Staying home to look after kids - can I claim anything?

notlongnow_2

OP I do think its a shame that a mother cannot stay at home to raise her family and have some kind of support. A childs early years are the most important and I do feel there should be some help to enable people to do this. Its the people who dont do anything until children are much much older that I think people on here have issues with. I dont see anything wrong with staying at home for a few years to raise your children and it is a shame there isnt more help out there when there is help for other people who simply do not want to work.

**Disclaimer...not intended at ANYONE personally..but we all know there are people not intending to work ever out there***

LizzieS_2

princess_leia wrote: »

At the moment I am on mat leave and due back at work I have 3 children whos ages are - 4, 3, 8mths, I have heard on the news that single parents do not have to be forced back to work til their children re older and so I guess they are getting quite a bit in benefits to be able to do this!
My husband works 41 hrs a week and earns approx £15k (just above the wtc limit )
But if I wanted to stay at home with my children, am I able to claim anything?

I do not want to be a sponger (I have never been on jsa/is etc) but I feel that if single parents can have this entitlement than so should a parent in a couple situation - after all they are trying to keep families together!
Thanks in advance for any help, I have looked through this site and entitled but 'computer says no' so I just want to check
i am not missing something

As Calley says you will qualify for wtc payments on husbands earnings alone.

Have you sat down and worked out how much better off you will be working?
Tax credits will reduce by 39% of your gross earnings.
You will have to pay the first 20% of childcare costs and any excess over £300pw (assuming at least 2 in childcare).
You will have to pay tax and NI on income above certain levels at 31%
You will probably have travel to work costs.

Overall you may still be better off working, but look at the difference and see if staying at home means you can cut some other expenses out of your budget that you would spend due to working - you may be surprised at the answers!

cw18

calleyw wrote: »

Maybe I am being a bit thick here but I was under the impression that WTC limit for a couple with no children is £17200 working more than 30 hours a week.

I would assume the OP has some income that has to be declared this year (Maternity Benefits and possibly some Salary from before Maternity Leave). It won't take much to push them over the £17,200 for this tax year -- but from April 2009 would be a totally different ball-game if the OP decides not to return to work, hence meaning only her DH's income to declare.

McKneff

i replied to a post last night somewhere but cant remember where, this was the gist of it.

When i had my son in 1968 you got no help from anywhere, nothing absolutely zilch. If you couldnt manage on the wage that was coming in
then it was just tough t"tty. We did not even get family allowance in those days until my second child was born in 1972.
I cant believe there is so much money given away by this government these days and this post is not aimed at anyone, just my observations.
Apart from a year out with both my children (during which i got nothing) apart from a few pounds maternity grant i have never received a penny from the state.

alison999

anniehanlon wrote: »

i replied to a post last night somewhere but cant remember where, this was the gist of it.

When i had my son in 1968 you got no help from anywhere, nothing absolutely zilch. If you couldnt manage on the wage that was coming in
then it was just tough t"tty. We did not even get family allowance in those days until my second child was born in 1972.
I cant believe there is so much money given away by this government these days and this post is not aimed at anyone, just my observations.
Apart from a year out with both my children (during which i got nothing) apart from a few pounds maternity grant i have never received a penny from the state.

No offense but how is that answering the OP's question? All she asked was if she could get any other help - not to get other peoples 'rants' in return. Maybe your post should be in DT - so it can be discussed

mouseymousey99

OP I do think its a shame that a mother cannot stay at home to raise her family and have some kind of support.

But the op has a partner with the income of 15k remember??? Not having a go..plenty of people on their own...Yes I agree it is a shame - and yet I see/ read of other people managing to do just that. Maybe its how you cut your cloth? If you forget the kitchen full of electric rubbish, the extra car, the holidays maybe just maybe you can do it? Maybe you can't I don't know??I just feel for people raising children alone...

MrsE_2

I think the "top-up-benefits" should be calculated per hour worked. The way it is someone can choose to work part time to maximise benefits, how is that fair?
The cut off should be limited at say £500 pa - 1 hour.
So if you work 16 hours, you get help up to £8,000. If you work 40 hours, you get help up to £20,000.
Or something along those lines.

Our system is all built around helping those than won't/don't help themselves rather than those that try.

Zara33

princess leia silly girl you should have married prince charming then you wouldn't need to worry about the old pennies

[Deleted User]

Zara33 wrote: »

princess leia silly girl you should have married prince charming then you wouldn't need to worry about the old pennies

or even Luke Skywalker:j

McKneff

no offence taken Alison and of course it doesnt answer Princess leia's question. It wasnt meant as i rant. i was merely posting a different perspective. As i said because i worked with a young family I have the greatest respect for working mothers. God it must be such hard work nowadays, especially under todays pressures .
regards