kidsunlimited childcare vouchers

naturally inspiring childcare
childcare vouchers

Contents
3 Introduction
5 Guide for employers
6 How to start a scheme: Employers
9 Guide for employees
10 Using your vouchers
13 How to start a scheme: Employees
14 Guide for carers
15 Frequently asked questions

kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers are
operated by kidsunlimited, one of the
UK’s most innovative and progressive
providers of private and corporate
childcare.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers are a
simple and easy way for employers to help
their employees reduce the cost of their
childcare.
Whether you are an employer, employee
or childcarer this guide will provide you
with all the information that you need about
this straightforward and effortless childcare
voucher scheme.
3

HSBC Testimonial
HSBC has been in partnership with kidsunlimited for 19 years and they currently manage the
bank’s four workplace nurseries as well as administrating both of the HSBC’s Childcare Schemes
detailed below.
In October 2005, HSBC introduced a new Childcare Scheme offering its parents the option to use
either Designated Nurseries or kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers. Designated Nurseries are major
nursery chains that HSBC are partnering and who offer discounted rates to our employees.
kidsunlimited helped design the website to ensure all of the schemes’ details are clear and user
friendly for parents and they remain jointly responsible for updating and maintaining the site.
kidsunlimited act as a main point of contact and provide a helpdesk for parents who use this
service and are responsible for the administration of the scheme and payments to providers.
HSBC Childcare has a very strong working relationship with kidsunlimited.

A guide for employers
With childcare costs rising all the time, fi nancial
support for working parents is always an attractive
part of any employee benefi ts package.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers are a simple way for you to offer that support, up to a value
of £55 per week per employee, or £243 per month.
Because they are so flexible and because they’re becoming more and more popular with
nurseries, nannies, childminders and playgroups across the UK, kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers
are viewed as one of the higher value benefits you can offer - a clear signal to employees that
they, and their families, are valued by their employer.
It means you’ll be able to attract and retain high calibre staff and offer a valued benefit in an
evolving competitive employment market.
What’s involved?
Once you’ve set up a kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers scheme for your employees, very little
on your part.
We’ll look after all the administration and
payments, assist in making sure payroll
reductions are made, ensure vouchers are
credited to individual employees’ accounts or
issue paper vouchers at the appropriate time.
You can offer kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers
to employees as a subsidy towards their
childcare costs, as part of a flexible benefits
package or in exchange for a portion of their
earnings in a salary sacrifice scheme.
Which option you choose, of course, is
down to your personal preferences and
your internal policies.
Operating a salary sacrifice scheme has the
added advantage of being a ‘no cost’ benefit
to your operations. In fact, it can actually
save you money as you do not have to make
employers’ NI payments on the amount of
salary employees give up in exchange for
their kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers.
With a minimum sacrifice of £10 per month
and a maximum of £243, you can work out
for yourself the likely value of the savings
you’ll enjoy, or use our calculator at
www.kidsunlimited.co.uk to assist you.
There will also be further benefits that will
be derived from raised morale, increased
productivity and reduced absence levels
among a workforce whose employer is
looking after its interests.
Savings
Number of Employees Using Vouchers 25 50 75 100 200
Estimated Employer Annual Savings £7,680 £15,360 £23,040 £30,720 £61,440
Based on average voucher value for £200 per employee, per month, “contracted in” NI rate
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers charge a small commission fee for administrating the scheme.
However you will still benefit through substantial savings.
5

How to start a scheme:
Employers
Registering your organisation for the
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme
is very simple, easy and hassle free.
The scheme must be available to all employees and kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will provide
you with a detailed implementation plan to ensure this is achieved. This will comprise of detailed
advertising and marketing literature including:
• Brochures
• Posters and leaflets
• Editorials
• Payslip attachments
• Roadshows and workshops
at key sites
• E-Flyer campaigns
All literature is also available in PDF format at www.kidsunlimited.co.uk so that you can advertise
on your Intranet site.
How the scheme works:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Employees sign up to the scheme by completing the kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers application form. The application form is signed by the employer as this
represents a change to the employees’ terms and conditions of employment.
All application forms are returned to kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers where we will perform
all necessary childcare registration and National Minimum Wage checks.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers issue the employer with an invoice and payroll schedule
on a pre-agreed date in advance of running the payroll. The employer reduces the
employee’s salary by the amount stated on the payroll schedule.
The employer pays the invoice total to kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers on their
employees’ normal payday.
Once payment is received, kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will automatically
transfer the employee’s voucher value to their nominated childcarer’s bank account,
allocate the voucher values to the internet facility, bank the voucher values for
later use or issue a paper voucher for the employee to use as payment to their chosen
Childcare Provider.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers issue remittance statements, either via email or hard
copy to the childcarers each time payments are made.
Once the scheme is up and running you will need to notify HMRC and inform them about the salary
sacrifice arrangements. You can download a letter template as a guide from www.kidsunlimited.co.uk
6
You can register simply by calling us on 08000 326 777

