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​30,000 reasons employee engagement is more important than ever​

​Childcare voucher petition update​


 
If you signed the “Keep Childcare Vouchers open beyond April 2018” petition you should’ve received an email from government with a link to the recorded debate and the transcript​​. For a whole 90 minutes, Catherine McKinnell and many other MPs put forward a well-balanced argument and covered the wider issues of childcare policy, the pressures being faced by working parents, and the pros and cons of both childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare. Whilst they challenged the Minister (Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen) on a number of key points, he failed to address these in his response (from 6:03pm).

​In closing Catherine McKinnell, MP said: “… I do not think that anyone listening to the debate will be impressed by that response [by John Glen]. It does not provide the reassurance that people are looking for — they want reassurance that the Government are serious about providing options so that families with children can meet and manage their childcare costs. 
I pay tribute to every Member who made a speech today, because if this was a football match, although we do not quite have the numbers, it would be 9-0 given the arguments that have been rehearsed. The Minister’s response does not adequately address the sincere and genuine concerns expressed by Hon. Members, and by 116,000 members of the public who signed the petition.”
Check out this ​handy infographic​ from the Childcare Voucher Providers Association (CVPA), comparing the benefits of childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare (TFC).

 

Car scheme - just add fuel and go!

In the Chancellor's budget it was announced that employees who charge their electric vehicles at work, will not incur a benefit-in-kind charge on the electricity used. While the government continues to focus on a vehicle’s environmental impact, our car salary sacrifice schemes do the same – offering an attractive benefit-in-kind for vehicles with CO2 emissions under 75g/km. To find out more about our schemes, get in touch.

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How maternity, paternity and shared parental leave affect childcare vouchers

As a family-friendly employer, you’ll need to make sure all your working parents currently on - or about to go on - maternity leave remain eligible for childcare vouchers beyond April 2018. If a parent becomes ineligible for childcare vouchers after April 2018 then Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) will be their only option, assuming they’re eligible. They won’t be able to re-join your childcare voucher scheme as it will be closed to new entrants. Click on the button below, where we've answered your questions in more detail.

Your questions answered