Am i entitled to anything after maternity

[Geordie&Bairn]

Ok only a few weeks left of maternity money then i will have big fat zero apart from child benifit
James wage is £24.000 a year
I will not be returning to work so will not be claiming for that so where do i stand
i am thinking of getting a part time job when i stop breastfeeding hopefully when Collier is one year old
What would i get to help toward child care if i did go to work? ive got no one to help me out family wise. I dont want to return to work only to find myself working to pay for childcare and end up bring nothing home.

We are fine with paying the bills without James doing over time though when he dose overtime i gives us a bit of breathing space

I have wanted to set up my own online ebay story sack buisness but to be honest i dont know how id find the time Collier is just to demanding.

I dont want to claim for things id rather pay my own way but if im entitled to something then i will untill i return to work

Can anyone help?
Thank you
Sarah x

 

[kalia]

OH is occasionally working part time and I am working part time. Between us we are currently taking in about the same as your OH.

To get any childcare paid you would have to work more than 16 hours a week.

As well as child benefit you can get child tax credits - you'd get £21 a week I think.

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

So if i go back part time 16 hours i have to pay full price for child care meaning im working for nothing
To get help with childcare costs id have to work over 16 hours but i know if you work over 16 hours it effects and lowers any benifits you get

a win win situation then


I know you dont get things for nothing but im not working to pay for someone else to look after my child and no even be bringing anything back . And to be honest just how much help would i get towards childcare Im a Nursery nurse im sure its not much
The only reason why 2 of my work mates returned to work was to 1 work under 16 hours and they had family to look after thier child those 2 days


Please anyone found that they actualy do have take home pay after paying child care????Or how much you get help for if you do go to work over 16 hours (which i dont really want to do till Colliers in school) but if needs must

 

[BeckyJ]

were having the same trouble sarah, b'cus of kens wage if i go bk part time we'd hav to pay childcare so id b working for nothing or near enough - sooooo frustrating!!!

 

[lozam80]

Hi
Hope this helps? But to give you an idea!

We currently get £353 a month towards childcare. The nursery costs us £165 a week so at the moment we are having to find half! 2007/2008 tax year our joint income was £30000.

But come April we will only get £150 a month as our wages have increased! So are seriously looking at other alternatives as like you no point in working just to pay nursery fees.

If you phone the tax office they are really helpful I phoned them loads of times with "what if we did this" or "what if we did that" and they gave me loads of info. Citizens advice are good as well!

Hope all that helps? X x x

 

[kalia]

So if i go back part time 16 hours i have to pay full price for child care meaning im working for nothing
To get help with childcare costs id have to work over 16 hours but i know if you work over 16 hours it effects and lowers any benifits you get

a win win situation then

You aren't entitled to any benefits (other than child benefit of course) so working 16 hours + wouldn't affect that.

Like you say though, after tax, NI, travel to and from work and childcare you may find you are not taking in any more money.

I haven't been around much so last I knew you were living at OH's family's house. It looks like you've moved. Could you childmind? As a nursery nurse you probably know everything you need to so it's just filling in the forms. That way you could work and spend all day with your little man If you didn't want to do that full time you may find someone who needs their child looked after part time or just collected from school and until 5 or 6pm.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

The idea of child minding even for a few hours a week is a good one could you look into that?
Maybe as Collier gets a bit older and more independent you could start your story sacks

I know for a fact that we'd be worse off if I went to work. Which is silly. Though lucky in a way as I really don't want to leave Fi and i'd have no means of transport anyway.

xxxxxxxx

 

[Charlie:-)]

You can claim some childcare costs back through Child Tax Credits, just give them a call and they will be able to work out how much you can claim based o your income and how much you pay for childcare. I called them only last week to find out what we can claim back. Just ring the helpline number.

Just copied this from teh Working Tax Credit website

As part of Working Tax Credit (WTC) you may qualify for help towards the costs of childcare. If you qualify, the amount of help you receive will depend on your income.

You can get up to 80p for every £10 you pay out in childcare costs.

This is up to a limit of £1750 in costs per week for one child and £3000 for two or more children. Any costs that you pay in excess of these amounts are not used in the calculation.

This means the most you can receive for the childcare element is £1400 (£175 at 80p in the £1) if you have one child or £2400 (£300 at 80p in the £1) if you have two or more children.

You can claim for any child up to the Saturday following 1 September after their 15th birthday.

https://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/HomeNew.aspx

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

I have thought of childminding
but the local community centre a stone throw away from my house had 10 poster cards advertising childminders
think the market is full in that area

Thanks Charlie for the link