Here is a list of the current CCV FAQ’s

Do Childcare Vouchers expire?

Electronic Childcare vouchers do not expire. Any balance will stay on your account for as long as your account is on the system.

In cases where you haven't logged in for 24-months, your account will be marked as Dormant and all your details will be deleted from our system. Throughout this period, we'll send you 3 emails to remind you to log into the site. If the account is deleted, any remaining Childcare vouchers balance will be lost.

If you leave your employer, you will retain limited access to your Childcare vouchers account in order to use any remaining balance you might have. After you have been marked as a leaver, you will have 24 months to log in and create a payment. Throughout this period, we'll send you 3 emails to remind you to make a payment to your Childcare provider. Making a payment refreshes the 24-month countdown so you don’t need to worry about losing your balance as long as you keep using the account. If the full 24-month period passes without any activity, your account will be deleted and any remaining balance will be lost.

Paper Childcare vouchers expire after 24 months so keep that in mind before requesting a paper voucher.

Why do you only save youngest child's date of birth?

In May 2018 we made some changes to RG Childcare to comply with new data protection laws and help keep your data secure. We now only store the information we need to confirm your eligibility, which means we only save your youngest child’s date of birth in our system. You can still add your child’s name to a payment reference if you’d like to keep track of payments, we just won’t store this information by default. If you have more children in the future, you can update your account to add a new date of birth, which will then be used to confirm your eligibility.

What happens if I pause my Childcare Vouchers?

If you decide to temporarily pause your Childcare Vouchers you may request to cancel your contribution from your account. You will be able to restart your vouchers again provided there has not been a gap of 12 months or more since you last received a contribution

Can I use Childcare Vouchers anywhere in the UK?

Yes, vouchers can be used to pay for childcare anywhere in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

Each country has a different regulatory body that your child carer will need to be registered with, but all countries have voucher programmes operating

What is Tax-Free Childcare?

Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is the government's alternative to Childcare Vouchers. Rather than getting vouchers from your gross salary and saving tax, TFC works by giving allowing parents to pay into an account for each of their children where every £8 added will be topped up with £2 from the government, up to £2000 topped up per year (or £4000 in the case of a disabled child.) TFC requires both parents to be working with neither earning over £100,000 and can not be used in conjunction with tax credits. TFC also has an upper age limit of 11 rather than 15 with Childcare Vouchers.

You may not use TFC if you use Childcare Vouchers so it's important that you investigate which option is best for you. Once you move to TFC you may not restart Childcare Vouchers, even if your circumstances change, so be certain before making a switch.

Can I change the amount I receive in Childcare Vouchers?

Yes, you can change the amount you are contributing at any time. Simply go to your Childcare Vouchers account, click "Change Contribution" and type the amount you'd like to contribute. Your current contribution and the effective date of your request will be displayed on top of the page.

What type of childcare can my vouchers be used to pay for?

HMRC define the key areas of registered childcare as:

Registered childminders
Registered nurseries and play-schemes
Out-of-hours clubs on school premises run by a school or local authority
Childcare schemes run by approved providers, such as an out-of-school-hours scheme or a provider approved under a ministry of defence accreditation scheme
Childcare given in the child’s home that has been approved under a government scheme (except where the care is provided by a relative of the child)
Accredited childcare for children aged eight or older by an approved organisation

In England and Wales only:
Childcare provided in the child’s home by a domiciliary worker or nurse from a registered agency

In Scotland only:
Childcare provided in the child’s home by (or introduced through) childcare agencies, including sitter services or nanny agencies.

Can I obtain a refund for childcare vouchers that I no longer require?

Childcare vouchers are tax-free funds that we can only be paid to a registered child carer and are non-refundable. This is something that all current participants have agreed with at the time of joining the scheme. We are not able to remove money from your online account and pay it back to you. This means that refunds can only be considered under unforeseen extenuating circumstances and with the approval of your employer. If approved, refunds will be subject to tax and National Insurance and will need to be processed via the payroll.

How much can I request to receive in childcare vouchers?

You can receive childcare vouchers up to £243 each month (or £55 each week if you are paid weekly) if you are a basic rate taxpayer. Higher rate taxpayers can receive up to £124 each month, and additional rate taxpayers can receive up to £110 each month. These amounts apply to the 2018/19 tax year and are subject to change.

Basic rate up to £46,350 Higher rate £46,351-£150,000 Additional rate over £150,00

How do I actually get the saving?

