Support with Childcare Places        

FOI REFERENCE: 24337  FOI DATE: 23^rd August 2024      

Employer Name	Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Number of staff directly employed	7631 headcount as at 31 July 2024
Date of Return	20th September 2024

UNISON is conducting some research into childcare provision offered by NHS and other employers.

Please can you answer the following questions listed below:

 SUPPORT WITH CHILDCARE PLACES

Do you provide support for staff to access childcare places? (Tick all that apply)

Workplace nursery/creche	Yes
Directly contracted childcare places with an external provider	No

If you offer a workplace nursery, please answer the following:

It is run solely by your organisation?	No – by external provider on behalf of our organisation
Run in partnership with other employers?	No (although places are offered to other organisations if not full)
What are the operating times of the Nursery?	6.45am – 6pm Monday to Friday
Are nursery staff directly employed on Agenda for change terms and conditions?	No
Are staff using the nursery able to use salary sacrifice arrangements to save on Tax and National Insurance Contributions?	Yes
Do you provide any free places?	No
If yes, please describe:
Do you provide any discounted places?	No
If yes, please describe:

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDCARE COSTS

Do you provide childcare vouchers to staff who joined pre-2018?

 Yes

Are staff allowed to use salary sacrifice arrangements to save on Tax and National Insurance Contributions?

No

Do you make an employer contribution to your employees’ government tax free child accounts?

  No

If yes, please describe:

Do you provide any other kinds of support to help staff with the cost of childcare – for example an allowance?

 No

If yes please describe:

 NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE AND ACCESS TO SALARY SACRIFICE

In the past year have you had to remove access to salary sacrifice arrangements linked to payment for childcare for any groups of staff in order to remain compliant with statutory minimum wage requirements?

Yes	No
If answered yes, were you able to offer any mitigating measures?	Not Applicable
How many staff and which pay bands were affected?