Child Care - Any clues?!

MobileAddict

Oh we are not in financial difficulty, but we just have no idea of the costs. Its sad that we have to think like this when we both hold down very good jobs...

It makes me think if everyone thinks like this before they start a family or if its just us....

xxx

Mips

MobileAddict wrote: »

Oh we are not in financial difficulty, but we just have no idea of the costs. Its sad that we have to think like this when we both hold down very good jobs...

It makes me think if everyone thinks like this before they start a family or if its just us....

xxx

There's the key - you hold down good jobs.. no doubt don't vote Labour, thus meaning your offspring possibly wont... why would they want you to breed

whatatwit

^ ^ :beer:

mwa

Hello,

We pay £28 a day in Cornwall. We don't get any childcare help as we earn too much but don't forget child tax credit plus child benefit which is £18 odd a week (enough for nappies!). Child tax credit is usually a fair bit until they're 1 and then it drops dramatically (think we were getting £80 now it's £30 per month).

Like everyone says, nobody can really afford to have children but you'll survive!

madison's_mum

BUT depending on your joint incomes you will be entitled to help of up to 70 or 80% of your childcare costs - from Tax Credits.

When i was with my husband we weren't entitled to help with childcare costs although we did get CTC at £40 per month. We have now split up and i'm can get WTC & CTC including help with chilcare costs, i'm pretty sure that you only get help with costs if you're a single parent.

Mips

madison's_mum wrote: »

When i was with my husband we weren't entitled to help with childcare costs although we did get CTC at £40 per month. We have now split up and i'm can get WTC & CTC including help with chilcare costs, i'm pretty sure that you only get help with costs if you're a single parent.

I am married and still entitled to the Childcare element of WTC - I have never been single and it has always been a joint claim.

onlyroz

We pay £760 a month for childcare 48 weeks of the year in a private nursery, 9am-4pm. That's in Berkshire. We used to pay about £500 a month for 8am-6pm at a nursery in hubby's workplace, but that became too far for us to travel. In the south-east you should basically budget for about £800 a month.

You'll get about £77 a month in child benefit, and you'll both be able to receive £243 a month in childcare vouchers. That is a "salary sacrifice scheme", so that money is deducted straight from your salary and you don't have to pay income tax on it - so as a basic rate tax payer you'll be saving 20% of £243 a month each.

In the term after the child turns 3 you'll also receive a government subsidy, which is currently £138 a month. This would equate to 12 hours a week for free in a state nursery.

Don't know anything about tax credits because I'm not eligible for them.

Js_Other_Half

Our nusery in West Yorkshire is £36 per day; a friend in St Albans pays £60 per day.

The child benefit is of help, as are child care vouchers from both sets of employers.

There is never a good financial time to have kids- but don't leave it too long.

madison's_mum

I am married and still entitled to the Childcare element of WTC - I have never been single and it has always been a joint claim

Aah, thats probably what it was then, i was not entitled to WTC as a couple as we earned to much

Alleycat

Try looking on the Childcare Link for nurserys, childminders, nannies etc. Also have a look on netmums (there is a section where nannies, childminders etc advertise and sometimes put their hourly rates on).