News Archive
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27th September 2011
Pensions Reform - Auto Enrolment - A Big Deal?
To read the full report, prepared by Fair Care, please click here to read report
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14th September 2011
Fair Care MD, Philip Curtis, takes part in the annual Flexible Benefits Forum
Earlier this month, Philip Curtis, Fair Care MD, joined 7 other top industry experts in the Flexible Benefits Forum. To read about what was said, please click here to read report
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8th September 2011
The advantages of salary sacrifice pension schemes
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25th August 2011
Aspire, the national spinal charity, launch Benefit Select
To read the full press release regarding Aspire's new employee benefits portal developed by Fair Care, please click here to read report
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28th July 2011
Cycle to Work Scheme – Changes to VAT treatment
On 28th July 2011, HMRC issued Revenue & Customs Brief 28/11, announcing changes to the VAT treatment of certain supplies made by employers under salary sacrifice arrangements. This follows the judgment of the European Court in the case of Astra Zeneca. , please click here to read report
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30th June 2011
Do Flexible Benefits Need To Be Complicated? ~ By Philip Curtis, Fair Care MD
Read the first of many reports written by Philip Curtis, Fair Care MD, please click here to read report The report is focussing on the complexity of flexible benefits and the new innovations combatting this.
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16th June 2011
Pensions Reform - Auto Enrolment - A Big Deal?
To read the full report, prepared by Fair Care, please click here to read report
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27th September 2011
Fair Care Announce New Product ~ Smart Pensions
Smart Pensions, Fair Care's latest flex module, will be available to existing and new clients from next month. Combining the tax efficiencies of salary sacrifice with flexibility in contributions, the on-line solution will deliver a simple but valuable tool for employees and employers alike.
Mindful of the Auto Enrolment requirements that become a reality for the larger employers in just over a year, Smart Pensions has been developed to deal with all aspects of the new compliance regime. Enrolment and re-enrolment processes, together with the record keeping requirements, have all been addressed. Fair Care can work with any existing or incoming pension provider when introducing Smart Pensions.
Philip Curtis, Fair Care MD added " In recent months, we have witnessed a marked increase in interest in the forthcoming pension reforms. This is not just from larger employers; smaller businesses are also actively considering revamping or changing their approach to their pension provision. The Smart Pensions proposition maximises tax savings for employer and employee, and gives valued choice to those who wish to enhance their contributions. ", please click here to read report -
14th June 2011
Calls for Tax Free University Fee Voucher Scheme
Wishful thinking, maybe, but with the number of students taking degree courses expected to dive, Government will have to do something to stop the unemployment numbers swelling.
Total costs for a typical student embarking on a 3 year degree course from 2012 will be around £50,000. Whilst a good chunk of this can be borrowed, it is expected that many students will seek alternatives to university, wishing to avoid starting adult life with such a burden of debt.
Some help will be available to those from the poorest backgrounds, but the vast majority of students will be from middle England, where aspiration abounds but money is tight.
It is expected that parents will meet some of the burden. Throwing some tax relief to parents to help with the cost of fees could make a real difference. A scheme could be set up similar to the very popular Childcare Voucher Scheme, where parents can sacrifice a certain amount of taxable pay, in exchange for a tax free voucher.
The current cost-cutting climate is not inducive to Government giveaways but conversely, those in power do not want to see a wholesale fall off in university entrants.
Watch this space!, please click here to read report -
29th March 2011
Fair Care proud to be part of the new CVPA
The Childcare Voucher Providers Association (CVPA) has today (29th March) been launched as the industry body to represent Employer Supported Childcare providers and to promote best practice within the sector. The CVPA ensures carers, parents & employers receive the highest standard of service from childcare voucher providers.
With its establishment, the CVPA sets out a Code of Practice for its members, with particular emphasis on the required standards to ensure the secure delivery of parent’s voucher funds and to protect the integrity of their personal data. In addition members have a duty to demonstrate to the CVPA that these standards are maintained on an ongoing basis.
The launch of the CVPA comes at an important time for businesses and the childcare industry. Supporting working parents with high quality childcare that is secure and accessible is critical to the revival of the UK economy. Childcare voucher companies play an integral role in this initiative and the CVPA will act to ensure that parents, employers and childcare providers are effectively and efficiently served by its member organisations.
