Due back from maternity leave in Jan, need help as don't understand my entitlement

Hi,

I am employed by a local authority working 37 hours per week. I plan to go back to work part time, but I have no idea whether I will be better off doing 3 days or 2.
I earn £29,192 pa currently, and ideally want to go back to work for as little of my week as possible. (Just being honest!)

I am wondering what, if any, benefits, working tax credits, child benefit etc I may be entitled to when I go back to work.
Whats the threshold in terms of earnings? Can someone help me work out if I should go back 2 days or 3? and what the difference in income may be?

Really appreciate it
Jayne

Comments

  • Caz3121
    Caz3121 Posts: 15,525
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    what does your partner earn - all benefits will be based on the combined income

    would you be paying for childcare?
  • I am sure that there are a lot of people interested in this thread.

    I have a 5 month old and I am debating with myself and husband what we should do about me going back to work and hours etc. I would love to stay at home because I don't like the idea of leaving our little one in a nursery. However, at the same time I am looking forward to the prospect of going back to work as I worked hard for my job and there are lots of prospects of promotion. Before I had our baby I really thought that working would be the best option as it would be hard to go back to work when the baby is grown up!!

    I earn £25,000 p/a and I wonder if going down to 3 or 4 days a week would make me entitled to anything. There are so many benefit checkup sites etc. but they are never straightforward to guage whether we would be entitled. My husband earns £25,500 p/a. We both pay into pension pots that are 6 % and I have a student loan.

    Any thoughts would be gratefully received.
  • I dont think anybody will be able to advise either of you in detail without going into your exact finances but I used to be an advisor at the Citizens Advice Bureau and so I know that you can go to one of their drop in advice sessions - (you will need to pop in to ask them when their Generalist Advice Sessions are held) and they will do a calculation for you - this is called a "better off calculation".....you will need to take full details of all of your income and outgoings. Generally I found as an advisor that those in couples were entitled to very little "extra" but they can assess what you would be entitled to were you to work one day, then two, then three, etc etc. It's a little hit and miss depending on which advisor you get so you can also send your partner at the same time to see another advisor and then compare advice!! ........ or is that a bit naughty! :-).....a money advisor can also look at cutting your household expenditure with you so that you can spend that extra time with your cherubs! Good luck - you will never get the time back with your little ones and I very much reccomend working part time if you can x:)x
  • paddedjohn
    paddedjohn Posts: 7,512
    First Anniversary
    Forumite
    Have you put in a request for flexible hours yet?
    Be Alert..........Britain needs lerts.
  • CAB_Birmingham_representative
    CAB_Birmingham_representative Posts: 89 Organisation Representative
    Thank you for your e-mail

    It does appear from your e-mail that it would require a full benefit check to assess your entitlements and to make a comparison financially between the options open to you.

    It would be possible for you to do this by contacting your local Bureau and depending upon the service available you may be able to attend one of the walk-in services or alternatively by contacting the telephone adviceline no 08444 77 10 10 and discussing this with the team an adviser may call you back to provide this check.

    Kind regards
    Birmingham CAB
    Official CAB Representative
    I am an official representative of CAB. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to questions on the CAB Board. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. If you believe I’ve broken any rules please report my post to [email protected] as usual"
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