TL;DR: Yes. Any registered nursery can receive payments through Halo. Your nursery doesn't need to do anything special to get started.
This is the question we get asked most, and the answer is simple: yes.
Any registered nursery works
If your nursery is registered with the relevant regulatory body (Ofsted in England, Care Inspectorate in Scotland, CIW in Wales, or HSCT in Northern Ireland), it can be part of the Halo network. It doesn't matter whether it's a small independent, a chain, a community nursery, or a workplace creche.
Your nursery doesn't need to sign up first
When you enrol in Halo, you tell us which nursery your child attends. If they're not already in our network, we reach out and get them set up. The process usually takes a few days.
From the nursery's perspective, there's very little to do. They confirm your child's attendance and fees, and we handle the rest. They get paid directly by your employer, on time, every month — backed by employer payments rather than individual parents remembering to pay.
Most nurseries are glad to be involved.
What if my nursery says they don't accept it?
This is rare, but it happens — usually because the nursery hasn't encountered Halo Pay arrangements before and isn't sure what's involved.
If your nursery has concerns, put them in touch with us directly. We'll explain how it works, answer their questions, and handle all the paperwork. There's no cost to the nursery and no extra admin on their end.
What about childminders?
Currently, Halo works with registered nurseries. We're exploring how to include registered childminders in the future, but it's not available yet.
What about nurseries outside England?
The workplace nursery exemption under Section 318 ITEPA 2003 applies across the UK. Registration requirements differ by nation — Ofsted in England, Care Inspectorate in Scotland, CIW in Wales, HSCT in Northern Ireland.
If you're in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland — get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.
