Au Pair and finances

neverdespairgirl

Au Pairs are supposed to get more like £80 a week, plus all meals, and aren't supposed to do much in the way of sole responsibility childcare.

Erinnire

Maybe in big cities, but it is generally anywhere between £50 - £80 a week rather than being £80+ Obviously including all meals etc...

There is very little 'sole' childcare involved. No more so than anyone else (responsible, you do hear horror stories) bringing an Au pair into their family.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions and of course you expect it on this forum in particular, but I don't think it is necessary to misjudge me because of having a disability and make the assumption I am planning to dump my children on someone else and lust leave them to it.

Dunroamin

Erinnire wrote: »

Maybe in big cities, but it is generally anywhere between £50 - £80 a week rather than being £80+ Obviously including all meals etc...

There is very little 'sole' childcare involved. No more so than anyone else (responsible, you do hear horror stories) bringing an Au pair into their family.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions and of course you expect it on this forum in particular, but I don't think it is necessary to misjudge me because of having a disability and make the assumption I am planning to dump my children on someone else and lust leave them to it.

I'm really not having a go but

"Other than that all I am looking for is getting the children up, ready and off to school, home from school & nursery fitted around my timetable and looked after in the afternoons/evenings when I have late lectures."

sounds like quite a lot of sole care.

Regarding the second part of your question,

"Can I claim LHA or CTB as a full time student anyway?"

the answer is that is, as a disabled student, you can claim but part of your student finance package is used to assess any means tested benefits,

Erinnire

Dunroamin wrote: »

I'm really not having a go but

"Other than that all I am looking for is getting the children up, ready and off to school, home from school & nursery fitted around my timetable and looked after in the afternoons/evenings when I have late lectures."

sounds like quite a lot of sole care,

but people aren't realising how little that time actually is. It's only got to fit around uni timetable which is what 15 hours a week over maybe 3 or possibly 4 days? Considering the children are in Nursery (15 hours) and school full time. That is maybe only 3 hours x max 4 days a week...

The school/nursery are within a five minute walk so there is 10minutes drop off and pick up sole care... Then just a few hours babysitting a few days a week. I really don't think it's much at all.

Not all my days will start at 9 so me or their Dad will take them to school cutting that out completley. Some days I will finish lectures in the morning so will be home to pick them up from school. One day I might only have a lecture in the late afternoon so be gone for 2-3 hours but their Dad might be back to them after an hour?

paddedjohn

OP, I see how it all stacks up for you in favour of an au pair but what checks are in place to ensure your kids are safe? in the UK we have CRB checks (or whatever they are called now) but what checks can you do on someone from abroad?

~Chameleon~

Dunroamin wrote: »

I have to say that sole care of two young children when the lone parent is severely disabled herself, seems a lot of responsibility for a young person in a foreign country particularly when only being paid £60 per week.

Don't be so judgemental!! Contact time in uni can be as little as 12hrs a week. An au pair is expected to care for children for at least as many hours per week than this.

They also get full board and meals as well is their "pocket money" which isn't taxed.

~Chameleon~

woodbine wrote: »

wouldnt you have to pay the au pair NMW?and not spending money?

Not when he/she is also receiving full board & lodgings.

CKhalvashi

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Au Pairs are supposed to get more like £80 a week, plus all meals, and aren't supposed to do much in the way of sole responsibility childcare.

Ours (Russian student) was on bed, board, free car (because we buy at 40% discount anyway) and £50 a week, plus 40p a mile for looking after mine.

And we were being very generous at that!

CK

FBaby

I think you've found the perfect solution. I'm just amazed that as a single parent, you will be able to afford it without relying on childcare element of tax credits (which you can't apply for with an au pair), but that's not our business.

neverdespairgirl

Erinnire wrote: »

Maybe in big cities, but it is generally anywhere between £50 - £80 a week rather than being £80+ Obviously including all meals etc...

There is very little 'sole' childcare involved. No more so than anyone else (responsible, you do hear horror stories) bringing an Au pair into their family.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions and of course you expect it on this forum in particular, but I don't think it is necessary to misjudge me because of having a disability and make the assumption I am planning to dump my children on someone else and lust leave them to it.

That's you making judgments and seeing things. I hadn't had any thought about your "disability", whatever it is. It appeared a lot of sole care for an au pair, that's all. So stop taking offence at shadows.

I didn't say £80+ either, I said about £80.