Childcare Vouchers?

Child Care Vouchers - will I need to repay them?

• My company are currently paying my childcare vouchers to my childcare provider whilst I am on Maternity leave. My 39 weeks is not too far from being finished and I know they will stop paying it then along with any other money I get from them. I just wondered if I choose not to go back to work If I need to repay the amount they have paid to my childcare provider? Many thanks in advance. Oh btw this is a UK question.

• Answer:

  You're paid for the first 39 weeks of your maternity leave, so your entitlement to the childcare vouchers cannot be revoked and you don't have to repay them. It's only when your unpaid leave begins that Your entitlement to them will end, but like you say - your employer will automatically stop paying them at the point. Even if you choose not to go back to work, you don't have to repay vouchers paid to your childcare provider for the period that you were entiled to them. On a sort of related note, when your unpaid leave starts don't forget to report it to Tax Credits as once you stop getting paid, they no longer class you as employed - so you need to call up and end your work details (then if you go back, you call up and reinstate them).