The University of Reading Testimonial
The University of Reading set up the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme in June 2006
and the volume of staff joining the scheme continues to increase each month.
The University has been pleased with the service offered by kidsunlimited and particularly with
the staff team who have always been both helpful and professional and clearly have a good
knowledge of the scheme.
The implementation phase of the scheme was a great success with kidsunlimited playing a
significant part in this success, especially in terms of support with marketing of the scheme.
The University has also been impressed with the way the staff team at kidsunlimited
have promptly rectified any issues that have arisen regarding the scheme.

Royal London Testimonial
During the implementation of kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers at Royal London, the
kidsunlimited team were always on hand for help and advice and were more than willing to
bespoke their internal processes to fit with our own organisation’s. We had a tight timescale
for the initial implementation and launch of the scheme and the kidsunlimited team pulled
out all the stops to ensure that everything was rolled out on time and in a professional
manner. The ongoing day-to-day relations with the team have been excellent and their staff
are very helpful in resolving queries and ensuring that the scheme runs smoothly.

A guide for employees
If you’re a working parent, kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers are an easy,
straightforward way to make your
childcare costs more affordable.
That is because they are exempt from both income
tax and National Insurance Contributions up to a
value of £55 per week or £243 per month, providing
your childcarer has the necessary registration.
You can receive them in addition to your basic
salary or through “salary sacrifice” whereby
you exchange a certain amount of your salary
for vouchers that you can then use to pay your
registered childcare provider.
In fact, if you and your partner both work and
you both decide to get the maximum £243 per
month in vouchers to which you’re entitled,
you could save up to £2,390 a year in tax and
National Insurance!
Savings
Monthly Voucher Value
Standard Tax Rate
Annual Savings
Higher Tax Rate
Annual Savings
£243 £904 £1195
£200 £744 £984
£150 £558 £738
£100 £372 £492
£50 £186 £246
9

Using your vouchers
It couldn’t be easier
Once you’ve let your employer know
that you wish to register for kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers and we’ve checked
you’re eligible, your vouchers will be paid
into a specially set up kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers account once a
month, or other frequency depending
on when you receive your pay.
How you use them is up to you:
Either leave it to us to make an automatic payment from your account to your childcare provider
when you receive your vouchers, or manage your own account online if your childcare costs vary
in amount or frequency, or you can be issued with a paper voucher that you can pass on to your
childcare provider as full or part payment.
Of course, if your childcare fees exceed the value of your vouchers, you’ll have to pay the balance
to your carer yourself.
Who’s entitled to kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers?
You can join the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme if:
• You are the parent or legal guardian of a child under 16 years of age who is in full
or part time childcare.
• Your nursery, playgroup, nanny, childminder or after school club is a registered
childcare provider.
• Your earnings, after your kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers salary sacrifice,
remain above the national minimum wage.
10

Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust Testimonial
Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust began working with kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers
in August 2006. As a large NHS Trust with over 5,500 staff, many of whom are working
parents, the savings and incentives of childcare vouchers were a benefit we wanted to
ensure was available to all our working parents.
To ensure the scheme was a success, an exciting but realistic marketing plan tailored
individually to our organisation was created by kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers and fully
supported by their staff, to ensure that the benefits of childcare vouchers were clear.
The individual marketing plan, involved professional posters, flyers, application packs and
the launch of monthly “care-clinics” (a kind of one stop shop for staff who are parents).
In just 10 months of successfully operating the scheme, the volume of staff joining
continues to rise at a rapid pace. When staff were recently asked their opinion on childcare
vouchers it appears its success has been largely due to the continual support available,
a professional and personable voucher provider and the fact that they have genuinely
noticed a saving on the cost of childcare every month.

