Mature Student with 2 dependants (financial)

carolan78

Yes we get £126 per week tax credits.

Taiko

I've had a look, and you should be perfectly fine for Parents Learning Allowance, ADG's and Childcare.

PLA is up to £1508, and the ADG is £2642. Childcare is 85% of the actual childcare costs.

Please note this is only rough, based on some calculations, and obviously not seeing any documents.

carolan78

Thank you so much for taking the time...the childcare costs are my main worry. If majority of those are paid I should fingers crossed be able to manage with whatever other help I get

Woodyrocks

Hi Carolan78, I am so with you on this. My childcare cost is the only thing that has me worried, especially as I shall not be able to claim a childcare grant as it is looking like I need an au-pair because of the hours I shall be doing

I covered my childcare cost for my postgrad but not only was that cheaper but it was also only for a year so I am really worried about getting through the next 3yr...

I am thinking maybe of submitting a revised advert asking for a registered au-pair but offering more money although I have a feeling that there are not many (registered) out there!

carolan78

I know childcare is a huge nightmare, thankfully my daughter is already at the nursery for her free hours so I know and trust them. Have you tried local childminders via the netmums website, they tend to be more flexible with hours and some may even come to your own home to care for the children. Only thing they won't do I think is clean for you (I take it thats why you wanted an au pair to help out).

sammylamby

I am a single parent starting a foundation degree in september.All of the advice in the Student finance England forms state that the only loans/grants that are taken into account when assessing means tested benefit is the student maintenance loan of £4950. The special support grant,the parents learning allowance and the childcare grant are not taken into account..

hoochi

can i ask does anyone know anything about the childcare grant i have one to fill in and it says to tick if child is eligible for 3yr old funding throughout the year and where they will access it well my son wil be 3 in nov but the playgroup he attends takes them the sept after their 3 so thats next sept but by then he will be able to go to school nursery so i would rather leave him with the childminder but she cannot get the funding so because he is eligible for funding will they still pay me as he wont be taking it up or will they say he has to take it up at another nursery and do i tick hes eligible or not not hope you understand that thanks

Woodyrocks

carolan78 wrote: »

I know childcare is a huge nightmare, thankfully my daughter is already at the nursery for her free hours so I know and trust them. Have you tried local childminders via the netmums website, they tend to be more flexible with hours and some may even come to your own home to care for the children. Only thing they won't do I think is clean for you (I take it thats why you wanted an au pair to help out).

I just wanted to say a direct thanks Carolan78, I placed an ad on NM after you mentioned the site and managed to interview a handful of registered childminders that fitted my (extensive!) brief and found a perfect one for us. TYSM

It feels great knowing that I have my childcare now sorted and I can get some help with the fees.

hoochi wrote: »

can i ask does anyone know anything about the childcare grant i have one to fill in and it says to tick if child is eligible for 3yr old funding throughout the year and where they will access it well my son wil be 3 in nov but the playgroup he attends takes them the sept after their 3 so thats next sept but by then he will be able to go to school nursery so i would rather leave him with the childminder but she cannot get the funding so because he is eligible for funding will they still pay me as he wont be taking it up or will they say he has to take it up at another nursery and do i tick hes eligible or not not hope you understand that thanks

Hi hoochi, this is in now way a definitive answer but I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to get some help towards your childminder. I have been poring over the forms myself for a couple of weeks and what I deduce from the wording is that if your child WAS in a nursery for some of the hours then they would only pay for the hours OUTSIDE the scope of the free government places that children of that age are entitled to. As your child is not in a nursery, this rule would not apply to your chosen childcare option.

HTH

carolan78

Woodyrocks wrote: »

I just wanted to say a direct thanks Carolan78, I placed an ad on NM after you mentioned the site and managed to interview a handful of registered childminders that fitted my (extensive!) brief and found a perfect one for us. TYSM

It feels great knowing that I have my childcare now sorted and I can get some help with the fees.

Thats fantastic news...one less thing to stress about..goodluck in September :j

hoochi

my god isnt it confusing i think i have figured out what im eligible for but how do they work out how much help you get towards childcare iv searched the sites and it doesnt give any actuall income figures just says up to 85% so i dont know if or how much they will pay and wether i will pay it out of my loan any help appreciated thanks