Pembee, the online booking platform, has introduced a fully integrated Tax-Free Childcare payment system, aiming to make childcare and children’s activities more accessible to families in the UK.
The update enables parents using the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme to pay directly at the time of booking. Linked securely to HMRC’s platform, the tool allows for real-time payments — removing the need for manual reconciliation or external payment tracking.
Historically, the administrative workload for Tax-Free Childcare has been a challenge, with providers often required to manually chase parents for payment references. With Pembee’s integration, transactions are instantly matched to bookings, significantly reducing this burden and improving financial efficiency.
Parents benefit from a simplified booking process. There’s no longer a need to send separate alerts or worry about payment errors, giving families peace of mind when securing childcare.
Importantly, this feature comes at no extra cost. All Tax-Free Childcare funds are transferred in full to the provider, enabling them to maintain affordability and pass on the benefit to families. This reinforces Pembee’s dedication to improving childcare accessibility.
While the government’s scheme is crucial to many working parents, overly complex systems have previously limited its use. Pembee’s direct connection with HMRC tackles this head-on, making the scheme far easier to use.
“We’re excited to make it easier for parents to use the Tax-Free Childcare scheme,” said Ed Hollinghurst, Founder of Pembee. “Too often, complicated processes and manual systems create unnecessary friction. Our integrated solution not only supports providers but also helps more parents access the government support they’re entitled to — with a faster, smoother, and fully online experience.”
The integration is live now across all UK Pembee accounts. Providers simply need to add their registered details within the admin panel to begin accepting Tax-Free Childcare payments immediately.
