If you claim child tax credits you can get help towards childcare through that.
It was a godsend last year when I need a childminder for my son as he was too young to start full-time school.
If you claim child tax credits you can get help towards childcare through that.
It was a godsend last year when I need a childminder for my son as he was too young to start full-time school.
We're not entitled to child tax credits.
The poster who said they are returning to full time work when their child goes to school... that's what I thought, but then realised that wrap around care, at each side of the day, costs almost the same as being in nursery all day !
Fortunately I have a very good support system which enables me to work full time. My brother picks my son up twice a week and my daughter three times a week, sometimes his dad collects him also. My son does ocassionally goes to the after school club also, which I now realise is very good value (after reading the OP's child care costs :eek:) at £6.50 every evening.
In terms of difficulties around work; fortunately my boss is very understanding and flexible. My son is rarely ill but when he is my boss doesn't bat an eyelid if I need to take time off unexpectedly. A lot of the time I can still work at home anyway. I appreciate not all employers are as understanding though.
I really don't know how people cope with the cost.
Sometimes so much of a parent's wage goes on childcare, it would actually be better for one of them to stay at home with the kids and draw in the purse-strings a bit.
I am on mat leave at the moment and I go back in February and I am looking forward to going back to work. Even if one of us stayed at home and drew in the purse strings (although we are by no means extravgant people; we don't go out, our tv is 6 years old, and I still wear some of my clothes from uni), it is a struggle to live in London. We actually did this when my hubby was out of work when we moved here and it is nightmarish.
I get a real satisfaction from work as I love my job and most of the people I work with. I shall be hiring a nanny to cover my husband's shifts when I go back to work. I am also the biggest wage-earner, so it would be folly for me to give up my job to stay at home.
I think that's admirable in a way but I have mixed feelings about it.
The role of SAHM / SAHD has been degraded and is now often viewed with derision.
It's sad becasue raising one's children is probably the most important job one will ever do.
I don't know - this is one of those issues where you're damned if you do and damned if you don't! SAHMs often look down on working mums and vice versa. There are no rights and wrongs because everyone is different. I am on maternity leave at the mo and loving it, but wouldn't want to give up working completely to be a SAHM. I like the social interaction, the feeling I'm using my brain, the job itself (that I've worked damn hard to get) - and of course the money! I'm hoping to go back part-time. Each to their own, though!
I don't know - this is one of those issues where you're damned if you do and damned if you don't! SAHMs often look down on working mums and vice versa. There are no rights and wrongs because everyone is different. I am on maternity leave at the mo and loving it, but wouldn't want to give up working completely to be a SAHM. I like the social interaction, the feeling I'm using my brain, the job itself (that I've worked damn hard to get) - and of course the money! I'm hoping to go back part-time. Each to their own, though!
Those are my reasons as well. I had a mom on the playground suggest to me that since I have the baby, maybe I should look into the classroom assistant job. I told her I am on maternity leave and I have a job, and she's like "oh, since you have the baby, it would be easier." I looked at her like she was crazy. I'd still need childcare and I am not about to take a £15k paycut. I love my kids, but I am sure they love clothes, shoes, being able to eat... she's like "it would be cheaper than hiring a nanny." If her son wasn't best mates with my son, I'd have told her to keep her nose out of my goddamned finances.
ETA: I don't like small children enough to be surrounded by 25 of them, even if I were being paid £1m an hour.
Erm ???? I never justified the actions of the CSA however if money is given to a single parent through the CSA then it should be used for childcare etc..
Ha the CSA is a joke, my best mate decided to go to them recently because her ex wasn't paying anything towards his kid and what does she get through the CSA £2.50 a week(which she never gets anyway), like that's going to help with much. She has now come to the conclusion that getting the CSA involved is more hassle than it's all worth.
Those are my reasons as well. I had a mom on the playground suggest to me that since I have the baby, maybe I should look into the classroom assistant job. I told her I am on maternity leave and I have a job, and she's like "oh, since you have the baby, it would be easier." I looked at her like she was crazy. I'd still need childcare and I am not about to take a £15k paycut. I love my kids, but I am sure they love clothes, shoes, being able to eat... she's like "it would be cheaper than hiring a nanny." If her son wasn't best mates with my son, I'd have told her to keep her nose out of my goddamned finances.
ETA: I don't like small children enough to be surrounded by 25 of them, even if I were being paid £1m an hour.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people will try and tell you what you should be doing once you've got a baby. Damn cheek of the woman! There's definitely a certain self-righteousness amongst a certain type of mother who seem to think you *should* give up your career, and that being a good mum means sacrificing EVERYTHING for your child. Which is a load of crap, obviously.
