Childcare vouchers
Our Childcare Voucher Scheme
Due to government changes our Childcare Vouchers Scheme had to close to new joiners or those who had exceeded a 12 month break from the 4th October 2018.
New parents now have the choice of using:
The government’s Tax Free Childcare Scheme
The University’s Workplace Nursery Scheme
Our scheme
How do I save money by using the KiddiVoucher's scheme?
Your savings will depend on the amount of childcare vouchers you order and the amount of tax and National Insurance you normally pay. Childcare voucher legislation changed in April 2011, so your savings will also depend on whether you joined the University’s childcare voucher scheme before or after this date.
What can childcare vouchers be used for?
Childcare vouchers can be used to pay for many kinds of childcare, including: nurseries, playgroups and pre-school; registered childminders; after-school clubs and breakfast clubs; holiday play schemes and nannies and au-pairs.
Holiday schemes
What are the full scheme rules?
Please visit the KiddiVoucher's link for the full scheme rules (as at 5 April 2015).
Taking a break from the scheme
If you are currently taking a break from childcare vouchers, please make sure your break is no longer than 52 weeks to avoid losing your entitlement to re-order vouchers. Please note you cannot continue to claim childcare vouchers, or return to the scheme, if you successfully apply for Tax-Free Childcare (TFC).
How to cancel
Please cancel via your online account www.kiddivouchers.com or by phoning 0800 612 9015.
Transferring to Tax Free Childcare
You can move over to TFC at any time. However you cannot continue to claim childcare vouchers, or return to the scheme, if you successfully apply for Tax-Free Childcare (TFC).
Requesting a refund
KiddiVouchers advise: "Under HMRC guidelines, refunds are only allowed if you are unable to use your vouchers as a result of exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances. Refunds must be processed through PAYE, so tax and National Insurance will be deducted. You must not accept any cash or change from your childcare provider in respect of your Childcare Vouchers. If you have experienced an exceptional and unforeseen circumstance, provide details to info@kiddivouchers.com. The information you provide will be reviewed and may be shared with your employer."
Exceptional and unforeseen circumstances include: reduction in hours, redundancy, divorce etc.
It is your responsibility to manage your childcare voucher balance. If you have overestimated the amount of vouchers you need and have a surplus of vouchers, it will not be possible to reimburse these to you, but you will be able to use them for out-of-hours care and holiday play schemes.
If you need advice before requesting a refund email people.reward@manchester.ac.uk
More information
Independent advice on childcare costs is available via:
- The Family and Childcare Trust
- Moneysavingexpert.com (April 2018)
If you need further information not listed above, please contact HR Services at:
- Email: people-od.operations@manchester.ac.uk
- Tel: 0161 275 4499
Contact information
If you need further information not listed above, please email: people.reward@manchester.ac.uk
Managing your Kiddivouchers balance
It is important that you manage your online childcare vouchers account carefully, to ensure that you do not build up a balance you don’t anticipate needing to pay for childcare.
Remember a Childcare Voucher account is not a bank or savings account – once you have sacrificed your salary through payroll, the money becomes Childcare Vouchers – it is no longer ‘salary’ or ‘cash’ and HMRC rules are clear that Childcare Vouchers can only be used to pay for registered childcare. In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to receive a reimbursement of Childcare Vouchers through your employer’s payroll, however this is a contractual agreement and is entirely at the discretion of your employer.
It is your responsibility as an employee to manage your Childcare Voucher account carefully and not to salary sacrifice more than you plan to use to pay for registered childcare.