Partner has to go back to work after baby, but cant afford childcare

lanceneoman

we get child benefit of £80 per month.


But as previoulsly stated in order for all bills etc and food costs she needs to have an income of £500 per month,

Caz3121

It may be that it would make more sense of her not going back to work if her income is £10k per year and childcare would cost more than that in addition to travel to work etc
Could she look for a weekend job or find something from home that is flexible that would negate the requirement for childcare?

[Deleted User]

If you are genuinely working 60 hours a week for £20000 then that is less than NMW and therefore illegal, so you need to take this up with your employer.


If childcare is going to cost £9k and she only earns £10k then she might as well pack her job in and you claim child tax credits.


Don't forget when giving HMRC your earnings for this year you can deduct £100 per week of your partners earnings for each week she was on SMP.


The estimates you got £700 odd will be what you can get for the rest of this tax year upto 05/04/15 not an annual amount.

kelpie35

Is there not a local childminder that your wife could use, it might work out cheaper than a nusrsery.

racon

kelpie35 wrote: »

Is there not a local childminder that your wife could use, it might work out cheaper than a nusrsery.

Hey, that to me sounds daft! You are suggesting that someone goes back to work and earns not that much more than the childcare costs? Why on earth would anybody do that unless you did it simply to keep the child-minder in business?
I have never understood why it is so important to get back to work as early as possible after the birth and pay someone else to look after your baby especially if they are in low paid employment. In my opinion, and as the childcare money is already there, why then don't the government pay the mum to stay at home to look after the child herself? It's not as though she would be making any financial contribution (Tax/NIC) on £9000 a year if she did work and it isn't going to cost the government any more money.


But hey, I am only a male and as such would know very little about this subject it seems.

haras_nosirrah

why might someone want to go back to work to earn the same as they pay for childcare?

some people need to have more than spending the time at home with a small child. They need to be something more than 'so and so's mum' for a little bit

progression in employment - it is very hard to get back into a job if you are out of the workplace for 5 years. If I quit my job then I would not be able to get back in again as technology moves fast and I would not be qualified

self worth - some people take pride in supporting their family even if they aren't financially rewarded

a break from a screaming 2 year old. I have one and to be honest there are some days where I find work easier

need I go on???

BoJangles_2

haras_nosirrah wrote: »

why might someone want to go back to work to earn the same as they pay for childcare?

some people need to have more than spending the time at home with a small child. They need to be something more than 'so and so's mum' for a little bit

progression in employment - it is very hard to get back into a job if you are out of the workplace for 5 years. If I quit my job then I would not be able to get back in again as technology moves fast and I would not be qualified

self worth - some people take pride in supporting their family even if they aren't financially rewarded

a break from a screaming 2 year old. I have one and to be honest there are some days where I find work easier

need I go on???

Just as well we don't all give up work eh!!!

dodger1

Horseunderwater wrote: »

You may be able to claim the childcare element of working tax credits which could be upto 90% of £175/week. Has to be a registered child care provider though.

I believe it's 70% unless recently changed.

racon

haras_nosirrah wrote: »

why might someone want to go back to work to earn the same as they pay for childcare?

some people need to have more than spending the time at home with a small child. They need to be something more than 'so and so's mum' for a little bit

progression in employment - it is very hard to get back into a job if you are out of the workplace for 5 years. If I quit my job then I would not be able to get back in again as technology moves fast and I would not be qualified

self worth - some people take pride in supporting their family even if they aren't financially rewarded

a break from a screaming 2 year old. I have one and to be honest there are some days where I find work easier

need I go on???

Hey, most of the mum's that we know, all except the odd few, say that they would love to be at home with their children. They feel that society forces them to do otherwise.
It is most doubtful that someone who earns NMW is going to be the next CEO of Sainsburys. Earning £9000 a year doesn't seem to suggest that they are high flyers in industry.
Oh? People actually go to work for the privilege of working even though for the hours they put in, receive very little if anything in financial reward?
Of course 2 year olds can be a handful, but isn't that the fun of being a parent?
Missing out on years of development of the child is a good thing? Sorry but as a parent and grandparent, I regret the hours spent having to work instead of being around the family. No amount of money can ever make up with the loss of seeing your child for up to 8 hours of their waking day.

thriftylass

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/childcare-cost check here for help with child care cost.

Have you filled in a SOA here on the other boards to see where you could maybe cut corners financially. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helps.