Ha the CSA is a joke, my best mate decided to go to them recently because her ex wasn't paying anything towards his kid and what does she get through the CSA £2.50 a week(which she never gets anyway), like that's going to help with much. She has now come to the conclusion that getting the CSA involved is more hassle than it's all worth.
On the flip-side, I know a guy who rarely gets to see his son, once a year if he's lucky. Yet he pays a ridiculous amount to the CSA for his son's upkeep, so much that he can barely manage to survive on whatever is left of his wages dispite working in a skilled job
The CSA is rubbish, there always seems to be one parent that gets the sh*tty end of the stick.
I would suggest that if you earn this amount then you probably don't need it.
But that might be the partner/husbands salary - that doesn't mean that the wife/partner can't still lose money from her going to work (which is the point of the thread).
If the woman goes back earning £350 a week and the childcare costs are £400 a week then childcare costs will still make it financially pointless for the woman to work, in some cases the woman would make nothing, in some cases the woman could lose money by working. I would barely break even with two pre-school children and I earned a decent salary before being a mum!
But that might be the partner/husbands salary - that doesn't mean that the wife/partner can't still lose money from her going to work (which is the point of the thread).
If the woman goes back earning £350 a week and the childcare costs are £400 a week then childcare costs will still make it financially pointless for the woman to work, in some cases the woman would make nothing, in some cases the woman could lose money by working. I would barely break even with two pre-school children and I earned a decent salary before being a mum!
£400 a week?????
Full time nursery for my daughter was £550 a month which went down to £410 when she got her education grant (they all get it at 3, not means tested).
If I had a husband earning over 50k and I was going to paying £1750 a month childcare it would be ludicrous to go back to work.
Full time nursery for my daughter was £550 a month which went down to £410 when she got her education grant (they all get it at 3, not means tested).
If I had a husband earning over 50k and I was going to paying £1750 a month childcare it would be ludicrous to go back to work.
£20k a year for childcare.......?
Yup. I live in London and the cost of having one child full-time in nursery is about £1200 per month. Obviously it's twice that if you have two kids. OUCH! And I agree, for me it won't be worth going back to work at all unless they agree to let me back part-time. I'm not so committed to my job that I'd do it with half or more of my salary going on childcare!
Full time nursery for my daughter was £550 a month which went down to £410 when she got her education grant (they all get it at 3, not means tested).
If I had a husband earning over 50k and I was going to paying £1750 a month childcare it would be ludicrous to go back to work.
£20k a year for childcare.......?
Yep, £45 a day per child so full time would indeed be £400 a week!
You are right that they get the funding when they turn 3 but this only covers a small proportion of the hours, only during term time and often (for a private nursery) less than the session cost so you have to pay up to the session cost (not sure if I have made that very clear)
ETA - realise that total cost for 5 days would be £450 but taken off an approximately for the funding
Edit again - reading back I realise I have not been very clear about the fact that I was talking about having 2 in childcare. I went on the basis of two pre-schoolers because that's what I have, but i think its pretty common to have two pre-schoolers so relevant I think
On the flip-side, I know a guy who rarely gets to see his son, once a year if he's lucky. Yet he pays a ridiculous amount to the CSA for his son's upkeep, so much that he can barely manage to survive on whatever is left of his wages dispite working in a skilled job
The CSA is rubbish, there always seems to be one parent that gets the sh*tty end of the stick.
Totally agree with you - my brother ended up having to go bankrupt thanks to the ineptitude of the CSA - his ex wife has two holidays a year and can afford to live in one of the most expensive parts of the country. Meanwhile my brother lodges with my other brother as he can't afford to live on his own. Also, my parents have his children to stay for 8 weeks of the year - the ex wife doesn't pay anything towards their upkeep at my parents and yet still takes the money for the 2 months.
Sorry to go Off topic but it's something that absolutely enrages me.
... It costs £30 to register with the club, then £24 per day ( for both of them ) for the after school club and that's before factoring in breakfast club which is another £18 per day for both of them.
That is a very expensive provision! It ought to be luxurious for that price. Where do you live in the country??
Comments
It was a godsend last year when I need a childminder for my son as he was too young to start full-time school.
We're not entitled to child tax credits.
The poster who said they are returning to full time work when their child goes to school... that's what I thought, but then realised that wrap around care, at each side of the day, costs almost the same as being in nursery all day !
In terms of difficulties around work; fortunately my boss is very understanding and flexible. My son is rarely ill but when he is my boss doesn't bat an eyelid if I need to take time off unexpectedly. A lot of the time I can still work at home anyway. I appreciate not all employers are as understanding though.
Sorry if i'm being dumb here but I thought everyone with kids under 16 (19 if in full-time education) we're entitled to CTC
Me and my hubby both work but we still get it.
