Advise needed.

Kanda225

Please can someone give me some advise. I'm currently on maternity leave until February. So on about £600 a month, my partner works full time and takes home about £1400 a month. We have debts and just our rent and household bills are about £900. We are really struggling and have been told by tax credits that we earn too much even though this year we will earn £13000 less this year. I have to decide if I should go back to work but as we can't get tax credit we won't get any help with childcare and it would mean after paying childcare I would only be earning £200 a month. Any advise? If I didn't return to work what would I be entitled too, getting to the stage we are considering splitting up just so we can clothe and feed ourselves and son. :mad:

xxkelly888

You need to call tax credits and tell them about the reduction in income. How much did you and your partner earn last year?

Put all the details into https://www.turn2us.org.uk including the childcare and you'll see how much you will get. No entitlement to basic child tax credits without childcare doesn't mean you'll get nothing when childcare is added on.

pmlindyloo

So at the moment you are on £2000 net per month?

If you are not entitled to tax credits then you will have to decide whether you want to return to work or not Many new mums are in the same position and find they do not bring in much income if they are not entitled to help with child care. Some choose to continue working as they can see the longer term prospects. Others, after factoring in child care costs, travelling, the stress involved decide to be stay at home mums.

You can use the benefit calculator on www.turn2us.org.uk to find out if you would get any help if you stopped working. (click on Benefits Search to find the calculator.)

You may want to visit the Debtfree Wannabe forum for some help with your debts and budgeting. They are a friendly group of people who are wonderful at finding ways of reducing expenditure.

Poppie68

£2000 take home per month, £900 for rent and bills so leaving £1100 per month for other spends and you are struggling?
You maybe need to have a good search through this site and find some great ideas for budgeting.