Childcare Vouchers: Who benefits?

Accor Services recently attended the launch of the Social Market Foundation Research:  "Childcare Vouchers: who benefits? - An Assessment of Evidence from the Family Resources Survey."

The event, held on Wednesday 3rd February, included a Presentation of the research from SMF Director Ian Mulheirn, and panel debate over the nature and level of support that government should offer working parents.  Panelists included:

  • Rt.Hon Caroline Flint MP; 
  • Maria Miller MP, Shadow Minister for the Family;
  • Annette Brooke MP, Children, Schools & Families Spokesperson, Liberal Democrats;
  • Sarah Jackson, CEO, Working Families

The report uses part of the latest Family Resources Survey and assesses who benefits from childcare vouchers amongst different demographics and income groups.

The SMF's analysis of who actually uses childcare vouchers in the Uk suggests that:

  • 83% of users pay income tax at the basic rate
  • Around 190,000 people were using childcare vouchers in 2007
  • Childcare vouchers appear to be more used by working lone parents than by couples
  • All occupational and socio-economic groups are well-represented among voucher users, with manual and unskilled workers being the best represented group.
  • Voucher users are diverse in terms of family structure, gender, geographic location and ethnicity.
  • Childcare vouchers provide support for working families throughout the income distribution apart from people on, or very close to, the minimum wage

"We are delighted that the findings of this research confirm that childcare vouchers are highly valued by so many families from a diverse range of backgrounds and financial positions.  It was good to hearsuch a positive response from the three main political parties on the value of this important benefit and we look forward to continuing to support childcare vouchers for another 20 years"
Patrick Langlois, Managing Director Accor Services

The research was sponsored by The Childcare Voucher Provider Association which is formed of Accor Services, Computershare Voucher Services, Grass Roots Group and Sodexho Pass and has been created to implement a code of conduct to regulate standards accross the industry.

The Social Market Foundation is an independent UK think tank, exploring ideas that link the state and the market.

Download the report >



Did you know?

Accor Services created the UK's first childcare voucher scheme in 1989 and were part of the original lobbying group which pushed for National Insurance and Tax exemptions on childcare vouchers.

To find out more about our Childcare Voucher scheme contact us