How to start a scheme:
Employees
Setting up your kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers account is a quick and easy process
Just follow these simple steps:
1
2
3
4
Speak to your childcarer to inform them that they will be receiving a payment through
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers. It is simple and easy for childcarers to register as they
can use the same form as you at the back of this brochure. Alternatively they can download
and complete the Childcarer section on the Application Form and send it on to us.
If your childcarer is already registered with us, just put their name and address on your
signed application; we’ll have their bank details and all the other information about
them we need.
Complete your kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers Application Form (you’ll find it in the
back of this brochure or you can download it at www.kidsunlimited.co.uk) and give
it to your employer to sign. They will forward it to us. This form also serves as an
amendment to your contract of employment.
After your eligibility has been confirmed, we’ll send you your kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers account details and internet site password if you’ve requested one.
You can register simply by calling us on 0845 365 2999
From the date of your next salary payment, your employer will reduce your gross salary by
however much you’ve chosen to sacrifice as childcare vouchers, paying it to us instead. We’ll then
credit your kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers account with vouchers to the same value.
Payment Options
On the application form you will have the choice of five options when signing up to the
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme:
Option 1
Automatic Payments
Option 2
Managed Account
Option 3
View Only
Option 4
Full Access
Option 5
Paper Vouchers
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will make payments to your childcarer’s
bank account automatically upon receipt of funds from your employer.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will bank your voucher values each month.
When necessary you must contact kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers by email,
letter or fax to release payment to your nominated childcarer.
The same process as Option 1, however you will be able to see all
transactions through the online facility that have been made by kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers to childcarers and view the balance on your account.
You will have full responsibility for your account through the online facility.
This allows you to make payments as and when you want to. The childcarer
will then receive the payment within 4 working days.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will issue you with a paper voucher. You
can use this paper voucher as full or part payment. Your childcare provider
will need to redeem the voucher through our internet facility or by telephone.
Flexibility
You can sign up to the scheme for a fixed period - 3,6,9 or 12 pay periods - or an ongoing basis,
depending upon the nature of your childcare requirements.
13

Cancelling or making changes to your kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers membership.
Agreeing to a salary sacrifice scheme involves changing the terms of your contract with your
employer, so you will be bound by its conditions for the period of time selected on your
application form.
HMRC accept that changes will need to be made to childcare voucher values and you can
therefore exit or change your voucher value at anytime according to your employer’s policies.
Some organisations state you must join for a set period of time and can only change as a result
of a ‘life changing event’.
These may include:
• A reduction in hours or salary
• Marriage, divorce or separation
• Starting or returning from maternity leave
• Birth or adoption of another child
• A change in childcare arrangements
• A change in your spouse or partners
circumstances
• Relocation
• Death of dependent
• Long-term absence form work
A dedicated kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers helpdesk is available between 8.00am and 6.00pm
Monday to Friday, to assist you with any questions you have. The helpline number is 0845 365 2999
A guide for carers
You’ll probably already know about childcare
vouchers. Some of your parents may even be paying
part or all of their fees with vouchers at the moment.
So what makes kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers so different?
Simply the fact that they’re so much easier, more
straightforward and less time consuming to
administer than other voucher schemes.
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers give you a
guaranteed, secure payment straight into your
bank account.
You’ll also receive clear remittance and payment
histories to help make things easier when you
come to do your books.
There is also a dedicated internet site you can
use to trace payments and see how much, when,
and on whose behalf kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers payments have been made to you.
All you have to do to join the scheme is
complete a simple application form.
Am I eligible to become
a ‘kidsunlimited childcare
vouchers’ carer?
To take advantage of payment by kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers, you need to be registered
as a day nursery, childminder, after-school or
pre-school playgroup, holiday club or nanny. All
the children in your care must be under 16.
As long as you meet the criteria (we will carry
out independent checks to verify the status of
all applicants), you can join the kidsunlimited
Childcare Vouchers scheme.
14

