All Benefits for carers articles – Page 82
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Article
Government issues guidance on changes to employer-supported childcare
As a result of the changes to employer-supported childcare schemes due in April 2011, HM Revenue and Customs has issued guidance on changes that employers and employees should be aware of.Under current arrangements, employees on higher earnings receive a greater tax saving than those who pay tax at the basic ...
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Case Studies
Nielsen success with new childcare voucher provider
Nielsen, the global market research company, has seen 10% of its workforce take up childcare vouchers.This follows a change of provider to one which was able to provide Nielsen with the personalised support it needed in the marketing, administration and market updates on childcare vouchers.Before switching provider, Nielsen conducted a ...
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Article
Somerfield staff offered childcare voucher transfer
Somerfield staff have been given the option of transferring from their existing childcare voucher scheme with KiddiVouchers to a scheme offered by the supermarket's parent company, the Co-operative Group, through Imagine Co-operative Childcare.The Co-op wrote to Somerfield staff advising of its scheme and how to transfer. One option was to ...
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Article
European Parliament votes for increased maternity rights
The European Parliament will draft legislation to extend minimum maternity leave in the European Union from 14 to 20 weeks with full pay, with some flexibility for countries which already have a form of family-related leave.An entitlement to paid paternity leave of at least two weeks was also approved by ...
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Article
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council switches childcare voucher providers
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council has switched childcare voucher providers.The council moved to KiddiVouchers after its three-year contract with previous provider Computershare Voucher Services came up for renewal.Stephen Bridgehouse, HR advisor at Tameside MBC, said: “One of the factors considered when choosing our new provider was the process employed to manage ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to emergency childcare
Key factsWhat is emergency childcare?It helps staff access alternative childcare when their usual arrangements fail. It varies from a signposting service (via an EAP, for example), through to a part or fully paid-for number of sessions with a childminder, nanny, nursery, after-school or school holiday club or space in an ...
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Article
Clinton Cards introduces childcare voucher scheme
Clinton Cards has introduced a childcare voucher scheme.The new scheme, which is provided by KiddiVouchers, will be available to the retailer's 10,000 UK employees.Staff were made aware of the scheme through posters and leaflets, as well as information on the organisation's intranet.Kirsty Ashman, group HR manager of Clinton Cards, said: ...
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Article
University of Chester switches childcare voucher providers
The University of Chester has transferred its childcare voucher scheme from Computershare to Apple Childcare Vouchers.The university’s 1,500 employees will have access to the new scheme this month and Apple will be looking to increase the take-up levels through marketing campaigns and onsite visits.The transfer came about to improve the ...
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Article
One in three working parents struggle with childcare costs
More than a third (36%) of working parents have considered staying home because they feel unable to cope with childcare costs.According to a survey by Computershare Voucher Services (CVS), which polled 1,000 working parents, 71% of respondents who use childcare vouchers also spend less than one hour each week planning ...
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Article
Imagine Co-operative Childcare rebrands
Imagine Co-operative Childcare will re-brand at the end of September under the name Co-operative Employee Benefits, broadening its product range beyond childcare vouchers.The first new product it will introduce to market will be bikes for work but the provider is also looking to introduce payroll giving, retail discounts and green ...
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Article
Ashurst adds emergency childcare service
Law firm Ashurst has brought in an emergency childcare service for its 1,200 employees.The service, provided by My Family Care, enables staff to book an emergency childminder, nanny or nursery place if their regular care arrangement has broken down. Staff pay for the childcare, but Ashurst covers the service's registration ...
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Article
Discovery Channel introduces back-up care service
Discovery Channel has introduced a back-up care service giving all its 550 UK-based staff free emergency childcare, eldercare and school holiday cover.The scheme, provided by My Family Care, adds to the firm's offering of childcare vouchers and discounts at a local nursery, to provide more flexibility around care arrangements. Jane ...
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Article
Herbert Smith extends emergency childcare offering
Herbert Smith has extended its emergency childcare service to include school holiday cover.The law firm initially launched its childcare service through provider My Family Care in early 2008 and added school holiday cover last month.Michelle Bassett, benefits analyst at Herbert Smith, said: “The idea was for employees to access the ...
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Article
My Family Care forms alliance with US childcare provider
My Family Care and US-based Childrens’ Creative Learning Centers (CCLC) have united to offer childcare services on both sides of the Atlantic ocean.The alliance stems from an existing crossover between the two organisations. CCLC’s parent company Knowledge Universe also owns Busy Bees, the UK childcare provider. My Family Care and ...
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Article
Employers welcome flexible working legislation
Over half of employers (55%) welcome the government's plans to introduce legislation requiring them to offer flexible working to all employees, according to research from recruitment firms Hays.The survey found that 70% of employers expect an increase in requests for flexible working and 40% are preparing for a resulting impact ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to childcare vouchers (June 2010)
There is still much confusion over the tax status of childcare vouchers, but the publicity of recent months has served to boost demand for the benefit, says Jennifer PatersonChildcare vouchers were the subject of much attention towards the end of 2009 after former prime minister Gordon Brown announced plans to ...
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Article
Budget 2010: Measures to be retained from former government
In today's emergency budget Chancellor George Osborne confirmed a number of measures introduced by the previous government would be retained.Theses measures are:Tax and national insuranceAs previously announced in 2011-12, the national insurance contribution (NIC) primary threshold will increase and NICs rates will be increased by 1% (2009 pre-Budget report). In ...
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Article
Kidsunlimited adds parent coaching to childcare voucher offering
Kidsunlimited has partnered with skills organisation Parenting Matters to provide the opportunity for working parents to access parent coaching courses, one-to-one coaching sessions, and telephone and email coaching packages at a reduced cost.The childcare voucher provider has also launched a new website.David Casson, sales manager at Kidsunlimited, said:“We felt Parenting ...
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Article
Newcastle NHS Trust switches childcare voucher providers
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NHS Trust has switched childcare voucher provider after reviewing the service and costs incurred through its previous supplier.The trust is moving to Fideliti from Computershare Voucher Services for a first salary deduction in June. David Malone, green transport and staff benefits adviser for the trust, said: "This is an ...
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Article
Employers against new paternity rules
More than 80% of employers are concerned that the new additional paternity leave (APL) rules will negatively impact their companies, according to a survey by international law firm Davies Arnold Cooper.However, the survey also found that most employers (74%) believed less than a quarter of eligible employees would take advantage ...