Maternity leave!! Is it worth going back to work?

kimbala595

Hi
I'm currently on Maternity and am due to go back to work again in October.
I am very concerned as what to do, What with the current fuel increases currently continuing to rise and due to be rising to £1.50 Litre by September it is looking for me to fill my car up with diesel for the week around £90 :mad:
Also for me to return work my baby will have to go into childcare and thats looking to be around £45 a day woooooooooooow!!!
I can not afford to go back to work looking at these figures.
Can anyone help or advise my best options?
If i decide i can not afford to return to work, will i be able to claim anything?
Please help a concerned new mum.

bryanb

Are you a single mum? If you live with a partner things will depend on his earnings etc.

veryunsure

I presume you have looked at the child tax credits etc to see what you'll be entitled to. If you just don't return to work you are neither redundant nor out of work, you've given up to be a mum. Great if it's what you can afford. So I don't think you will be entitled to job seekers etc as you have chosen to stop work.

Remember that although expensive to start, your baby will grow up and not need child care for ever. Believe me! It seems like forever at the start but soon is over. That isn't really helpful but you may take the long term view that keeping your career going is worth the short term struggle. I don't know your circumstances - it depends on your career and its worth to you, your own finances, eg although it is really expensive can you afford it?

It is a hard choice. It was just as hard 16 years ago and my mum says it was 45 years ago too!

kimbala595

No i'm married we don't own our home we rent and money is tight at the mo, but my husband chooses to work although he is disabled.

mitchaa

This is the situation the labour government have managed to get us in. Complete and utter useless....lets shaft the countries workforce even further:rolleyes:

The majority of the time unless highly paid, it is not worthwhile going back to work and this obviously has a huge effect on your financial income and standard of living.

They are sending across the message to split up in order to be financially better off, and that is wrong.

Childcare should be free for everyone and those that are in a relationships should be financially rewarded, not punished.

You would be better off as a single mum on benefits, that is a certainty.

Get the morons out of power now!!

(Btw...If you are on a decent income and it is worthwhile you can see if your employer runs the childcare voucher scheme, saves quite a bit in tax, so £450pm childcare might only actually cost you £300-350 with the tax break that you get.)

bestpud

Ok, do you claim child tax credits? I am assuming you are already getting child benefit?

Depending on your joint earnings, you may get help with childcare.

If you stay at home, you may get more tax credits but again, it depends what your oh is earning.

Does your other half receive DLA too, as that can make a difference?

Really you need to give a bit more info, but if you don't want to, have a play around with figures on entitledto or the tax credit calculator.

klpark

Sorry if i sound a bit stupid but what benefits would you get as a SAHM who was married? I am pregnant with number 2 and after Maternity Leave i am not sure i can afford to go back to work with childcare for two.
Do you just get tax credits?

Js_Other_Half

What you get depends on your individual circumstances eg if you have a child with a disability you'll have more money from tax credits, as well as DLA.
Have a look at http://www.entitledto.com/default.aspx to check what you're entitled to.