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<p>Staff in the Department can utilise the Westminster Holiday Play Scheme. This is
a childcare facility that takes place during school holidays, open to children from
the age of 4 years and 9 months up to 15 years’ old. It is run by a private company
on behalf of a consortium of departments, through a contract led and administered
by BEIS. It currently operates at 4 London locations. Parents/guardians meet more
than half of the costs for children attending this scheme, but the Department pays
either £14.78 or £15.68 (dependent on the age of the child) towards each day’s use
of the scheme.</p><p>During FY 2016/17, Home Office has recorded spend of £4045.84
on this play scheme. The Department does not collate details on the number of individual
staff members who made use of the scheme or on the amounts spent per child.</p><p>More
widely, the Home Office operates a Childcare Voucher Salary Sacrifice Scheme for staff.
Staff can choose to take part of their salary (up to £243 per month) in the form of
childcare vouchers. As the vouchers are exempt from Tax and NI, a saving is made.
The vouchers can be used to help meet the costs of a range of registered childcare.</p>
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