Leaving work to look after children

cazbing

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place.

We have a nearly 3 year old daughter, and are expecting twins in July/August. I currently work part-time with no likely option of increasing my hours, so my current salary will barely cover the cost of childcare for the twins when I return from maternity leave. I have explored taking an authorised career break from work, but have been refused. We have limited family help and can't rely on elderly parents and in-laws.

I work in the NHS and whilst I would prefer not to leave as I would like to maintain my current band and conditions (hols etc.), I am struggling to see the sense in putting the twins in childcare so I can go to work to pay for that and no more, therefor gaining nothing financially for us as a family. I have worked all my life and never thought I would consider it, but am wondering if I would be better off stopping work and claiming benefits.

Does anyone have any advice on what benefits I would eligible for if I chose to stop work to look after my children, or any other advice if they've been in this situation?

Thanks

MrsManda

Apart from Child Benefit (until Jan 2013 anyway) what benefits you may receive really depends on your household income - how much does your husband/partner earn?
Depending household income it may be possible to receive child tax credits, working tax credits, housing benefit if you rent and council tax benefit.
You won't get anything specifically for looking after your children.

Have you looked into whether you'd get help with childcare through tax credits if you continued to work?

You can model different situations on one of the benefits calculators to see what you may be able to claim
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DoItOnlineByCategory/DG_172666

kingfisherblue

You could also consider whether it is worth your husband giving up work or going part time, obviously depending on his job. Another alternative is to see if you are able to work alternative shifts to your husband.

cazbing

My husband earns about 24k. I asked him previously about him stopping work and me going full-time as my FT earnings would be much higher, but as he's in his early 40's his concern is that he wouldn't ever get back to work if he stopped now. He wouldn't get PT hours where he works, and he works Mon-Fri with evening/weekend oncalls every 8 weeks. My shifts are all over the place and it's been hard enough to get support at work to work around his oncalls with one child never mind 3! The NHS is not the most family friendly place to work, as much as they claim to be!!

I'll have a look at the benefits calculator, thanks.

maginot

I completely understand the point of working and having no net gain because you are just paying Child Care! However, you do have to consider the future as well. Having a part time job will help retain your skills and make you more desirable in the job market.

Also, as you have mentioned working in the NHS, do you still have access to a good pension scheme? As your husband is on 24k you wouldn't receive much! So if you receive anything e.g. An extra £50 a month working after childcare, it may be a good idea to continue.

Spendless

Do children start f-time school in your area the September after their 4th birthday? If they do by the time you are finishing maternity leave -if you take the whole 12 months-your eldest should be starting school. You might have a few weeks/couple of months to muddle thru first depending on your return date and child doing full days. Then you'd only be looking at before and after school and hols for 1 of the children.

Also have you had a play about with figures to see if you'd get any help with childcare costs either via the current tax credit system or with childcare vouchers.

partysis81

Hello fellow twin parent to be my twins are now 17 months old, i was working full time for the local government, and realised the same as you - that even with the childcare discount you get for siblings, the fees would be about £40 less than my monthly net pay.
For me, it was a no brainer, i wanted to spend the time with the twins and watch them grow up, i know a lot of parents dont get to do this, but after losing our eldest daughter during childbirth in 2009, i know life is too short and precious.
i could have chosen a 5 yr career break, but as i was unhappy in my employment from how they had dealt with my previous bereavement, i decided to cut all ties with them.
My husband works full time but his salary is only 16k, so we get working and child tax credits, and some of our rent paid through LHA as well as child benefit.
Be aware that with twins, even though one might be a few minutes older than the other one (there are 2 mins between mine) with benefits they treat them as any other siblings that are years apart in age. So you get the higher amount for chb for one, then the lower rate for the 2nd.
The Twins and Multiple Birth Assoc, are trying to get this changed in parliament so that you get the higher amount for both. As you need double of everything, nappies,wipes,clothes xx

karenx

You wont get any extra benefits for not going back to work. you will get child benefit and child tax credits the same as you would while working.

cazbing

Thanks everyone xx