The childcare care voucher scheme allows you to pay for childcare from your pre-tax salary, this means that the basic rate taxpayer can save around £75 per month and more for higher rate taxpayers. If both parents are working then both are eligible and the savings are double.

Your employer has to run the scheme and currently most big employers do, if not then get your employer to do so as they can also save up to 12.8% of the value of the vouchers issued ( employers NI ). Ask your employer to contact www.employersforchildcare.org and they can set up the scheme for them.

The vouchers cover childcare up to the age of fifteen, and they can be used by an au pair, mother’s help or nanny that is registered with:

• Ofsted (England) · Childcare Register (England)
• Local Health and Social Services Trusts (Northern Ireland)
• The Care Commission (Scotland)
• Childcare Appoval Scheme (Wales)

For the au pair, mother’s help or nanny to be approved for the scheme by the above bodies she/he would typically need some childcare experience and to have paediatric first aid, this organization www.safeandsound.uk.net can arrange the training.

For more information please go to hmrc.gov.uk/childcare