payment through tax credits need your help please

[tomy12]

i had a mum come to see me last night and wants to pay me via tax credits.
as she is now a single mum and will qualify for the childcare element.
how does she go about this and does the payment go direct to me or to the mum??
is there anything that i will need to do for this to go through?
and she wants to use a nursery one day of the week and me the rest does will she be able to do this ?
i am happy for her to use a nursery for ons day of the week as its happens to be the day i am fully booked anyway.
any advice welcom so i can then advise her on what sahe needs to do thank you all

claire

[angeldelight]

Hi Claire

Almost all my moms are on tax - credits

You only have to give your registration number but I would advise only to give this once contracts have been paid say you are not allowed to before

She then applies to the inland revenue she can do it on line
I think it takes up to about 72 hours for her to receive the money, it goes into her bank
I think they pay about 80% of her childcare so the rest she pays out of her own money

This does not affect you what so ever.
She can not say she has not received payment or whatever so if there is a delay in her receiving it then she still must pay you.
You are running a business and her problems are not yours

Sorry to sound so harsh but I have had so many parents abuse this system that I have had to be strong.
A lot of parents will try it on

She will get monthly payments from tax credits ( you sometimes find parents do spend this whole month money and then can not pay you !!)

Apart from that a lot of parents are brilliant at paying you

The day at nursery will not affect your payments because she will put the hours and the charges down for the tax credits for each week

Hope this helps

Angel xx

[2kidsunder5]

Hi Claire

All I can do is reiterate what Angel has said. Whatever you do don't give your registration number out until the contract and all other paperwork has been signed, I have done that in the past only to be let down and then to find out that they were claiming tax credits using my number!!!!!!

I think that the tax credit should be paid direct to the childcare provider and not the parent as what happened to me can happen to anyone at any time - I no longer display my certificate, I have it in a folder with the number blanked out because of what happened.

Love Diane x

[Pauline]

2kidsunder5 said:

I no longer display my certificate, I have it in a folder with the number blanked out because of what happened.

Love Diane x

Oh dear Diane, if you read your certificate then it is a condition of registration that you display your certificate! Ofsted would not be happy if they found out.

I was going to ask how you get round this problem of parents using your number because I thought the same, if your certificate is displayed then they can get it without signing a contract but you HAVE to display it.

'Catch 22' springs to mind!

[2kidsunder5]

I know it is a condition however I am just not prepared to take the risk anymore. The people that used my number claimed tax credits for over 6 months and I was the one who as made to feel guilty about it!!!!

I am due an OFSTED visit in the next few months and am going to ask them about it. All I have done is put a post it note over the number and it is in my file along with all my other certificates CRB etc. It is there for potential parents to see so I can't see it's a problem. I am not putting it in a frame on my wall in my living room with a post-it-note stuck on it. OFSTED need to remember that this is my home and not a nursery.

Two other childminders in my area have done the same and at their inspection it has been mentioned but not gone against them. May well put it up when I get the dreaded phone call but until then it is staying where it is.

Love Diane x

[karalh]

I didn't have my certificate up when I had my inspection. The inspector said I should display it but she knows people don't. It wasn't mentioned in the report so I don't think it counted against me.

Kara

[donnam]

i have had a few parents that have come got my reg no started full time then after a few weeks wanted part time,but they are still getting full money,if you try to inform tax credits for example a child leaves they are not interested.some parents are making money out of the good job we do!

[Pauline]

donnam said:

if you try to inform tax credits for example a child leaves they are not interested.some parents are making money out of the good job we do!

You are right Donna and just yesterday on the news it was announced that over 6 billion (yes billion!) pounds was paid out incorrectly!

Read the report here