Fiona Shields, Chair of the CVPA said:
“The launch of the CVPA and the publication of the Code of Practice marks an important moment for the childcare voucher providers industry. By coming together to drive forward best practice, members of the CVPA are demonstrating their commitment to providing both parents and carers with the highest standards of service. The establishment of the CVPA will help ensure the successful and effective continuation of the childcare vouchers scheme and its role in developing a vibrant and diverse childcare sector.”
Fair Care are proud to be part of this new association., please click here to read report
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28th February 2010
Changes to the Childcare Voucher Scheme from April 2011
To read the full report, prepared by Fair Care, please click here to read report
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20th October 2010
Many employers unsympathetic to Eldercare needs
In business today, the provision of childcare vouchers is considered to be an essential employee benefit. With dual income families becoming the norm, the need for support and flexibility from the work place for parents is widely accepted. But how many employers consider their employees’ need to care for their elderly relatives? With an ageing population, this is a rapidly increasing problem for both employers and employees.
According to the charity Care UK, over 1 million employees juggle care with work. Time and flexibility with work aren’t the only issues, with lack of financial support and emotional strain adding to a stressful situation. Demographics and work commitments can mean people are unable to care for their relatives themselves, and the support and information they need in order to handle the situation is surprisingly time consuming to find. This lack of information and the emotional involvement make decisions surrounding care for the elderly very difficult.
Employees in this position may end up taking time off work due to stress, or when in work their attention is likely to be elsewhere. This can be costly for employers, especially when the employees involved have a high level of responsibility.
The growing scale of this issue is bigger than many employers realise: the charity Care UK estimate that by 2037, a 60% rise in carers will needed. Without suitable policies in place, employers risk an increase in employee sick days or even losing employees altogether. It is surprising that more employers haven’t considered the measures that can be taken.
There are several ways that employers can help employees in this difficult position. Consideration of flexible working hours could help some employees. Equally, having an Employee Assistance Program in place can help deal with the stress of the situation. Clear, trusted advice and emotional support would be beneficial, and some kind of financial support or advice would ease the burden considerably. For a comprehensive solution, companies such as Grace Care can provide Eldercare services to employers, offering different levels of support for the employer to choose from.
So when will employers wake up to the Eldercare needs of their staff? Probably too late, as this is a need employees are unlikely to voice to their employer. Employers will struggle to calculate the cost to them, hidden in employee absenteeism and unproductiveness through lack of concentration, this will be almost impossible to assess. The only solution for employers is to be proactive, considering how they can help with Eldercare and voicing this to their employees, before it becomes a hidden cost. , please click here to read report -
16th September 2010
Product Launch: Benefit Select
nnovative Employee Benefit solutions provider Fair Care is throwing a lifeline to HR managers who are drowning in the troubled seas of Flexible Benefit systems. Fair Care believes that most Flexible Benefit schemes are too complicated and simply overkill for the majority of small to medium and even some larger organisations.
As a result, Fair Care has developed Benefit Select, a new generation in voluntary and flexible benefits management, with affordable and uncomplicated set up and nominal running costs.
An easy, attractive and seamless solution to bring benefits together, Benefit Select allows you to improve the presentation of existing benefits, and you can add or remove benefits instantly, giving employers control and ultimate flexibility.
Benefit Select is suitable for anything from a voluntary benefits portal, which might include childcare vouchers, cycle to work and an employee discount scheme, through to a comprehensive flexible package where the choices are unlimited and can include total reward statements, holiday trading and other innovative products.
Fair Care is launching the product first to its existing 1000 clients, some of whom have been early adopters and were very enthusiastic to be involved from the development stage. This collaboration with its customers has allowed Fair Care to mould a relevant and timely solution in answer to its own customers’ needs.
The launch of Benefit Select follows hot on the heels of Fair Care's Employee Discount Scheme Advantage, a premium shopping benefit. Both Advantage and Benefit Select will be showcased at the Employee Benefits Live show on 28-29 September at the London Design Centre, Stand 61. Fair Care will be running demonstrations of the product over the two days.
More information on Benefit Select
Philip Curtis, Fair Care Managing Director commented...
