Childcare depresses me

[widowwadman]

I've been looking at nurseries all week and seriously wonder how I'm going to afford going back to work. Fees would eat up more than half my pay, if not more (the bloke earns less than me), I'm really scared now. There's no family nearby which could help out looking after Mills either and we can't durvive just on his pay

How are you doing it?

 

[Jade&Evie]

Are you eligible for Tax Credits? There is a childcare element to them which could help you out a bit.

Because I am on my own I get 80% of my childcare paid for if I work more than 16 hours a week- it's finding a job that's hard! all the immigrants must be getting them!

 

[Jade&Evie]

Tax Credits Link

 

[widowwadman]

Maybe I'm to thick to understand these entitlement calculators but it looks like we're not entitled to much, if anything at all. It's all so confusing.

 

[daftscotslass]

We're on two decentish wages and unfortunately tax credits etc don't come close to covering a good chunk of our childcare costs. As a result, I have to work full time because part time we wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage with me out of work or on a part time wage. All my family work and OH's family are in a different country. So we don't have a choice. I just rest easy knowing that she loves nursery and has settled brilliantly (when she's not catching one disease after another ). Your best plan is to phone the tax credits people as they will give you a better indicator of what you're entitled to.

 

[debecca]

Some places of work offer Busy Bees Childcare Vouchers. You can pay for them out of gross pay which automatically cuts about 30% off the nursery fees

 

[Jade&Evie]

Maybe I'm to thick to understand these entitlement calculators but it looks like we're not entitled to much, if anything at all. It's all so confusing.

Did you fill it in as if you were already back at work and M was in childcare or as it stands at the moment? You have to have a household income of less than £17k to get WTC which is unusual when both parents are at work.

You may find that financially you are better off working less than 16 hours. The system is rubbish.

As Becks said childcare vouchers might be a better option : Tax Credits vs Childcare Vouchers

 

[nori]

i'm struggling too hun.. the tax credits only seem to help you if you are claiming other benefits and really dont earn much atall! I've met someone through a baby group and we will look after each others just for 1 day a week and the other 2 days im using a childminder (yet to find one). Its gonna be bloody hard and if we dont manage to break even i will get an evening job in waitrose!

Good luck ,

Claire x

 

[trixipaws]

we are VERY lucky. obviously i have millie most of the time, i work monday, tuesday, saturday. DF has her on saturdays. my dad has her on the other 2 days, for free. we are VERYYYYYYYYY lucky.

after my mat leave finishes after the second baby is born i'm gonna have to go to work full time and put both kids in childcare

theres no way my dad can look after 2. millie is the first child he's looked after (our family had traditional roles and it was early '80's when we were little so he'd never done nappies and things like that until millie's!) and he's got arthritis in his hands and he is pushing 60 he's an old man! 2 kids will be too much. plus he's been itching to emigrate to spain for aeons now and the final "obstacle" was millie until she can go to school, i cant make him postpone his plans another 4 years.

WWW i bet ur in the same group as me- that VERY unfortunate group who struggle financially on their own, but considered "too rich" for any help, or a piffling amount its really bloody unfair!

hope u can sort something out

 

[widowwadman]

I'm still at home, planning to return when Mills is 9 months old, and just started to look at nurseries. I know that my workplace does the busy bee vouchers.

I tried filling the form in with both scenarios but really don't really understand what would apply. Is there any place I could go and talk this through? CAB or job centre? I feel like a total idiot regarding this and it doesn't help that HR is pretty unwilling to discuss arrangements as they "have no experience with maternity matters".

 

[nori]

WWW i bet ur in the same group as me- that VERY unfortunate group who struggle financially on their own, but considered "too rich" for any help, or a piffling amount its really bloody unfair!

hope u can sort something out

Yep im with you there.. I worked out i would actually be better off financially if i kicked matt out.. WTF!

WWF: Its a bit of a mindfield. Go on entitledto.com That helped me more than CAB or ringing them up. I found them really unhelpful and confusing! (doesnt take much to confuse me though! lol)

Claire x

 

[Jade&Evie]

Make an appointment at your local jobcentre and they should be able to work out what is the best scenario for you money wise.

They did it all for me and I am better off by at least £200 a month if I work more than 16 hours a week.

 

[widowwadman]

Thanks for all your replies, I will make an appointment asap, entitled.to confuses me, too

 

[widowwadman]

Now they want to introduce a 10% pay cut for everyone. I'm just so scared

 

[Jade&Evie]

Did you go to CAB/JobCentre yet?

hope they don't cut your pay

 

[widowwadman]

No haven't been yet, wanted to wait for the outcome of today's meeting. And also I'm a coward, and currently actively scared of finding out about things for real. I know it's silly, but that's how I am when I get worried.

The paycut is across the board for everyone in the company, thanks to recession etc.

HR say I could file a grievance but shouldn't get my hopes up too high. I'll ring both job centre and CAB tomorrow. And will report back.

Tonight I'll just drown my sorrows in chocolate (I'd prefer a proper drink, but it's not Mills' fault, so it wouldn't be fair to spoil her milk supply).