Save money on your childcare (Computershare Voucher Services)

Member Name: jenmck

Product:	Computershare Voucher Services
Date:	24/11/08 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Direct payment to childcare provider and save money

Disadvantages: Perhaps not as good as they used to be.

Childcare vouchers are a way of saving money while paying for your childcare. It works my taking the money from your salary before tax is deducted. This way your annual earnings are lower, therefore you pay less tax. The maximum you can claim is £243 per month.

Why did I choose Busybees? Well I had heard that they had a good reputation and that they were the scheme my company had already signed up with (we have a Busybees nursery on site but I don't use it).

First contact over the phone was great, lady took all my details and explained how it all worked, and that I could save £70 a month. There were 3 options for the voucher system, once they had received the money. They would either send a paper voucher to me, or an e-voucher (accessed via their website) or they would send direct to your childcare provider.

As I am only paying one nursery at the moment I decided on the latter, so I was taken out of the equation and the nursery wouldn't have to wait for the money. If you are paying multiple childcare providers another system maybe more suitable.

Once my information had been taken, it was then emailed to me to check and then I send a hard copy (with my signature back to them). They have a deadline on the form by which they need to have it back in order to setup with your company's payroll system. Therefore it is advisable to start the process a couple of months in advance.

The only problem I have had was with the first payment, since I did not know if it had been taken from my wages and sent to the nursery. (My wage slip was late and I couldn't tell from my pay if it had been taken). On calling them they told me that payment had been received. Since then I get an email informing me that the voucher has been sent to the nursery.

Overall I have been pleased with Busybees and haven't experienced any problems. However talking to my childcare provider, they have commented that Busybees are not as good as they used to be, and only send the voucher numbers to them with no names on, so they have problems matching payments with the child.

Summary: Good, but maybe not the best.