Childcare Vouchers is a “Salary sacrifice “scheme that allows you to sacrifice part of your salary in exchange for childcare vouchers.The amount you contribute is taken out of your Gross salary and will not be taxed -this is where you save from. The sum of your revised net pay plus your childcare vouchers is higher than your previous net pay.

How does my carer get paid?

We pay your carer via bank transfer according to the payments that you have scheduled on your account. We inform them that payment is on its way on the day that it leaves your account and it usually takes up to three working days to credit their bank account.

Will I be reimbursed for unused vouchers if I leave my employer?

It's not possible to reimburse you for unused childcare vouchers if you leave your employer. However you will retain access to your Childcare Vouchers account for another 24 months in order to use your remaining balance. Any payments you make will reset the 24-month countdown so you don’t need to worry about losing access as long as you keep making payments

Can two parents claim for the same child?

Yes, if both their employers run a childcare voucher programme, then both parents or guardians can claim for the same child or children.

How will I receive my childcare vouchers?

They'll be paid into your online account, normally on or around the same date that you are paid by your employer. You can access your Childcare Account by going to Account and then Childcare Vouchers. You can transfer the vouchers out of the account by making a single or regular payment to your registered childcarer.

How long does it take to register a new carer?

The time frame for approval for carers is 10 working days, but it is a two-sided process, meaning that it depends on how quickly the carer returns their registration form and bank details.

What if my childcare costs are more than I’m allowed to take in vouchers?

If your childcare costs are more than the maximum amount of vouchers you are eligible to take, then you pay the extra amount to your childcare provider in the usual way.

Can I opt-out of the scheme?

The scheme is no longer available for new entrants and existing users can opt-out at any time. This is subject to your payroll team having enough time to make the change. Generally you should request to opt-out 1 month in advance and, upon requesting to suspend your Childcare Vouchers from your online account, we'll let you know when the changes will take effect.

Can I use childcare vouchers to pay for private school?

They can't be used to pay for private school education fees, however you can use them to pay for out of hours care that takes place at the school or for payments to pre-school childcare providers which are attached to private school, providing they are registered as above.

How do I change the amount that I pay to my childcare provider?

You can do this easily using the ‘Your Carers & Payments’ section of your account. First cancel any existing payments that may be set up and then set up a new arrangement.

What if a relative cares for my child?

You can’t normally use childcare vouchers to pay a relative for looking after your child, unless your relative is a registered childminder who also cares for other children away from your child's home.

Why can't employees join the Childcare Voucher programme now?

On 4th October 2018 the Childcare Voucher scheme closed to new entrants. In order to be able to use the benefit parents had to have signed up and received their first voucher before this date. Those in the scheme may continue to participate, provided they stay with their current employer, their last contribution was no more than 12 months ago and have an eligible child.

Parents who are currently not participating in the Childcare Voucher scheme may use the government's Tax Free Childcare scheme instead. More information about this benefit can be found on HMRCs website.

Do all registered childcare providers accept childcare vouchers?

It is very likely that your chosen carer will accept childcare vouchers, because most of them are familiar with the programme and will already be listed with us. If your childcare provider is not listed with us then check that they accept payment using childcare vouchers and then you can add them to your account as new carer. We'll ask you to add their name, address and email address so that we can contact them about registering with our programme.

Will childcare vouchers affect Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)?

Childcare vouchers may affect SMP, and you will need to check this for yourself. SMP is calculated on your salary on which National Insurance is payable, so there may be a reduction in SMP when taking childcare vouchers via salary sacrifice. A recent Employment Appeal Tribunal decision has ruled that employers are no longer required to provide Childcare Vouchers during a period of maternity leave when only Statutory Maternity Pay is paid, so it is up to your employer if they would suspend your Childcare Vouchers once you go on SMP.

Does it make a difference if I have more than one child?

No, savings are based on salary per parent or legal guardian, not the number of children.

What is the difference between one off and monthly payments?

One-off payments are only sent once on the date selected, while monthly payments are sent on a monthly basis on the date selected every month as long as there is enough funds in the CCV account to cover the payment. In most cases monthly payments take priority before one-off payments, so it is always good to only have 1 monthly payment set up at a time or to delete any unwanted monthly payments, so that future one-off payments can go through

Will it cost my childcare provider anything?

No, the registration is completely free. They simply complete a short registration form, and provide proof of their registration with Ofsted or other body.

