my god, this lot are stopping childcare vouchers now

exarmydreamer

I lost every single penny of my income when I had two children with childminders whilst serving in the army. I stayed in for the pension and the promotion.

When I left, I was two ranks higher and had a full pension. In my case it was worth it, for some others they have not got the same opportunities or job descriptions to enable them to move up the pay scale, its a different story. It does however, leave their job 'open', to them to continue paying into a state pension and for their own sanity especially when the children have moved to full time education.

I personally never considered the 'staying at home', as an option as I knew I had to provide for myself in old age.

gailey_2

Carl31 wrote: »

£1000 net or gross?

im sure there is a good reason, but why did you go back to work for what is essentially £150 a month less petrol? if not less if the pay mentioned was gross?

would it not have made more sense to not pay the childcare?

I wanted to go back and try build a career wasent until I did realised I couldent have it all unless your employer is family freindly and you in industry you can job share then its hard working fulltime with no family to take slack bot if us retail so no holidays at easter and xmas. I tried and gave up as realised my old career wouldent work with kids.

I could try get checkout job but unless it earns 10k a year then im not eligible for new scheme think lots of mums who do work part time will be hit by this if their husabands a higher earner.

it was £1000 net.

The_White_Horse

really you have to blame selfish women for all these problems. wanting careers - most of which aren't "careers" at all, but just bog standard jobs. stay at home and look after your children. cook, clean and look after your home and family and stop taking jobs from men, so they can support their families.

selfish want it all women.

terrible.

grizzly1911

The_White_Horse wrote: »

really you have to blame selfish women for all these problems. wanting careers - most of which aren't "careers" at all, but just bog standard jobs. stay at home and look after your children. cook, clean and look after your home and family and stop taking jobs from men, so they can support their families.

selfish want it all women.

terrible.

On the basis they are not "real careers" (your words) I doubt giving them to men, for £10K a year, will allow them support their families and not claim substantial benefits.

exarmydreamer

I'd be 'to much', of a woman for TWH to handle in this modern day and age, especially as my last job would of meant me signing his paperwork for Colchester Military Prison for 'crimes against normal people'.

Mrs WH must be a complete idiot or does not exist.

notanewuser

gailey wrote: »

Ok guys I know quite a bit about this and when you drill down into detail which is sadly lacking its quite shocking!

I had my 1st child in 2006 went back to work in 2007 when she was 11 months old full time, husband also worked full time.
we have no family freinds locally that could help we did alternate shifts
but nursery fees were £850 a month! I only earned just over £1000 I had to pay petrol to get to work.

we were never eligible to the childcare element of tax credits as our combined earnings were too high hubby had audacity to earn a decent wage you see.

The max per parent can claim is £243 a month through work taken before tax its salary sacrafice so does effect ni contributions and can affect pensions later if ie woman ha not paid enough ni to get state pension.

If both parents have 1 child and both work for example they save £1800 a year and the new scheme offers £1200 per child so they immedatly 600quid worse off.

To make matters worse couple years ago they already changed thse vouchers they reduced the amount a higher rate tax payer could save so amount they saved by scheme was reduced anyway think basic rate tax payers stayed the same.

Its true not all employers offer the vouchers but out of 6companies me and husband worked for they all did.
Self employed were not eligible.
There was no limit on how many hours worked or how much you earn as log as one of you worked and company did you contacted hr payroll who usually worked with specific voucher provider.

We use them currently only husband works.
saves us £40 a month not huge amount but it helps.

I think new scheme single parents are ok
no mention of what if one parents studying?

But heres the sting the new scheme is not means tested.

theres lots conditions so if you have more than 1 child and you both work you gain more.

if you have 1 child you screwed you get less than you were on old scheme

if 2parents and im not joking earn 150k a year then the liits 399k then they get to claim £1200 per child -why the heck why.

if 2parents earn 49k each and have 3kids.

they get to keep all their child benefit and now get 1200 each towards childcare costs how the heck is that blooming fair as well as getting cut in income tax in april they laughing.

Im sorry if 50k is deemed too rich to get child benefit then why hell should 2parents on close to 100k still get and now if sahm on 1salary its a double cut!

ohh new scheme min amount someone has to earn in palce 10grand so on min wage job 29hours a week its not like jobs are land of plenty out there and many wont offer set shifts expect full flexibility.