"I have spoken to countless HR professionals over the last few years who have been keen to introduce a voluntary or flexible benefits platform, but have been put off by the cost and complexity of such a project.
I truly believe that we have found the answer with Benefit Select. We’ve employed the latest on-line technology to make life simple and have created a properly flexible, modular solution that can grow as our clients grow. Our straightforward approach means that set-up and management is quick and easy, which means that we can deliver and run a comprehensive benefits solution at a fraction of the cost of a traditional flex offering.”, please click here to read report -
3rd September 2010
HMRC Guidance: Cycle to Work
HMRC has released new guidance relating to the market values to be used when valuing bicycles being sold to employees at the end of cycle to work scheme hire periods.
Whilst any guidance in what has always been a grey area should be welcomed, the value percentages prescribed in the HMRC valuation tables are at the upper end of expectations, which has caused some concern amongst employers running the scheme.
There are various options open to employers which will minimise the tax consequences. Please refer to the following guidance for more information.
End of Scheme Guidance, please click here to read report -
1st July 2010
Launch: New Fair Care Advantage Employee Discount Scheme
Employee Benefit solutions provider Fair Care has launched its new Employee Discount scheme, Fair Care Advantage. With over 1600 participating retailers including household names such as Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer, B&Q, Boots, plus many many more, Advantage offers an extensive range of high street discounts, vouchers and cashback opportunities.
With its unique community aspect, Advantage members can interact with each other in the thriving marketplace, pinpoint exactly where their local discounts can be found and get the chance to win £1,000 every month with Advantage Lotto.
This latest version is designed to be as valuable and accessible to smaller companies as it to multi-national corporations. Advantage can be taken as an off-the-shelf product with quick and easy set up, or deep branded for organisations who have their own branded benefit themes, or who operate Flex Schemes.
Fair Care provides full customer service including all set up and implementation, marketing of the scheme to employees, ongoing user engagement activities and telephone support for all Advantage members.
Fair Care Advantage has been developed in conjunction with PeopleValue, who have provided the underlying technology.
Philip Curtis, Fair Care Managing Director commented...
"We have been operating Employee Discount Schemes alongside our other benefit products for some time now, but this latest version is a great leap for us, offering a much more comprehensive range of discounts, resulting in a huge choice to the consumer. Its appeal to companies of all sizes, we hope, will ensure its success."
More information on Fair Care Advantage, please click here to read report -
20th June 2010
Childcare Voucher Providers Association (CVPA)
Fair Care is delighted to join with other major childcare voucher providers in becoming a founding member of the Shadow Council of the Childcare Voucher Providers Association (CVPA).
The CVPA has been formed to produce a Code of Practice that will apply to all participating Childcare Voucher Providers. The primary objective is to protect the interests of those that use the scheme; the employers, the parents and their childcare providers.
The CVPA will be a self-regulatory organisation, intended to be fully-functional in the Autumn., please click here to read report -
24th May 2010
Smart Parking for Equity
Equity Insurance Group have just implemented the Fair Care Smart Parking Scheme across all their branches in the UK. For Equity, who have 8 branches around the country including their HQ in Brentwood, Essex, it was imperative that the scheme offered parking to all employees, so Fair Care worked with the employer to incorporate existing local car park arrangements as well as the extensive NCP network to ensure access for all. By utilising a simple mechanic to operate the scheme, Fair Care was able to offer complete flexibility for individual Equity offices. Since the scheme began in May 2010, take up from the 1,100 staff has been impressive, demonstrating just how valuable car parking savings are to employees.
More information on the Smart Parking Scheme, please click here to read report -
17th May 2010
Employee Benefits Live - London
Fair Care will be exhibiting for the first time at this year's Employee Benefits Show in London. Employee Benefits Live, Europe's largest employee reward event, takes place on
28 – 29 September 2010 at the Business Design Centre, London. Please come and visit us at the show, Stand 61, where we will be launching an exciting new product!
www.employeebenefitslive.co.uk, please click here to read report -
12th March 2010
Eco Green Cars are big news
The Fair Care Green Car Scheme is attracting a lot of attention from many Eco conscious organisations wishing to improve their ‘Green’ charter. Through salary sacrifice, the scheme delivers savings to employees of over 40% of the cost of ownership of a new green car. As a further incentive, the choice of models is increasing month on month, with the scheme now boasting well over 500 different models from all mainstream manufacturers including Audi, BMW, VW, Ford, Volvo and Toyota.
