Charge check for preschool and leisure-time center

Östersund municipality wants all families to pay the correct charge for preschool and leisure-time centre and has therefore introduced a charge check. Anyone who has paid too much will get money back while those who have paid too little will be sent an extra bill to pay.

The income check is done with a delay of just over two years. This is because the municipality has to retrieve correct tax assessment data from the Swedish tax office, Skatteverket.

During 2024, Östersund municipality will check the childcare charges paid in 2022.

When we do the charge check, we look at how much the custodians have paid during the year in question. This is compared with what they would have paid if they had a declared a monthly income which was the equivalent of their taxed annual income divided by twelve. We also take into consideration whether custodians have paid in more money or had money back as a result of a recalculation done together with a placement case officer.

Responsibility to provide correct information

It is the responsibility of custodians to provide correct information on income and family situation so that the household pays the correct charge.

Provide information about income change (e-service)

The charge for preschool and leisure-time centre is based on the household´s total income irrespective of whether the custodians have joint children or not.

If it turns out that the income you declared to us is lower or higher than your actual income, the municipality will then adjust the charge for 2022.

If you have paid too little

If you have paid too little, you will be sent a bill which must be paid within 60 days. If the bill is not paid within the stated period, one reminder will be sent and then the matter will be passed on to the debt collectors Inkasso.

If you cannot pay the whole bill at once, it is possible to set up a payment plan for the debt. Contact us at 063-14 30 00.

If you have paid too much

If you have paid too much for childcare in 2022, the excess amount will be deposited in a bank account of your choice. Please, send us the account details; the correct e-mail address is provided in the letter you have received from us. Amounts under SEK 600 will not be invoiced nor paid back.

Frequently asked questions

Why are you doing this check?

It is the responsibility of custodians to give us correct information about their income and family situation so that every household pays the correct charge for preschool­/leisure-time centre.

The charge is based on the household´s total income, irrespective of whether the custodians have joint children or not. By doing the check, we ensure that everyone pays the correct charge. It is a matter of both fairness and security that all families are treated equally and pay the proper charge according to the prevailing rate. For us, it is just as important to pay back money as to demand more money.

How is the check done?

We retrieve information from the Swedish tax office, Skatteverket, on the annual incomes of 2022. Then we divide your annual income by 12, thereby calculating a monthly income. That is then compared with the income you declared to the municipality. If these amounts are not the same, that means the charge has either been too high or too low. Then we recalculate the charge and work out the amount that you should have paid. Amounts lower than SEK 600 for the whole of 2022 will not be invoiced nor paid back.

What policy decisions have been taken concerning the childcare charge check?

The decision to introduce a charge check was taken at the Children and Education Board´s meeting on 20 November 2013.

Why do you go back so far in time and check the income of 2022?

This is the most recent information that the Swedish tax office, Skatteverket, can provide. Their information is based on what you declared in May 2022 and then it takes time for Skatteverket to work out people´s final tax assessment. Moreover, we need time to check our own information. Some families had their charges adjusted in 2022 or in early 2023, after consultation with their placement case officer. That information is in our finance system and it must be processed with the charge check.

Isn't my income updated automatically?

No, it is the responsibility of the custodians to provide correct information on income and family situation so that the household pays the correct charge for preschool/­leisure-time centre.

I am going to get money back. Why can´t you deduct it from my next ordinary bill?

Unfortunately, for technical reasons we cannot link the amount from the charge check with the ordinary charge for preschool/leisure-time centre. Moreover, the situation of the family in question may not be the same as it was in 2022.

When will I get my bill?

We will send out the invoices in batches. The check has been conducted on the basis of the bill-payer´s month of birth (not the child´s). The bill-payers who were born in January and February will be the first to receive their bills.

How soon must I pay the bill?

The bill must be paid within 60 days.

What do I do if I am not satisfied with the information given on the bill?

Contact Customer Service (Kundcenter) at avgiftskontroll@ostersund.se or 063-14 30 00.

My bill is probably correct but I cannot pay it all at once. What shall I do?

If you cannot pay the whole bill at once, you can apply for deferment. Payment can be deferred for maximum one year from the date of payment. The deferment period may vary depending on how large the amount is.

You can choose whether you want to make a payment every month during the period of deferment or whether you pay the entire amount all in one go before the date of payment.

If the bill is not paid within the stated time, after one reminder the matter will be sent to the debt collectors Inkasso.

The bill cannot be right. How do I contest it?

If you want to contest a bill, you must submit a written contestation within a month from the date of the bill. State clearly what it is you are contesting.

Contact us by email to avgiftskontroll@ostersund.se or by letter to Östersunds kommun, Barn-och utbildningsförvaltningen, 831 82 Östersund.

If I can't pay my bill in time, will my child be suspended?

Our municipality has chosen not to apply any suspension rule in conjunction with the charge check. However, any unpaid bill will be sent to the debt collectors Inkasso after one reminder.

Will there be additional charges if a payment plan is drawn up by the debt collectors Inkasso?

Yes, there will be the normal additional interest charges and administration fees.

What have I done wrong when I have to pay in more money?

The most common error is that you have not submitted an up-to-date income to the placement case officers.

Another common cause of error is that people do not include all their taxable incomes in their monthly income. Many bill-payers have not declared their family situation in the way our rules require. The income of a cohabiting adult is included when calculating the childcare charge, even if that person is not the parent of your child.

What is counted as income?

By income we mean all received money that is taxed, for instance, income from employment (including overtime and extra pay for inconvenient hours), parental allowance, sickness allowance etc.

What is not counted as income?

The following are examples of received money that is not counted as income: study allowance, social allowance, other types of allowances, introduction allowance for refugees, allowances under the Assistance to Asylumseekers Act, etc.

We have separated. Who pays the bill?

If you lived together during the year in question, you are both responsible for ensuring the bill is paid. This means it is not necessarily the person who has received the bill who has to pay the entire amount himself/herself.

I have contacted you but not received any reply. Why not?

We have a very heavy workload during the period when the bills are sent out. The processing time may be up to four weeks. We deal with the cases in the order we receive them. It may also be difficult to reach us on the phone during this period.

When you contact us via email, you will receive an automatic reply as a receipt that your email has been received. If you have not received an automatic reply by the following day, please send your email again.

Sidan uppdaterad 2024-01-12