MSE Newborn to 1 year (& beyond!) baby club 3

Crabapple

I thought they were going to phase out the vouchers but haven't really read into it as this new scheme isn't in place for some time.

When I first went back to work neither of our employers would consider joining up to the voucher scheme. It makes me mad that the one bit of help we were entitled to (okay, we do get child benefit as well) was out of the window purely because of who we worked for. I think it should have been compulsory for all employers to sign up.

I have been on the phone to tax credits today. I've already had to tackle the confusing and longwinded procedure so I could get maternity allowance (I'm not stupid by any means and regularly fill in long tax returns and prepare accounts at work and the ruddy forms gave me a headache!) and now I still don't know if we can get tax credits but have a better idea of how to find out if we might. It seems I need to get refused based on a previous years income then ring them up to report that I'm not actually being paid at the moment. Since the vast majority of people getting credits will be PAYE I can't help think it would be easier to do it based on what people are actually earning at the moment.

The kids have both been sleeping for the last hour :-) I can now hear a little voice talking upstairs and the baby down here with me is waving his arms and legs about and gearing up for a scream!

turtlemoose

They will phase out the vouchers crabapple, but if you're on it already you can stay on it.... unless you leave your employer in which case tough.

BabaMoose

Our nursery will be about £38 per day I think (North West), he's going full time from 6th May onwards... he'll only be 6 months old

Crabapple

Well, in our case it will make a change from 'tough but if your employer doesn't want to join a scheme you can't get anything' :mad:

continualdiamond

Re the tax credits crabapple that is exactly what I couldn't understand.

I got told we weren't entitled to anything based on last years income yet when I rang them back to report a change of income with me being on maternity leave a very helpful (finally) person told me that from this April we'd get something as it will be based on what our income is at the moment.

Just doesn't make any sense to have to wait until the following tax year to get the help you need at the present time.

Didn't know they were phasing out the vouchers, when is that from? I go back to work at the end of May and was going to sign up for it. Hope I still can.

Crabapple

Actually CD my situation is even weirder in that they assess now based on 2012/13 income. I was on maternity leave with my 1st much of that year and with having 2 children now I might be able to claim credits now.

However, as I worked 2013/14 until mid-Feb I'd be reassessed at the end of the year to pay them back.

And then I will possibly be entitled from April but only based on current earnings which I have to ring up and report.

They must deliberately make these things too complicated so you either can't work out what to claim or don't bother!!

lazywife

I need to find out whether we'd get any sort of Tax Credits for this tax year. Sounds like a long winded phone call is due.
T's nursery is £37.50 per day, 8.30-6. We have to provide his nappies, but all food etc included. Did a half day in work today (KIT) and I have to say I loved it. Really enjoyed the buzz of being productive and actually chatting. DH looked after T and confessed when we met up that he nearly got ran over...Apparently just shutting the door from a shop and turned round to see the pushchair heading for the road.... luckily the oncoming car stopped to watch the pushchair creep into the road!!! Glad I wasn't there!
L.xxx

sunshine_1988

I live in Staffordshire, so not far from Turtlemoose, we pay 36.50 per day (was 38 before he hit 2) that includes everything nappies, wipes, food, any trips, suncream and a specified nappy cream.

Turtle, Im exactly the same as you. OH does not get vouchers but I do. Also, we are planning another when he is 3 and would want him still at nursery for school prep etc. Im not sure how the new scheme would work then with the funding as with vouchers you can claim full amount even if you dont use, so can you still claim the full tax relief even if you dont have to use it all? And bank it for future nursery provision? Confusing!! Also my employers still pay vouchers even on maternity leave and stat MP and again Im not sure how the new scheme works with that.

For me going back to work was a bit of both, we could have just about managed with just OH wage but it would have meant no luxuries and we couldnt have moved to the new house. I do 34 hrs over 4 days and due to my job I couldnt do any less hours. I am lucky that my employers are supportive and very flexible so if A is ill I can work from home and take short notice leave.

X

BeNiceToMySelf

hello
sorry I have been reading but had no time to reply. My kitchen is half-done and I can move stuff back into cupboards but LO has given me no time to do so! I have been trying to do BLW in the living room - broccoli is great and LO has managed to definitely get some in. Strawberries and bananas were a bit too slippy but he's managed to suck on them a bit. He's thumb sucking at the same time as eating which makes it a bit less straightforward!

Nurseries that I'm looking at range from 32 - 42 per day. I'm going back 3 days per week because my job is so great that I want to hold on to it and also I think nursery will be a great experience for LO.

LO is co-sleeping with me most of the night, he managed about 15 mins in his cot last night! I really hope he can sleep in his cot properly before he learns to roll.

Gillyx

I didn't go back to work after A, as a) I had left my job prior to pregnancy and had moved country and b) it wasn't really financially viable for us and also c) I didn't really have a career as such only a job, which although I enjoyed my heart wasn't in it.

We don't really have loads of luxuries however I love having the time at home, it definitely was the right choice for us. Growing up, my parents both worked 40 hours + a week, my Dad worked 2 jobs, so I never saw him. They didn't have a choice though and I know most people nowadays don't.

If it was possible for me to find a job which worked around everything then I would definitely look into it My OH has changed jobs recently and with the client he is working for atm, it involves a lot of over nights and 3-4 day stays abroad, so that is another reason for us why it'd be difficult if I did work, both my parents still work full time, and not regular hours, so we don't have anyone to rely on for nursery pick ups, which is a shame, as a part of me would like to have even just 1 day a week to myself, and that is the thing I do envy.

Don't get me wrong being a SAHP is no picnic and some days it is really very difficult (put it this way I could never be a nursery teacher ) and I envy working mums so much, but I guess it works both ways?

A final point no matter what decision you make, you make it work and I tend to think I maybe sometimes take it for granted how much time we do actually have together whereas when you have less you probably make the very most of it