Sales of green cars (those with CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less) nearly doubled in 2009, representing 20.4% of all cars sold in the UK, up from 11% in the previous year. This is clear evidence of a behavioural change by UK drivers, partly motivated by the significant tax breaks on offer but also due to the fast improving choice of models available.
More information on the Green Car Scheme, please click here to read report -
1st March 2010
HMRC clamps down on Bus to Work Schemes
HMRC has recently issued guidance on the Bus to Work salary sacrifice scheme, which will make future operation of the scheme very difficult in most situations.
Schemes have typically been implemented using local area bus passes. The new guidance, which was issued in December, will limit the tax relief to situations where the employer can demonstrate that they are giving direct support for bus travel for a specific route only. As most Bus operators are not geared up to handle the administration and distribution of bus passes on this basis, it seems that the scheme will no longer be viable in many cases.
The new guidance takes effect from 19th December 2009 for any new scheme, or new arrangements under an existing scheme. Those who joined a scheme and entered into a salary sacrifice arrangement before 18th December 2009 will be able to continue benefiting from the tax exemption for up to 12 months, or the end of the salary sacrifice agreement, whichever is sooner. , please click here to read report -
29th January 2010
New Paternity Leave plans announced
Yesterday, Gordon Brown announced plans to introduce 6 months paternity leave for fathers, from April 2011, in the interest of allowing more flexibility for families. Currently, fathers are only entitled to two weeks leave. The plans are intended to give an opportunity for the father to take over from the mother after the first six months, allowing the mother to return to work earlier. Under the new plans, the last six months of maternity leave can be transferred to the father, meaning both parents cannot take leave together. This benefit will provide the father with three months paid leave (currently at £123.06 a week), followed by three months unpaid leave.
From a family perspective, this is a step in the right direction. The traditional family structure where the man is the main bread winner and the women stays home with the children is hugely outdated, and this new plan reflects this. However, David Cameron has criticised this proposal for not going far enough. For families where the woman’s earning are significantly higher that the man’s, this new proposal will still not provide enough flexibility. Statutory maternity pay is 90% of earnings for only six weeks, after which it currently falls to £123.06 a week. With a huge drop in their main income, this creates a difficult time financially for these families. Why not make allow the transfer of benefit (from mother to father) to begin after the first six weeks?
The new plans have proven to be controversial, with concerns by business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce about the cost to businesses of changes in employment law. As the plan is to allow the father this benefit only if the mother returns to work, the reality of administering this is likely to be complicated. The Government have commented that the take up of this paternity leave is expected to be as low as one in 16. Many fathers do not even take the current paternity leave of two week because of the loss of earnings over this time., please click here to read report -
8th January 2010
French Connection start Cycle to Work Scheme
High Street retailer French Connection has just launched a new cycle to work scheme to run nationwide across the Company. The scheme, implemented by employee benefits provide Fair Care, began roll-out in December 2009, in all retail stores as well as their Head Office in Camden and distribution centre in Purfleet. Employees can choose from an extensive range of cycles from Halfords and Evans with up to 50% discount on usual retail prices. The Fair Care solution is the essence of simplicity, providing a one stop, fully outsourced scheme to French Connection’s 2000 employees..
Roy Naismith, Finance Director at French Connection commented…
“The cycle to work scheme is a part of French Connection’s benefits package, and one we hope will see considerable take-up. Many of our staff don’t live far from work, so giving them the opportunity to take a cheaper, greener option was important to us. From an employer point of view it’s been incredibly easy to implement through Fair Care as they now run the whole programme.”, please click here to read report -
4th December 2009
Childcare Vouchers: Government U-Turn
In a letter sent to Labour backbenchers yesterday, Gordon Brown confirmed that families who are currently in receipt of tax relief will see no change in the support they receive through childcare vouchers. The plans to abolish the tax relief in 2015 have now been scrapped.
It was also confirmed, however, that tax relief for higher earners joining the scheme from April 2011 will be applied at the same rate as for those paying the basic rate of income tax. This implies that higher-rate relief will be retained for any higher earners who join before April 2011.
