday?
The contract is (unsurprisingly) silent on the current situation or anything like it........the kids are available to be minded but she won't take them, despite key worker status.
Ridiculous. She should be claiming from the govt, not you.
Kermit power said:
As for the pre-school themselves, not only are they not taking any fees from the parents whose kids can't attend, they have also stayed open for the kids of key workers, and have waived all fees to those key workers.
I was amazed at that approach, and just hope that with the rent being waived, they'll be able to keep it up for the duration!
For the time being they are still being paid by the Government for the early years provision but I don't think that's much and it probably doesn't continue through what would have been the Easter holidays.I was amazed at that approach, and just hope that with the rent being waived, they'll be able to keep it up for the duration!
uuf361 said:
He pointed out to her she could claim via the government schemes but she apparently doesn’t make much profit, on paper
PH massive thoughts.....
If she's not making much profit then surely she's not losing a great deal either as a result of lockdown.....?PH massive thoughts.....
People's various "tax mitigation" schemes coming back to bite them in the arse.
uuf361 said:
Asking on behalf of a friend who is having a heated debate with his wife and the childminder.
Childminder has presented their bill for April at full rate, but is not taking the children (my friend he randomly classed as a key worker).
Her argument being if he is getting paid then she should His reasoning is that he is being paid as he’s going to work every day, she’s doing nothing.
His wife wants to pay, he doesn’t, or at most only pay the 50% they pay during summer holidays.
He pointed out to her she could claim via the government schemes but she apparently doesn’t make much profit, on paper
PH massive thoughts.....
I think it would depend on what the contract says, surely? Otherwise, 50% seems reasonable to hold the place open.Childminder has presented their bill for April at full rate, but is not taking the children (my friend he randomly classed as a key worker).
Her argument being if he is getting paid then she should
His reasoning is that he is being paid as he’s going to work every day, she’s doing nothing.His wife wants to pay, he doesn’t, or at most only pay the 50% they pay during summer holidays.
He pointed out to her she could claim via the government schemes but she apparently doesn’t make much profit, on paper
PH massive thoughts.....
Kermit power said:
Wow! I might've had some sympathy for her under other circumstances, but if you're a key worker, actually have a need for childcare, she is legally allowed to provide it and she's refusing, why on earth would you even contemplate paying her a single penny?
The nursery our grandson (whose parents are both key workers) goes to two days per week was going to stay open but then said there was too littlle demand. It was suggested the nursery staff could look after him privately, but that they would need to be paid again!They have bills to pay and in a lot of cases their income has completely stopped through no fault of their own. It isn’t a high paying job anyway. My and wife’s income has completely stopped too but we’re still paying 50% of childminders fees to keep the place and just to be nice as she has her own kids to feed.
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