Benefits for new parents

ColinM81

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help. My wife and I are expecting our first child in July and was wondering if we are entitled to any child tax credits.

We both work and have a combined income of over £36,000. My wife shall be on maternity leave for a while but once she returns to work, we shall have to put our child in to care for the day, possibly 3 - 4 days a week. We've reaserched nurseries in our area and some of them are charging over £30 a day. On our joint income there is no way we could afford that and pay all our other bills, mortgage, car, council tax etc etc.

Can anyone let me know if we are entitled to any kind of benefits or assistance from the Government?

Thanks in advance for any assitance.

Colin

sweetilemon

Ask your employers about buying child care vouchers from your wages. Because the money comes out before your wages are taxed it means you save 20% on childcare.

princessdon

Welcome to the world of parenting - the only way that way below minimum wage remains legal.

yes I am being sarcastic - but as OP is about to find out that once childcare is paid for someone works for peanuts.

As above you may be able to use vouchers and depending on the part time salary this may bring you down enough to get Tax Credits.

Good luck with the new bundle

ColinM81

Thanks to both of you for your replies. Just doesn't seem fair that our tax contributions go towards people who dont want to work and those who do struggle to get by.

kingfisherblue

Your tax contributions also go towards people who do want to work but are unable to, towards the NHS and education, etc.

Do you have family who could care for your child? Would it be worth one of you going part time if your employer agrees? Don't forget that you will get child benefit (only £20 a week, but it's something towards the cost of your child's needs).

Good luck with your new baby x

zagfles

You might get a little in tax credits, bearing in mind your income will drop due to maternity leave. Check the turn2us calculator

Russe11

With out not wanting to sound rude, but did you not think to work out if you could afford to create and bring up a new human into this world until its able to fend for its self?

Granted you never know what state support will be given out or withdrawn in the future, but aside the matter where you would not have employment you would be looked after by the state.

You can get family living allowance, higher tax threshold than none married couples, child tax credit.

Any more help in your current situation would need you to split up and live seperately, or you could produce more babies, its what some families do once they realise the mother is staying at home not working, the more babies the more income.

midnight_express

ColinM81 wrote: »

Thanks to both of you for your replies. Just doesn't seem fair that our tax contributions go towards people who dont want to work and those who do struggle to get by.

Just doesn't seem fair that the tax contributions of the child free goes to the benefit breeders.

If people can't afford kids they can always get free condoms.

zagfles

Russe11 wrote: »

With out not wanting to sound rude, but did you not think to work out if you could afford to create and bring up a new human into this world until its able to fend for its self?

Granted you never know what state support will be given out or withdrawn in the future, but aside the matter where you would not have employment you would be looked after by the state.

You can get family living allowance, higher tax threshold than none married couples, child tax credit.

Without wanting to sound rude, you don't seem to know what you're talking about.

There is no such thing as "family living allowance". There is no higher tax threshold for married couples (unless they are over 77, in which case they should contact the Guinness book of records :rotfl:)

zagfles

midnight_express wrote: »

Just doesn't seem fair that the tax contributions of the child free goes to the benefit breeders.

If people can't afford kids they can always get free condoms.

Just doesn't seem fair that the child free will get their state pensions paid by other peoples' children.

Russe11

zagfles wrote: »

Without wanting to sound rude, you don't seem to know what you're talking about.

There is no such thing as "family living allowance". There is no higher tax threshold for married couples (unless they are over 77, in which case they should contact the Guinness book of records :rotfl:)

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/married-allow.htm