Child care costs

Nara

Hi all,

Need some advice.

I currently work 5 hours a week while my daughter is at school. From August this year I have been offered to work 26 hours a week to cover someone'e maternity leave for a year.

I could really do with the extra money to help us towards paying off debts etc, but its gonna be a nightmare trying to organise childcare.
The school runs an before and after school club but ofc this is only in school terms, out of school terms i guess i could get a childminder??
I'm wondering how much if any would the government pay towards the childcare? as after paying out for the school clubs/childminder/petrol (my work is a 30 mile round trip) and tax I'm not sure I would be taking home enough to make it worth while.
I'm not sure how my daughter would cope as she doesn't like being away from me for long periods of time, but by August she will be in the next school year so I'm hoping it would be easier (shes only 4 atm)

I need to sit down and work it all out, money wise as to if it will work out, but i'm not sure if the goverment fund all working familes? or if you earn over a certain amount are you not entitled to childcare?

Thanks for any advice, its so hard being a mum and trying to juggle work, i desperatly want to work more hours/get more money but its hard to figure it all out.
Currently my partner works 40+ hours a week.
(Btw we have NO family who could help apart from the very odd occasion)

lauzellen

In order to answer your query we'd need to know how much your partner earned in 09/10, whether it is less/more this year, what you earn and what your expected income would be... If you don't wish to divulge this information you can put your details into http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx as if you'd taken the job

Indie_Kid

Childcare vouchers from your employer may be another option?

zagfles

Have a look at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/ccin.htm

Spendless

What hours have you been asked to work? I work 24 per week 4 days of 9-3, so only need childcare in school holidays when me and hubby don't have any AL.
You don't always have to attend the school that the wrap around care is at, to use the holidays clubs, also sports clubs and leisure centres and even day nurseries may take children in school hols. My nearest private nursery before it extending to having children in hols upto age 11, took them upto age 6, as their registration ran from 0-5 as long as there was spaces, which there frequently was due to hols of other children.

Nara

Thanks for the replies.

I don't think my employer offers vouchers since the other girls at work have to pay for their childcare.

My partner earnt less in 09/10 because he was made redundant halfway thro the year and didn't find another job until Oct 2010.
But going from April 2011 he will be earning 37k before tax, and if i take these extra hours i would be on 10600k for that year only.

I have worked out roughly that childcare costs will be £50 a week. The hours I would have to work are 2 days 8.30am until 5.30pm and 1 day 8.30am until 8.00pm, so would deffo need childcare in and out of school terms.

I have had a look at the calculators, sicking to see that after tax my partner actually earns 27k lol! Bloody taxman!

kelloggs36

on 37k per year, you won't get any help with childcare I'm afraid - we had 2 children and even when my hubby earned 28k we got zilch.

Nara

kelloggs36 wrote: »

on 37k per year, you won't get any help with childcare I'm afraid - we had 2 children and even when my hubby earned 28k we got zilch.

Yeah in the back of my mind thats what i was thinking too. I guess after tax i would take home about £700ish so after paying £200 a month childcare this leaves me about £500ish, petrol will prolly cost £120ish a month, leaving me with £400 ! Considering i earn between 150-200 a month depending on hours it hardly seems worth it!
Twice as much money but for 3/4 times as much work!

Oh well, life would be so much easier if our parents lived close enough to help.

Spendless

What about your partner claiming childcare vouchers from his employer. Would that be an option?

McKneff

Over £47K a year before tax and you want us taxpayers to fund your childcare.:eek:


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Spendless

McKneff wrote: »

Over £47K a year before tax and you want us taxpayers to fund your childcare.:eek:


................

ermm the OP will be a tax payer if she takes on these hours and her OH already is. If a scheme is there to reduce her childcare bill, why shouldn't she take advantage of it? I bet not many refused to take the married man's allowance when it was in, on the griounds of it wasn't fair on the single householder. Or she could refuse the hours, remain doing 5 hours per week and not pay any tax. Which is more useful to society long term?