MSE News: Childcare voucher tax breaks may be axed

bradshaw_chris

flea72 wrote: »

most childminders charge in the region of £3/hr - nat min wage is just under £6/hr - however you look at it, you would be making money. it just depends on whether you think taking home £1-£2/hr of your pay is worth the running around involved

Flea

I think our maths dissagree. Childcare costs a lot more than that here. And you've not factored in petrol (the nearest jobs would be costing her >£60 a week in petrol).

But let's not quibble. I'll agree with your maths for the sake of argument. So who would go to work for £2/hr?

joebetwa

Our local branch of Employers for Childcare have pointed out that the free childcare places won't be available in Northern Ireland and that GB didn't inform the devolved administrations about the plan. The scheme has made a big difference to me and my wife lifting us, just, from having to check the joint account to the last penny at the end of month to being able to save on bank charges.

poggle99

The "free childcare places" smacks again of the government trying to dictate how parents should take care of their children. They'll pay for things within a narrow boundary for a specific group. Childcare vouchers can be used pretty flexibly - after-school clubs and holiday playschemes, for example, as well as the usual working-day childcare options.

I also really resent this forcing of "lower income" parents into work at a time when their children need them - the under 2s need some parent contact time, not stressed-out carers who are trying to jump through employment hoops.

Surely there are better, more joined-up ways of looking at supporting working families?

LizzieS_2

bradshaw_chris wrote: »

I think our maths dissagree. Childcare costs a lot more than that here. And you've not factored in petrol (the nearest jobs would be costing her >£60 a week in petrol).

But let's not quibble. I'll agree with your maths for the sake of argument. So who would go to work for £2/hr?

Some-one who needs the money?

JimmyTheWig

flea72 wrote: »

most childminders charge in the region of £3/hr - nat min wage is just under £6/hr - however you look at it, you would be making money. it just depends on whether you think taking home £1-£2/hr of your pay is worth the running around involved

It depends how many children you have.
Round here the going rate is £5 an hour. So with 2 children you'd need to be earning £10 an hour to break even.
Plus you'd need to pay childcare for traveling time, which you wouldn't get paid for.

karengi

The childcare vouchers mad a vast difference to us as a family with 2 working parents with 3 small children. We will be a lot worse off without them and realistically the replacement scheme that is being suggested will not allow the flexibilty that working parents really need.

bumpoowee

This would cost me another £150 a month in tax. This is despite the fact as a graduate I already pay a 40% tax banding despite being under the official 40% tax band (ie i pay 20% income tax, 11% NI + 9% student tax).

I used to think Mr Brown was just a total moron but now I believe he is a malicious total moron.

bradshaw_chris

LizzieS wrote: »

Some-one who needs the money?

Well, I'd say 99% of mums would rather stay with their kids than earn slave wages.

I'll be honest here. I earn more than 95% of the population, so this new policy isn't going to mean my family going hungry. What irks me is that it doesn't make financial sense for a woman with a masters degree and 6 years of experience to go to work, when she wants to. But there's a limit to how much any person would be willing to go to work when they have kids - she wouldn't do it for nowt. The government should be encouraging educated and experienced staff back to work, not the opposite. I'm sure they done the maths and worked out it'll save them money in the short term, but what is the long term effect when we run out of female-orientated workforce.

Tiney

The other thing is childcare vouchers cover children up to the age of 16 for things like after school clubs etc. I can't imagine the 10hr free childcare a week will do the same.

tinkerbell12

I am so angry about this for many of the same reasons. Can anyone clarify if the Tories would go down the same path? Can Labour push this through before a near certain change in gvt next year?