Philip Curtis, Managing Director, Fair Care commented…
“This is great news for all current and future working parents who benefit substantially from the childcare voucher scheme. The government has reacted sensibly, listening to its critics. Higher rate tax relief will phase out gradually after 2011, as new members, who will be restricted to basic rate tax relief, replace the old. This will appease those who criticised the scheme as favouring the better-off.”, please click here to read report -
30th November 2009
Fair Care launches NCP Smart Parking Scheme
Fair Care is proud to launch a new car parking scheme in association with parking giant NCP. The Smart Parking Scheme will allow employees to save up to 50% of their regular parking costs through salary sacrifice. Fair Care has negotiated preferential rates with NCP, an advantage in itself, but together with the tax benefits of salary sacrifice, employees will be able to save considerable sums.
Philip Curtis, Fair Care Managing Director commented...
"Whilst many of our salary sacrifice schemes and other products are aimed at reducing car usage, such as the immensely popular Cycle to Work schemes, we also recognise that this is not always a practical solution. Car parking is a contentious issue, so by introducing the Smart Parking Scheme with NCP, employers can offer a tangible and valuable cost saving for those employees, reducing staff turnover in the process."
Jo Cooper, Commercial Director, NCP added….
“Fair Care has worked closely with our team to improve the existing scheme to make convenient parking more accessible to more people. Their expertise in the benefit market and commitment to high customer satisfaction has given NCP valuable insight, enabling us to provide a more practical and attractive solution to staff parking issues.”
The Smart Parking Scheme is particularly attractive to employers as Fair Care handle all the administrative side of the scheme directly with NCP, enabling the company to give a much needed bonus to car drivers whilst also removing all the administrative nightmares inherent with operating traditional car parking schemes. Employees who use the scheme are issued with an NCP Space card, allowing them access to a local car park close to the office, but the beauty of the scheme means that as employees leave the company, their card is immediately terminated and new cards are issued to new employees. There are 729 NCP car parks in the UK and many of these are in prime city centre locations. The scheme makes it possible for employees to use the closest or most convenient car park to their work, but without having to pay a premium for this convenience.
Contact and further information: press@faircare.co.uk, please click here to read report -
28 August 2009
Taking Health and Wellbeing To The Extrem
Fair Care likes to encourage its employees to undertake healthy activities however there are always those that are more difficult to encourage than others, so it was a great surprise when Sales Director Phillip Waller decided to cycle the famous Coast to Coast route from St Bees bay in Cumbria across the country to Whitby North Yorks.
When asked, he commented somewhat tongue in cheek "It seemed time for me to take a lead in the tough guy challenges being undertaken by the employees" but more seriously he said "When I found myself staring up at the 1200ft Hardknock Pass I realised that it might not be the 170 miles distance that would finish me". Needless to say with the help of the six other riders he made it across in 2 days filled with glorious sunshine and spectacular views to arrive in Whitby in one piece (albeit slightly battered!)., please click here to read report -
1st August 2009
Health Screening - Clarification of Tax Treatment
The Finance Bill 2009 received Royal Assent on 21st July 2009, finally clearing up the confusion surrounding the tax-free status of Health Screening.
Annual medicals/health screenings have been available to employees for many years, normally funded by the employer and typically restricted to certain groups of employees on the basis of seniority or years of service. It was generally accepted practice that this was a tax-free benefit, with no tax or national insurance arising.
The tax-free status was confirmed in a statutory instrument, which took effect from 14th August 2007 (SI 2007/2090). The problem was that one of the conditions stated that this benefit had to be made generally available to all employees (or an identified group who were at specific risk). This meant that any scheme that was restricted (as most were) was at risk of losing the tax free status.
However, following a number of representations, HMRC was concerned that some existing health schemes could be affected by the new regulations in a way that was not envisaged when the regulations were laid. HMRC subsequently agreed not to collect any tax that might arise from the enforcement of the statutory instrument for the year 2007/2008. This concession was subsequently extended to the 2008/2009 tax year, pending clarification in the Finance Bill 2009.
The Finance Act 2009 removes the requirement for the health screening to be made available to all employees, to the relief of employers and the medical industry alike., please click here to read report