It's a means tested benefit
Oh right, so I WAS being dumb
That'll teach me to check things out first lol
The cut off point is around 50k
I would suggest that if you earn this amount then you probably don't need it.
I am on mat leave at the moment and I go back in February and I am looking forward to going back to work. Even if one of us stayed at home and drew in the purse strings (although we are by no means extravgant people; we don't go out, our tv is 6 years old, and I still wear some of my clothes from uni), it is a struggle to live in London. We actually did this when my hubby was out of work when we moved here and it is nightmarish.
I get a real satisfaction from work as I love my job and most of the people I work with. I shall be hiring a nanny to cover my husband's shifts when I go back to work. I am also the biggest wage-earner, so it would be folly for me to give up my job to stay at home.
I don't know - this is one of those issues where you're damned if you do and damned if you don't! SAHMs often look down on working mums and vice versa. There are no rights and wrongs because everyone is different. I am on maternity leave at the mo and loving it, but wouldn't want to give up working completely to be a SAHM. I like the social interaction, the feeling I'm using my brain, the job itself (that I've worked damn hard to get) - and of course the money! I'm hoping to go back part-time. Each to their own, though!
Those are my reasons as well. I had a mom on the playground suggest to me that since I have the baby, maybe I should look into the classroom assistant job. I told her I am on maternity leave and I have a job, and she's like "oh, since you have the baby, it would be easier." I looked at her like she was crazy. I'd still need childcare and I am not about to take a £15k paycut. I love my kids, but I am sure they love clothes, shoes, being able to eat... she's like "it would be cheaper than hiring a nanny." If her son wasn't best mates with my son, I'd have told her to keep her nose out of my goddamned finances.
ETA: I don't like small children enough to be surrounded by 25 of them, even if I were being paid £1m an hour.
Ha the CSA is a joke, my best mate decided to go to them recently because her ex wasn't paying anything towards his kid and what does she get through the CSA £2.50 a week(which she never gets anyway), like that's going to help with much. She has now come to the conclusion that getting the CSA involved is more hassle than it's all worth.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people will try and tell you what you should be doing once you've got a baby. Damn cheek of the woman! There's definitely a certain self-righteousness amongst a certain type of mother who seem to think you *should* give up your career, and that being a good mum means sacrificing EVERYTHING for your child. Which is a load of crap, obviously.
On the flip-side, I know a guy who rarely gets to see his son, once a year if he's lucky. Yet he pays a ridiculous amount to the CSA for his son's upkeep, so much that he can barely manage to survive on whatever is left of his wages dispite working in a skilled job
The CSA is rubbish, there always seems to be one parent that gets the sh*tty end of the stick.
But that might be the partner/husbands salary - that doesn't mean that the wife/partner can't still lose money from her going to work (which is the point of the thread).
If the woman goes back earning £350 a week and the childcare costs are £400 a week then childcare costs will still make it financially pointless for the woman to work, in some cases the woman would make nothing, in some cases the woman could lose money by working. I would barely break even with two pre-school children and I earned a decent salary before being a mum!
£400 a week?????
Full time nursery for my daughter was £550 a month which went down to £410 when she got her education grant (they all get it at 3, not means tested).
If I had a husband earning over 50k and I was going to paying £1750 a month childcare it would be ludicrous to go back to work.
£20k a year for childcare.......?
Yup. I live in London and the cost of having one child full-time in nursery is about £1200 per month. Obviously it's twice that if you have two kids. OUCH! And I agree, for me it won't be worth going back to work at all unless they agree to let me back part-time. I'm not so committed to my job that I'd do it with half or more of my salary going on childcare!
Yep, £45 a day per child so full time would indeed be £400 a week!
You are right that they get the funding when they turn 3 but this only covers a small proportion of the hours, only during term time and often (for a private nursery) less than the session cost so you have to pay up to the session cost (not sure if I have made that very clear)
ETA - realise that total cost for 5 days would be £450 but taken off an approximately for the funding
Edit again - reading back I realise I have not been very clear about the fact that I was talking about having 2 in childcare. I went on the basis of two pre-schoolers because that's what I have, but i think its pretty common to have two pre-schoolers so relevant I think
Totally agree with you - my brother ended up having to go bankrupt thanks to the ineptitude of the CSA - his ex wife has two holidays a year and can afford to live in one of the most expensive parts of the country. Meanwhile my brother lodges with my other brother as he can't afford to live on his own. Also, my parents have his children to stay for 8 weeks of the year - the ex wife doesn't pay anything towards their upkeep at my parents and yet still takes the money for the 2 months.
Sorry to go Off topic but it's something that absolutely enrages me.