All Benefits for carers articles – Page 81
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Article
Office of Tax Simplification recommends retention of tax relief on childcare, bikes and green cars, but not on EAPs
The independent Office of Tax Simplification has presented its ‘Review of tax reliefs’ report to the Chancellor.After an interim report was published in December 2010, the Office of Tax Simplification received comments and feedback from taxpayers, advisers, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Treasury. and other interested bodies. The new report ...
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Article
Government to delay extension to the right to request flexible working
The government has announced it will delay regulations extending the right to request flexible working to parents of 17 year olds for all businesses, which were scheduled to be introduced on 6 April.Working parents currently have the right to request flexible working if they have a child aged 16 and ...
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Article
Executive Offices Group research: Flexible working enhances productivity
The majority (87%) of respondents to the Executive Offices Group’s (EOG) Customer Service Survey said the greatest benefit for an employer offering flexible working is an increase in the efficiency and output of staff.Respondents to the survey, which included entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the financial services, ...
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Article
Edenred offers advice on childcare voucher changes
Edenred has put together a downloadable white paper, a podcast and articles to support employers ahead of changes to childcare voucher legislation.From 6 April 2011, only basic-rate taxpayers will receive tax and national insurance relief on up to £55 a week on childcare vouchers. Tax relief will be restricted to ...
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Case Studies
Case study: NHS Bradford and Airedale District Support Service seeks a work-family balance
NHS Bradford and Airedale District Support Service has a number of schemes that are tailored to support its17,000 staff in achieving a healthy balance between work and family.Its Childcare Support Services won ‘Most effective benefits strategy for working parents and carers’ at the Employee Benefits Awards 2010.Since its programme was ...
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Analysis
Benefits can ease mothers back to work
If you read nothing else, read this… Employers can offer a range of perks to entice parents to return to work after a period of parental leave. These benefits include: childcare vouchers and back-up emergency provision; onsite nurseries and discounts at offsite nurseries; ante- and post-natal workshops, sessions or classes; ...
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Article
The Big Question: What effect could shared parental leave have on benefits?
Dr Caroline Gatrell, senior lecturer, management learning and leadership, Lancaster University Management School:Employers still tend to organise working practices around the idea of dads as full-time income earners, with limited responsibility for childcare, but this just does not reflect the reality for many of today’s families. Once mums and dads ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Ford drives up number of returning mums
Ford Motor Company offers maternity leave of 52 weeks at 100% of pay. All employee benefits, including pension contributions and company car, continue throughout that period. The company, which has 12,000 staff in the UK, won ‘Best for maternity’ in Working Families’ Top Employers awards 2010.Ford operates a buddy system ...
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Article
PWC extends childcare voucher incentives to fathers
Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) is to extend its provision of childcare vouchers to fathers who return to work after exercising their new legal right to take more than 12 weeks of paternity leave.The firm already offers mothers returning from maternity leave an extra 20% of their base pay in childcare ...
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Article
School closures insurance launched for working parents
Towergate Insurance has launched School Closures Insurance to protect working parents from loss of earnings and additional childcare costs.More and more employers have introduced adverse weather policies which can mean staff lose pay for taking days off to look after their children as a result of bad weather.The insurance policy, ...
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Article
Workplace Options launches mobile phone app
Workplace Options is launching iFindCare, a mobile application that offers a GPS-enabled childcare locator for staff to find and evaluate daycare centres and nanny agencies in their area.The app, which will be available for UK employers in February, has been in use in the US since October 2010 and will ...
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Article
Government to launch consultation on flexible parental leave
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills will launch a consultation which will explore proposals for the design of a more flexible system of parental leave.Speaking at an event on contemporary parenting, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said the government wants the changes to embody:Any new arrangement must absolutely maintain ...
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Article
Finance Bill 2011: Change to qualifying conditions for childcare vouchers
The government has confirmed the change to qualifying conditions for employers that provide childcare schemes through salary sacrifice or flexible benefits arrangements.The legislation ensures that employers can continue to offer childcare schemes that rely on salary sacrifice arrangements without compromising tax relief for employees.The tax exemptions and national insurance contributions ...
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Article
Finance Bill 2011: Government confirms restriction on tax relief on childcare vouchers for higher-earners
The government has confirmed it will introduce a restriction on the level of tax relief available to higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers who receive childcare vouchers or directly-contracted childcare.The legislation, announced in the Finance Bill 2011 consultation draft, is due to come into effect from 6 April 2011 and will bring ...
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Article
Working parents urged to take advantage of childcare vouchers
Working parents should take advantage of childcare vouchers offered by their employer, before the Government's tax changes affecting the benefit come into effect in April 2011, according to Origen Financial Services.Origen's annual employee benefits survey found 70% of employers offer childcare vouchers.The changes to childcare vouchers announced in the June ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Parenting network adds up for KPMG
KPMG offers its 10,200 staff a variety of childcare and flexible working options, including childcare vouchers and emergency childcare.In 2009, the professional services firm formed the KPMG Parenting Network to offer information through a dedicated website, networking events, training seminars and an opportunity for parents to offer each other advice.Gaynor ...
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Article
Busy Bees moves back into childcare voucher business
Busy Bees, the childcare provider, has moved back into the childcare voucher market with the launch of Busy Bees Benefits.Busy Bees sold its original childcare voucher business to Computershare in 2008, and under the terms of the deal Busy Bees agreed not to offer childcare vouchers under the Busy Bees ...
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Article
Santander launches benefits for working parents
Santander has increased its maternity and paternity leave for employees as part of a package of benefits designed to cater for the needs of working parents.The bank's package Passport to Parenting will provide most employees 14 weeks maternity pay followed by 25 weeks' statutory pay. Fathers-to-be will also be entitled ...
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Analysis
Benefits to support working parents
If you read nothing else, read this...Childcare vouchers and on-site nurseries are flexible, tax-efficient ways to cover staff childcare costs.Emergency childcare is a back-up service that can be offered as a core benefit, a voluntary benefit or as part of a flexible benefits package.Flexible working encompasses part-time working or flexible ...
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Article
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer introduces emergency care
Law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has introduced up to 10 free back-up care sessions a year for every London-based employee.The sessions, which cover childcare, eldercare, dependent adult care and school holiday cover, enable staff to search for and book a qualified nanny, childminder, nursery place or local back-up domiciliary homecare ...