Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to enable parents to claim a refund for unused Kiddicare vouchers.

Childcare vouchers are a contractual arrangement between the parent, employer, and voucher provider. The availability of a refund will depend on the precise terms and conditions of the employer’s scheme, and is not something the Government is party to.

Parents may request a refund by contacting their employer or childcare voucher provider directly. Where an employer or provider does allow the vouchers to be returned and a refund is offered, the refund is treated as income from employment and subject to deduction of tax and National Insurance contributions in the normal way.

While some voucher schemes allow for refunds in certain circumstances, this is not a legal requirement to do so. If a refund provision is not in the contract, the employer or voucher provider does not legally have to issue a refund.