Also current vouchers allow to be used any ofsted registered place

school after school clubs, breckfast clubs , holiday clubs.
As if no ones noticed kids get a lot of holiday and inset days 14weeks holiday a year +inset days.

The new scheme initaily just for 5year olds.

much harder with school age kids as nursery could drop them off 8-6 they be fed. school 9-3.

Even then not all schools offer childcare facilities very patchy depending where you love which is why some chose to stay at home and yes its a financial sacrafice being on one income but we get by just.

But as most average people never mind 2earners cant earn that sort of money maybe if I had become an mp!

So heck lot people not even be eligible so its a cut/saving to them dresses up as gift.

my nursery place for dd1 was 10k a year I only earnt 20k before tax and ni.

in london its more like 14-15k per child.

childcare costs vary depending where you live in uk.

Theres a free 15hours grant for nursery education ter after 3rd birthday.
middle dd just got it jan shes sept 16th so cant start school until next year so i funding extra time in childcare compared to eldest.
I started her september as they wouldent hold her place and she was 3 in sept she was more than ready to start.

shes done 1day day nursery since 18months as we sadw what educational/development benefit nursery can be we have no family here, no freinds with kids more about socialisation and some independence from parent.

Its helped she got grant funding 15hours but its 38weeks a year and nursery day is loger than 2sesssions and runs 51weeks a year so theres a shortfall. its £40 a day per child.

we were hoping to stat child no 3 this year.

Government keep saying how important nursery education is and how it improves educational outcomes at school.

They introduced limited 2year old grant for deprived low income children whos parents dont neccessarily work but struggle with parenting!

Im 33this year worked from 15 at some points 2jobs!
I was 1st year at uni with tuition fees and student loan.

my husbands 40 hes never been unemployed since leaving school at 18 always worked fulltime.

we dident buy a house so at mercy of private landord.

we dont get housing benefits or council tax relief.
neither of us have ever claimed jsa
we lost £10 a week tax credits last april could just about live with that.
Neither of us worked in public sector so not been able to stake advantage of stupid amount paid sick leave, longer maternity, generous pensions and lots of holiday like freinds have.

No help with our energy bills, see rich oaps on bus some even have cars yet im walking miles with toddlers in tow in all weathers as bus fare so expensive here.

Even school buses doesnt matter if faith school are 60+ a month.

so yes having kids is expensive.

everythings going up hubbys wages are not.

we have 3kids we support ourselves right now not worth me working I do voluntary stuff pta, preschiool committee, breastfeeding group ect.

we have cost the state very little so yes feel enalised and victimised we only just got to keep child benefit as below the threshold.

we dident benefit from right to buy
we have no chance getting social housing
Im doubtful we get the oap benefits current oaps get.
we havent been abroad in 8years.
looked into retraining but as 2nd degree depite paying for 1st i cant afford the 9grand a year tuition fees +childcare to allow me to do so.

I know freind married husband low income and state related top up benefits means they take home same amount as hubby does after tax.

Most people are clever now they know no sense in being jsa just get low paid job and not bother working hard then state will top you up.
its hardly apsirational.

I fully support people going back to work if thats a valid finacial choice for me 3with 3needing childcare would have to be very well paid to be worth while.

I voted tory feel betrayed hate labour as they created this nation of dependancy.


They keep bashing the middle thinking we wont kick off.
if you low earner or very high earner you fine.

You were robbed.

notanewuser

gailey wrote: »

Husbands last job had private healthcare the labour decided to tax us 800quid a month on it but we never use it and if we did we would have saved the nhs money.

Ohh not to mention we not far from wales.

but pay dentist
pay prescriptions!

Dentistry isn't free in Wales. Prescriptions are, but then our 3 year olds only get 10 hours of childcare per week for 2 terms.

That's because our elected politicians decide how to spend money in Wales. Don't be thinking we get more than you do.

John_Pierpoint

Radio 4 "Moneybox Live" is discussing these issues on Wednesday afternoons at the moment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0080g47

DecentLivingWage

Even Thatcher would have ordered them not to do that! She knew child benefit issues etc were toxic to mums votes