Accepting Childcare Vouchers and Tax Free Childcare is a huge bonus to being on Pebble. Read on to learn more about how to get set up, how parents can pay, and more!
Do you accept Childcare Vouchers and TFC?
Yes! We accept these through our partner PonchoPay, for OFSTED registered providers.
What is PonchoPay?
PonchoPay is a protected payment portal for parents and childcare providers.
It enables parents to securely and seamlessly pay for childcare through any methods, whether that be through childcare voucher providers, the government tax-free childcare scheme, or credit/debit card payments.
PonchoPay is the bridge between parents and childcare providers, enabling fast and secure payments. Soon you will be able to checkout with PonchoPay in just one click!
You can learn more about Poncho Pay and read their FAQs here.
How do I get myself setup?
To get setup login to your Pebble account, go to settings, then payment, and follow the steps there.
How long will it take to get set up?
It doesn't take too long, once you've done the initial setup we'll follow up with a few key steps. This can usually be completed within a week.
What do I need to do once I've been approved?
Once all steps have been completed, you'll be able to enable Poncho Pay on an individual activity. This is on the first page under the location section.
Tick 'enable Poncho Pay for this activity' and then enter that location OFSTED URN. This is different to your company OFSTED URN and should be found on any documentation you received confirming that location was OFSTED registered.
How do parents pay with childcare vouchers?
Parents will have the option at checkout to choose 'pay with poncho pay'.
How do I get paid?
PonchoPay does not touch your funds but only helps you manage your voucher payments. So, once the parent pays, it depends on the individual voucher provider timelines.
Generally, it takes 2-4 business days for the voucher amount to hit your account. If the amount has still not hit your account after 14 days, you will have the option to charge the parent's card via PonchoPay's card guarantee step in platform.
What vouchers do you accept?
PonchoPay have written a helpful guide on all the vouchers they accept, as well as the levels of reconciliation they can do against them here.
Can I reconcile Tax Free Childcare?
Yes! Unfortunately if you bank with MetroBank this won't be possible due to their restrictions on open banking.
How do I process a refund?
Please process these in your normal way of processing refunds of childcare vouchers, but go ahead with cancelling the booking through Pebble as normal to stop any reminder emails going out and remove them from the register. PonchoPay are looking to add TFC refunds towards the end of 2024.
What are the fees?
The fees are the same as your Pebble booking fee.