What is the basic earnings assessment?

If you joined the scheme on or after 6th April 2011, your employer must carry out a basic earnings assessment for you at the beginning of each tax year. The basic earnings assessment establishes the estimated level of your relevant earnings for the tax year. This is needed for your employer to set the monetary value of childcare vouchers childcare provided to you, which are subject to tax relief.There are a number of factors that will make up the basic earnings assessment depending on your personal circumstances, but these are generally expected to include your basic earnings, any taxable benefits and allowances and will generally exclude your personal tax allowance and employee pension contributions. For more detail about the basic earnings assessment please visit www.hmrc.gov.uk

Will childcare vouchers affect my Child Tax Credits?

There may be an impact on Child Tax Credits, and you should check your own circumstances. This can be done as above, by contacting HMRC by phone or using their online calculator.

Will childcare vouchers affect my Overtime Payments?

Some employers are happy to accept the value taken as childcare vouchers to establish ‘notional pay’ on which overtime is calculated. Your payments may not be affected by taking childcare vouchers, but you will need to check with your employer.

What would happen if I've paid the wrong carer?

In situations where the members pay the wrong carer by their own mistake, we can only be obligated to contact carers regarding a refund of the payment. We are not required to cover this payment loss in the member's CCV account nor are we able to process a refund on behalf of the carer.

What do you mean by registered childcare?

A childcare provider is eligible to receive childcare voucher payments if they are registered with one of the relevant bodies (e.g. Ofsted). Childcarers are inspected by the body that they are registered with, and will usually have a Unique Reference Number and/or certificate issued to them by that body

Do you vet childcare providers?

No. We check that they are registered with one of the relevant bodies such as Ofsted, but you remain responsible for choosing which provider you use and for being happy with the quality of care provided.

Will childcare vouchers affect my Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?

You must ensure that your pay after salary sacrifice does not go below the National Insurance Lower Earnings Limit (£116 per week, or £6,032 per annum for 2018/19). This is to ensure the minimum amount of National Insurance is paid, and that SSP is not affected.

How do I change my Carer?

From your childcare account page, choose the option to 'Add a Carer'. You'll be asked to search for your new carer and if they are not already listed with us, you'll need to provide their address, phone number and email so that we can contact them to request that they register with us. Don't forget to remove your old carer or cancel any payments that you no longer need too!

Will childcare vouchers affect my Working Tax Credits?

The childcare element of your Working Tax Credits may be affected by taking childcare vouchers. Every situation is different, and you should check your own circumstances. The HM Revenue & Customs has a Tax Credits helpline on 0345 300 3900 which you may wish to contact prior to applying for the childcare voucher programme. Alternatively, HMRC has a calculator on their website, which is available at www.gov.uk In some cases, if you receive Tax Credits, it may not be financially beneficial to take childcare vouchers.

What if I earn National Living Wage or close to it?

As your employer won't legally be able to reduce your salary so that you are paid less than the National Living Wage (NLW) you are unlikely to be able to join the Childcare Voucher programme.

What if I have more than one childcare provider or have different carers throughout the year?
Yes, you can add all of the registered childcare providers that you use to your online account as carers that you wish to make payments to. It's up to you to arrange how much should be paid to each carer once you receive your online childcare voucher credit.

Will childcare vouchers affect my Other State Benefits?

State benefits are not likely to be affected if you continue to pay National Insurance contributions after any salary sacrifice. It is possible that benefits could be affected by salary sacrifice for childcare vouchers. If you receive, or think you may one day need benefits such as Job Seeker’s Allowance, then you should check first how your entitlement might be affected.

Will childcare vouchers affect my Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP)?

There is currently no impact on SPP, as long as your pay remains above the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance (£113 per week, or £5,876 per annum for 2017/18).

Will childcare vouchers affect my Attachment of Earnings Order (AEO)?

An AEO (issued by a court or local authority) instructs that part of your net income (i.e. your pay after deduction of tax and National Insurance) is deducted by your employer until the debt covered by the order is paid. The value of childcare vouchers is ignored for the administration of AEOs. For more information visit:

www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/enforcement/ae/index.html

Will childcare vouchers affect my Child Support Agency Payments?

Child maintenance payments to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission are broadly calculated by reference to your net income (i.e. your pay after the deduction of tax and National Insurance contributions). The value of any childcare vouchers provided under salary sacrifice is not included in this calculation. Further details can be obtained from www.childmaintenance.org.