Frequently asked questions
Unsure about something?
Find the answer here
What is salary sacrifice?
It’s a way of reducing your gross salary
in exchange for another kind of benefit.
Sacrificing salary means changing your
terms and conditions of work with your
employer.
An HMRC guide to salary sacrifice is
available from your tax office or online
to download at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/
specialist/salary_sacrifice.pdf
Is there a minimum and maximum
amount I can sacrifice?
Yes. The maximum is £55 per week or
£243 per month. The minimum amount
is £10 per month.
What if my salary goes down?
If your salary is reduced to the extent
that your sacrifice takes it below the
minimum wage, you will need to adjust
the amount you sacrifice or withdraw
from the scheme. Your terms and
conditions of employment will need to
change to reflect this.
What if my personal circumstances
change?
Normally, you will be bound by the
terms and conditions of your new
contract during the period you select
to receive kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers. However, HMRC accept
that changes will need to be made.
Therefore you can exit the scheme or
change your voucher value according to
your employer’s policies.
What if I pay a different amount for
childcare each month?
If your payments vary from month to
month, or are made at a different time
to your salary, you can either manage
your payments using our online facility
or instruct us by post, e-mail or fax
when you need to pay your carer.
How will it affect my pension?
That depends on your particular
pension scheme. You will need to
contact your Pensions Administrator
who will give you more details.
Will my maternity benefit be affected?
Your Statutory Maternity Pay will be
based on your reduced salary. Talk to
your payroll department to see how far
in advance of your due date you would
need to leave the scheme in order for
your SMP to remain unaffected.
Please note however that if your baby
is due on or after 5th October 2008
and you choose to stay in the scheme,
although your SMP will be reduced, you
will be entitled to continue receiving
childcare vouchers from your employer
throughout your period of maternity
leave. For further information please
contact your employer.
Will it affect any mortgage offer?
Not usually. Employers generally will
give a salary reference based on your
notional salary, in other words, your
actual salary plus the value of your
salary sacrifice.
Will it be classed as benefit in kind?
Only if you receive over £55 in
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers each
week on top of your salary.
Will the childcare element of my
Working Tax Credit be affected?
It could be... but it may actually be in
your favour. Tax Credit is worked out on
your total taxable income, and as you
receive less of it when you make your
salary sacrifice, your WTC entitlement
could actually go up.
However, your kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers benefit means you’ll be
paying less in real terms for childcare...
and this might have the effect of
lowering the amount you can claim in
the childcare element of WTC.
Everybody’s circumstances are different,
so HMRC have produced an on-line
calculator which can help you decide
which benefit is better for you. You will
find it at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/ccin.htm
Can I use my vouchers for more than
one child and more than one carer?
Yes. As long as your children are under
16 and their carer accepts payment from
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers.
Can both parents join the scheme?
Yes, if they meet all the requirements,
which means the savings can be as
high as £2,390 pa.
What notice do I need to leave the
scheme?
You need to give us at least one
month’s notice in writing of your
intention to leave the voucher scheme.
How are childcarers paid?
Through a secure BACS transfer to
their bank account. Any additional fees
above your kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers allowance will have to be
met by you.
Can I use my vouchers for irregular
childcare, during school holidays for
instance?
Yes. You can simply ‘bank’ your
vouchers for when you need to use
them. Just let us know as and when you
want to pay for childcare, or select the
internet facility when you complete the
application form.
What happens if I leave my job?
No further payments will be made
and you will need to make alternative
arrangements for paying your childcarer
directly.
tear here
Legislation
Tax and employment is a complex and ever changing field, with new laws and fresh schemes being introduced all the time.
Any changes in legislation that might affect you as a working parent or employer will be posted at www.kidsunlimited.co.uk

kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers application form
(Please complete all sections of the form. Failure to do so could result in a delay in joining the scheme)
Employer Details - (If your employer is already registered please just complete employer name)
Employer Name
Address
E-Mail
PayDay
Invoice Date
Contact Person
Tel.
Allow Internet Access? Yes No How did you hear about kidsunlimited?
(The date by which kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers will issue the invoice to meet payroll cut off)
NOTE: Please complete in CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY
Postcode
Fax
Employee Personal Details
Payroll No.
Forename
Address
Home Tel.
Date of Birth
Work Tel.
NI No.
Surname
E-mail
Mother’s Maiden Name
Postcode
(Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms)
Child/Children Details Relationship to Employee
Child 1. Forename Surname D.O.B Gender
Child 2. Forename Surname D.O.B Gender
Salary Sacrifice
How often are you paid? Monthly Four Weekly Fortnightly Weekly How many pay periods do you wish to sign up for? 3 6 9 12 Ongoing
(please circle)
(please circle)
1st month on scheme (first reduction in salary) Amount of kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers £
(Maximum £243 monthly, £220 four weekly, £110 fortnightly, £55 weekly)
National Minimum Wage (NMW)
Gross Basic Annual Salary £
Weekly contracted hours
OFFICE USE ONLY
Salary after childcare reduction Hourly Rate Initialled by Complies with NMW? YES NO
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers details
Payment Options? 1. Automatic Payments 2. Managed Account 3. View Only 4. Full Access 5. Paper Vouchers
(please circle payment option)
(For more information see page 13)
Signing up to the scheme
By signing this Application all parties agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers Scheme Guide.
I confirm that I agree to a change to my contract of employment with the Employer as set out in this Application Form. In exchange for a reduction in gross salary
I will be entitled to the benefit of participation in the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme.
I confirm that my salary will be reduced by the amount stated above for the number of pay periods that have been requested.
Signed by (EMPLOYEE NAME) Date Signed for and on behalf of employer Date
Childcarer Details
Childcarer
(If your childcare is already registered please just complete
childcare name and address)
Bank Name
Bank Address
Business Name & Address
Tel
Nominated Person
*Please supply a copy of the certificate
email
OFSTED/Care Commission/CSIW registration No.*
Reference No. for remittance advice
Postcode:
Carer Type: Nursery Childminder Holiday Club
(please tick)
Nanny After School Other
Account No.
Postcode:
Sort Code
By signing this agreement consent is being given for the data to be processed by kidsunlimited. The data will only be processed for the purposes of the application and not, for
example, for marketing purposes or passed to any other business. If you do not provide this consent the helpline service will not be available to you. All data will be processed in
accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Roll No.
Account in the Name of
* Signature of Childcarer
Name of signatory
Position
* Childcarer signing up to the scheme

The childcarer agrees to:
(a) Provide information, as requested by kidsunlimited, in relation to the operation of the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme.
(b) Accept kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers as payment for its childcare services but not deal in them for any other purpose.
(c) Ensure that the value of kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers paid by kidsunlimited is allocated entirely to the cost of the childcare provided
to the named employee (which may be less than the cost of the childcare).
(d) Keep complete records of all transactions involving kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers.
(e) Have and maintain a UK bank account which can receive BACS payments and provide details of the bank account to kidsunlimited.
Any changes must be notified to kidsunlimited with a minimum of 14 days’ notice.
(f) Raise any administrative queries in writing or by telephoning 0845 365 2999.
Intellectual property rights
kidsunlimited owns Intellectual Property Rights in and arising out of the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme. The Childcarer shall
make no claim over those rights and only use the ‘kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers’ trademark for the sole benefit of kidsunlimited.
kidsunlimited gives the Childcarer
(a) permission to use the Trade Mark (in the form stipulated) solely for the purpose of promoting and operating the kidsunlimited Childcare
Vouchers scheme; and
(b) the right to refer to itself as a “member of the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme”.
Confidentiality & Data Protection
The Childcarer agrees not to use or communicate any confidential information regarding kidsunlimited that has been acquired through
participation in the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme. The Childcarer shall comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and process
data only as necessary to administer the kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers scheme and not use it to compete or to promote its own or
a third party business.
Registration and other legal requirements
The Childcarer confirms that all requirements necessary to operate legally have been complied with and that the registration particulars
given are correct. The Childcarer shall immediately give notice in writing to the other parties if the Childcarer’s registration with the
appropriate authorities as a provider of childcare expires or is terminated or if they are convicted of any criminal offence (other than a
road traffic offence) and in those circumstances any party may terminate this Agreement forthwith.
Eligible Childcarers Include:
- Registered Nursery
- Registered Childminder
- Registered Holiday Playscheme/After-School-Clubs
- Registered Nanny
- Any registered childcarers

naturally inspiring childcare
www.kidsunlimited.co.uk
kidsunlimited Childcare Vouchers
Telephone: 08000 326 777
Summerfields Village Centre, Dean Row Road,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 2TA
E-mail: kuvouchers@kidsunlimited.co.uk