childminding costs

daddysteve

hi first time on here.
i was wondering if anyone could help. me and my wife have had our first child emily and my wifehas to go back to work soon. we have worked our money out and we will only be able to manage about £50 a week at a push for a childminder. we are not entitled to anything towards childcare we have tryed that one.

if anyone has any suggestions or advice iwould be very greatfull.

cheers steve

Charlies_Mummy

Would your wife be going back to work full time? If so I don't think it'd be possible to get full time childcare for that amount per week. Part time it may be possible, depending on how many hours per week your wife is going to work. Do you have any family or friends nearby that might help out? Or would one of you be able to get an evening job and the other a day job, so that you can work around each others' hours? Not ideal but needs must and all that.....

nikkilou1984

is that for mon-fri all day?

Glamazon

Have you looked into CHildcare vouchers? You can save £1000 a year through this, you buy the vouchers out of your wages THEN pay Tax and NI on the rest of your wages.

I get a tax efficient scheme through work and save £200 per month that would usually go to the tax man. I currently pay £30 a day but this is going up to £50 from April :eek:

lauren_1

£50 would get you a day and a half here.

daddysteve

Hi
thanks for the replys so far.
i will have a look at the childcare vouchers thank you.
my wife will be going back to work full time 8.30 till 5.30 but i have two jobs one week i am on 6am till 2pm shift and the next week its a 2pm till 10pm shift and i do 11pm till 2am. so i will be able to be with her till 12.30 when im on lates or from 3.30 when im on earlys.

sorry i know its complicated. just not to sure what to do.

choccybuttons

That prob get you a couple of days child care in most non southern places. Have you checked out working tax credits. You might be better of if your wife doesnt work or only works part time - sad but true fact. If my partner worked we would be £150 in total worse off. Oh also remembered that you benefits are calculator on previous years wages unless big income drop so if your wife was only on smp your income might be much lower, def worth talking to the credits people to see if it makes a difference.

Apart from that there are child care vouchers take out wages before tax is the only other thing I can think of.

go_cat

I'm really sorry but unless you find a childminder that does it just for the love of it rather than a business, you are very unlikely to get childcare for £50 per week.

My son goes to nursery 3 days a week and it costs £120 per week

Like others have suggested friends or family or combination of both.

I wish you luck x

xmaslolly76

You may find some childcare providers will want you to take a full time place for your child even if you are able to have them at certain times it protects their income as it is highly unlikely they will would be able to cover the hrs you dont want her in care and you are effectively taking up a full time place as they are only allowed so many children at any given time. I dont know how nurseries work they may be more flexible but are more expensive in my experience.

Where i live child care runs at around £3.50 to £4 per hr i did find one who charge £2.50 per hr but to be honest after a home visit with her i wouldnt have trusted my hampster in her care. I think you will really struggle to find something for £50 a week full time.

Hope you can get something sorted :-)

daddysteve

we worked out if my wife doesnt go back to work we are £120 down a week if she does go back to work we are only £40 pound a week down that was with benifits.

Glamazon

daddysteve wrote: »

Hi
thanks for the replys so far.
i will have a look at the childcare vouchers thank you.
my wife will be going back to work full time 8.30 till 5.30 but i have two jobs one week i am on 6am till 2pm shift and the next week its a 2pm till 10pm shift and i do 11pm till 2am. so i will be able to be with her till 12.30 when im on lates or from 3.30 when im on earlys.

sorry i know its complicated. just not to sure what to do.

Is it set shifts every week or does it change?
Most childminders/creches would need a good 4 weeks notice so they can plan rotas and child places. Full time children get priority so you might struggle if you wanted to change days each week.

From what you've said, one week you would need afternoons from 12.30pm onwards (probably around £20 a day and then the following week look at a childminder from 3.30pm until say 6pm (say £15) when your wife could collect. I'd be surprised if you could find someone this flexible and you are then looking at £100 one week and £75 the next week. You won't get much for £50 a week I'm afraid.

Are you sure you've looked into CTC and WTC right?