Returning to work after maternity impossible

bexy_v · 13 September 2017 at 2:09PM

after paying childcare of which we got no help I was barely better off for working but for me is about a good balance, it is hard but you will also be mentally better off as your obviously a grafter and have worked before which is great. Dont forget the child benefit and make sure your getting all the support you can. I worked 40 hrs a week before now i work 28 and little one is now at school but i went back to wrok after baby was 8 months...it is hard ..we had to wait 6 plus years between kids due to childcare costs and have no family support due to financial planning. Do what you feel is right for you and get the information double checked. Personally i loved working as i had a hot cuppa tea lol

nannytone_2 · 13 September 2017 at 3:17PM

what about the money that the childs father is contributing?

cifpower · 13 September 2017 at 3:56PM

Andrea1589 wrote: »

I am at my wits end. I have recently had a new baby and am desperate to return to work. I was earning 330 a week before maternity i am now earning 140 pw smp. Having spoke to tax credits i have learned by going back to work i would get 25 pw childcare help for a 165 pw bill plus my tax credits will drop by 40 pw. It basically means by going back to work 40 hours to my original job i would be 10 pound a week better off. I dont understand this. They are making it impossible for me to return to work and having worked all my life this is really taking a toll on my mental state. If anyone can offer advice or anyone in a simaler situation can advise that would be greatly appreciated.

Plus child benefit?

parkrunner · 13 September 2017 at 4:18PM

Andrea1589 wrote: »

They are making it impossible for me to return to work and having worked all my life this is really taking a toll on my mental state.

No they aren't.

FBaby · 13 September 2017 at 4:21PM

Deciding whether to be a FT working mum or one on benefit comes down to whether you want to focus on the benefits for the next 5 years or the next 20.

Indeed, you won't be much better off financially, yet much more stress and tired, however, if you are going to use this argument that it's not worth working if you are not better off, you are likely to remain on benefits for at least 5 years, or maybe even more because during all that time you'll compare what you would get by starting a new job at the level you are with what you are able to get in benefits.

The alternative is that you look at it long term, go back to work accepting that doing so is in an investment for the future in that in 5/10 years time, you'll have been promoted/applied for better paid jobs, and that when your child goes to school and then even more to secondary school, you will definitely be much better off financially (and maybe psychologically too).

It's a difficult and personal decision but I think too many single mum make it only looking at it from the perspective of the next few months rather than years.

parkrunner · 13 September 2017 at 4:23PM

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Your confused here, she would be in a substantial worse position then before she had the baby, but not much better off then what she is now if she returned to work rather then stayed at home.

Precisely. About time people started taking responsibility for their own actions and realised that having kids is expensive.

Loz01 · 13 September 2017 at 6:28PM

Cant the baby's Dad help with childcare and/or costs? If you're not together, do you get child maintenance?

teddysmum · 13 September 2017 at 7:32PM

My sons were born in the late 70s, early 80s and there was no help with child care.

Care was much cheaper, but then wages were lower too and mortgage rates in the upper teens.

We considered whether to have children, a number of times as we knew that my being off work would mean a huge drop in income, but that is the sacrifice you have to make. My sister chose the opposite and is childless, but they wanted to keep the freedom to take 2 or 3 holidays a year, though it was a hard decision.

There are advantages to nursery, as I noticed with my first son,who didn't go to nursery until he was 3,having been with a child minder.Within weeks of starting his progress accelerated.

The same was seen with two grand daughters only one day different in age. The one who went early (after maternity leave ended)to nursery did everything more quickly, but the other started well before school age and caught up.

This accelerated learning would have been a great advantage to a child who would normally have needed extra help if they started school at the required age , with no pre-school socialisation and learning, so a great reward for the income sacrifice.

Loz01 · 13 September 2017 at 8:06PM

Even if you're only a LITTLE bit better off in work surely its better to do that be out of work? Its always harder to go back the longer you've been away. As the baby gets older, turns into a toddler etc then childcare will get cheaper as you'll get the free nursery hours. Then obviously at 4 they will go to school.

bexy_v · 13 September 2017 at 8:25PM

I couldn't afford a second until little one was 6 plus as our nursery bill was 3 days a week with no help bar the childcare vouchers you buy pre-tax and was £49 a day... a lot of my fellow working mums are the same and heading unto late thirties for second and last children as its what you can afford...to be fair to the poster she sounds like she wants to work and she has worked... its a shock esp unplanned. Its not like one lady i know who is on number 6 and never worked. There is a lot of support if workplaces are flexible which of course is the other issue. personally i love working, the adult conversations, hot coffee and feeling like im doing something is great lol

Good luck to the poster whichever way she chooses

Returning to work after maternity impossible

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