Looking at getting a minibus for us to use. Both me & my husband are reg childminders, and currently have to use 2 cars, so thought about getting a minibus to make life easier. It would be a personal minibus, which we would also use weekends etc...

Then someone pointed out the legislation... Not sure where we stand. I have spoke to insurers we got a quote from, and they are happy to insure us based on all info I've given, and told me that business ins is fine for us, and they have that we are childminders etc.

But, not sure over the whole 'hire or reward' definition. I found on the DFT website that it states :

What counts as payment?
Any sort of payment which gives a person a right to be carried in a vehicle counts, whether or not a profit is made. This is known as 'hire or reward'. It could be money paid by the passenger, or on their behalf, directly or indirectly. Examples of indirect payments include:

a club membership subscription
paying for a bed in a hotel
school fees
buying a concert ticket with travel included
any other situation where someone who had not paid for a particular service would therefore not have a right to be carried

Which yes, we obviously charge a fee for our childminding service, but according to the bit at the bottom, we would at times carry others that haven't paid us a fee too, so therefore we cannot fall into the PSV catergory.

Insurance companies have told us that class 1 business insurance is fine for us on cars, as we are not charging for travel, but if we added say £2 for a journey, then we are charging, and therefore have to have class 3 and register as a taxi.

Why, as soon as we get a minibus does this rule seem to change. Our fees are still the same as using a car, where according to insurers 'we are not charging', yet using a minibus we are told we are indirectly charging. Surely it has to be one rule, we are indirectly charging all the time, therefore all childminders using cars need to register as a taxi & hold a taxi licence, or it is as it is now, and we are not charging, therefore, not seen as charging either when in a minibus????

Very confused, as really want a minibus as it makes going out more fun, easier, socialable etc for all of us, yet cannot afford all the extras that we would have to pay out if we have to register it as a commercial veichle, as childminders cannot put costs of vehicles through accounts.

Any legal advice either way....