NIM02440 - Class 1: Vouchers - non-cash vouchers - exemptions - meaning of "child-care" up to 5th April 2005

Regulation 25 and paragraph 7 of Part 5 of Schedule 3 Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001

NIM02439 explains that a non-cash voucher (see NIM02413) for child care is disregarded for Class 1 NICs purposes if two conditions are satisfied. For the purposes of this exemption, "childcare" includes:

  • care provided in accordance with Part 10 or 10A of the Children Act 1989 (child minding and day care for young children)
  • in the case of a child aged 8 or over, care provided by a child minder
  • in the case of a child aged under 8, care provided by a child minder where that care does not exceed, in total, two hours a day
  • care provided by:
  • a "nanny" as defined in section 71(13) of the Children Act 1989. That section provides that a nanny is a person who is employed to look after a child by:
  1. a parent of the child; or
  2. a person who is not a parent of the child but who has parental responsibility; or
  3. a person who is a relative of the child and who has assumed responsibility for their care.
  • a "relative" as defined in section 105(1) of the above Act as meaning a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or step-parent
  • care provided during out-of-school hours or during school holidays
  • full-time and part-time care.

Application of this exemption to Northern Ireland

The above definition applies to Northern Ireland with the following differences:

  • in the second bullet above, for "aged 8 or over" read "aged 12 or over"; and
  • in the third bullet, for "aged under 8", read "aged under 12".

For details of:

  • the NICs disregard from 6 April 2005, see NIM02445 (contents)
  • the tax exemption from 6 April 2005, see EIM16057-EIM16059. Note that, for tax purposes, this type of voucher is not exempt from income tax up to 5 April 2005.