Scale of fees – Guidelines 2011
next fee increase due in April 2013 (approx)
Contracted hours
Basic rate (full time) £3.50 per hour
Part-time/School holidays only £3.75 per hour
Before/After school-Term-time only £4.00 per hour
Unsocial hours £5.00 per hour
(before 8am or after 6pm/Weekends/Bank holidays)
Reduced rate for more than one child from the same family.
Eldest child (when they attend at the same time) rebate = 50p per hour
Minimum weekly hours/fees - (whether place used or not):
We appreciate that this is not always consistent with the hours you require, but we are restricted to how many children we can care for and may not be able to fill the remaining time with another child, or it may prevent us from accepting another child who would need the hours you were using in addition to other days/hours, so a minimum fee is necessary to protect your childs placement.
Please note: You may still be asked to pay a retainer fee for days not required. This is usually equal to 1/2 fee. If you then use any of these days - the remaining 1/2 fee would be payable for the hours used.
Under 5's 20 hours/£70.00
Before and after school 5 - 7 years 10 hours/£37.50
8 years & over (when place available) 5 hours/£20.00
Before and after school - term-time only 10 hours/£40.00
Charges for absence - Standard contract
If a bank holiday falls on a contracted day Full fee
Due to child/parent/guardian illness/occasional days off Full fee
Due to childminder illness/occasional days off No charge
Childminder paid time off/Holidays* Half fee
Parent/Guardian holiday * Half fee
* 4 weeks per year
Transportation costs:
Taking to/collecting from school/home/club etc., = 35p per mile + £3.50 per hour of journey time. (i.e. journey 2 miles each way and takes 20 minutes = £2.57)
Local school, within short walking distance - No charge.
Retainer Fees:
This is equal to half the normal fees payable, and is paid in order to secure a place for future use and prevent it being offered to another child who may take it immediately. These are not a credit towards future childminding fees and will not be returned if the place is not taken up.
For example: fees payable to secure a place for use in 6 weeks time = 6 weeks fees ÷ 2
Holidays
Parents or childminders holidays will need 4 weeks notice given from either party (the more notice the better).
Terminating the contract
You will be asked to complete a form termination of contract agreement.
Please be aware that contract termination requires 4 weeks notice, in writing, from either party or 4 weeks full fees in lieu of notice. The notice period cannot include holidays. If giving notice during a holiday period is unavoidable - the full fee expected for that period would still be payable.
PAYMENTS
We prefer that payments are paid in advance - either by cash, cheque or bank credit.
Payments made in arrears must be paid in cash or BACS/Bank credit.
Childcare Vouchers
We
will accept payment from childcare voucher schemes. Money paid direct
to us from your employer, is money you won't have to pay tax on, so
please ask your employer about this.
Invoices are provided every calendar month to help you keep track of your costs and payments, etc.
Receipts are provided on request.
In the case of arrears arising, I
reserve the right to refuse childcare for your child until all
outstanding fees are paid in full. I
also reserve the right to add interest to arrears not paid at the
agreed time. (usually 5% per week, but you will be advised of this
before the charge is made, to give you time to pay. We do understand
that sometimes there are exceptional circumstances)
Thank you
