Can you reclaim childcare costs if you don;t qualify for WTC?

[IntergalacticWalrus]

I have just got a job working for my old compnay, and basically, it's really not going to be worth my while, given that over half of my income will go on a childminder, which means we will actually be worse off than we are now (and I'll be working more hours)

However, as we are not classed at a "low income family" (ha!) we don't qulaify for working tax credits.

The comany I work for dont do childcare vochers either. DP is going to try and persuade them today (he works for the smae fimr) but I'm not holding my breath.

So what do I do if I can't get childcare vouchers? I really don;t want to get up at 5.30am 3 times a week (plus do a part time evening job til midnight in order to keep as afloat) for no return whatsoever.

(sorry, I'm moaning again. It just seems that whenever we get to a point where we are getting our heads above water, someone pushed us under again)

[goingfor3]

I think that childcare vouchers is the only way to go if you earn to much.

[goingfor3]

I think that childcare vouchers is the only way to go if you earn to much.

[LIZS]

Can you claim LEA nursery vouchers for your CM , to offset against 12 1/2 hours per week termtime, once your child(ren) have turned 3 ?

[IntergalacticWalrus]

DS1 will be going to nursery in Novemeber, which will help a bit, as his place is free from Jan

DS2, however, will have to wait until Jan 2010 for his free place



How do people afford to go to work????

[IntergalacticWalrus]

I just hope D can persuade the com[pany, otherwuise I can't accept the job.

The only way I can do it is to go in in the wee small hours, which isn't going to work, as part of my job is taking phone calls (which come in after 9am)

[goingfor3]

It is just really crap when you earn enought to live but not to do anything extra like pay for childcare or course fees to go to university.college.

[IntergalacticWalrus]

I feel like crying, I really do.

We are going on holidy in September (with my mother-she's paying) for 2 weeks. We have had to fork out for passposts, and we need spends. I have told her we can't afford to go, but she's insited. We have scimped all year to go away. I though, great, we'll have more money for our (much needed) holiday, but it looks like we will hav even less.

I just can't see how I can pay out £8.25ph for childcare and actually earn any money.

I know it's a small problme compared to what others are going through on here, but we have been in such big difficulties financially trecently. I have not been within my overdraft limit for months, and I naively thought that this might get us out of the hole.

FFS

[StarryStarryNight]

Yes, doesnt it just get to you?

This is the Governments way of manipulating employment statistics by forcing women to chose to stay home and out of work because it is not financially sound to do so.

If everybody who wanted to work actually worked, there wouldnt be enough jobs. So, lets ensure that mums in high earning families stay home. If every mum who wanted work registered as unemployed, what would this do to the statistics?

Britain needs to keep mums of high earners out of work. It is quite clever!

On the other hand, in Norway, nurseries are subsidised so all you pay for a full time place is £140 per month. It is different there, as they need women to stay in the work force. They get either 10 months maternity leave full pay, or 12 months leave on 80% of full pay. This is to ensure women return to work.

Politics, eh?

[StarryStarryNight]

sorry for my lecture, this just gets to me.



Full sympathy for your situation.

[IntergalacticWalrus]

It fucks me off, it really does.

It hits middle income familes (like mone) hard, becauis we are in a situtaition where we can't afford a mortgage so we have to pay high rent, we have high student debt, which I can't pay off because I can't work because childcare costs are sky high.

We are not rich enoght for work to be viavle without finacial assistance and we are not "poor" enough to get the financial assistance.

I'd love to show those who work oyt the threshold for wtx the damp on my wasll, and the fact we paid over £700pcm on a house with no hot wtare for a large proportian of last winter

However, we'll never get out of here because I CAN'T GET A FUCKING JOB!

Apologies, I am ranting and my typing is carp. I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself.

[lemonaid]

There is no reason I can see for the government not to have made childcare vouchers compulsory (or compulsory for firms over a certain size, at least). It's just plain stupid. I really sympathise, IGW -- fortunately I do get vouchers at the moment but when I quit and go self-employed I won't be able to get them or the equivalent. It's madness...

[IntergalacticWalrus]

tis shithouse

[IntergalacticWalrus]

So is there REALLY no other way if we don;t get childcare vouchers?

[lemonaid]

Not really (Actually, childcare vouchers don't make a huuuuuuuuuuge difference anyway, because they are capped, but if you and your DP both got them it would be a help. You could say that you'll take the job but want to be paid more?

[IntergalacticWalrus]

Thing is, they are alreday being generous with the pay, it's just that because I am working part time, it meand the childcrae takes a mahoosive chunk of my weekly pay.

It's only going to be 10.5 hours a week in chuilcrae, but that enas 80 quid down the pan.

The Childcare vouchers would make a HUGE difference to us. (I think it pays for up to 55pw, am I right)

I hope they do it. I wouldn't actually cost them anything

[FlossALump]

IGW - sorry you are stressed. What about your CM'ing? Are you stressed atm because of lack of holiday funds? If things are likely to be easier after you start cm'ing could you (you won't like this) ask to borrow some money off of your mum to pay back over a few months? Have you advertised your cello teaching on here?

FWIW, (you won't like me saying this either) I regret us having our 4 nights on cornwall. We couldn't afford it and we needed to money to spend on forthcoming arrivals! Oh - can I give you some money for all the lovely stuff you have given us? You have been so generous.

[FlossALump]

I think the vouchers can save you up to about £1k in a year.

[Bewilderbeast]

the higher rate taxpayer you are the more you save (something that really irks me). Basically it should knock about 30% of your childcare cost depending what rate of tax you pay. You can only sacrifice £55 per week though so really it only covers 1 and a quater das of childcare.

[evenhope]

We earn too much for WTC but still "qualify" for it IYSWIM, so we will get help with childcare. Put your details into entitledto.com and check whether you actually will get something.

[IntergalacticWalrus]

Don;t worry about giving me money for the stuff Floss, it was cheap to start with, a lot of iot was given to us, and we got plenty of use out of it and I am glad we don;t have it cluttering up the house any more!!!

I have been offered my old job bcak, for 3k a year more than I was getting last time. However, when I did it before, I didn;t have chilcare costs to cosider!!!! The CM thing is still in the bcakground, but realistically, thet's not going to happen for a while, because Ofsted and the CRB have a huge backlog of applications to clear apparently, and we need some money NOW, so this job should be ideal.

I have just trang the TC helpline, and they were about as much use a chocolate teapot

[lemonaid]

Childcare vouchers save you the tax and NI on up to (nearly) £250 a month (each, so £250 for you and £250 for your DP), if you get it as vouchers rather than as cash. So in your case you'd get £80 of your and your DP's salary a week (around £320 a month) paid in vouchers, split between you and your DP, and you wouldn't have to pay the tax and NI on that (how much you actually save would depend on your tax bracket etc.).

[IntergalacticWalrus]

But we will only be paying for 10.5 hors of childcare. However, it's half of my wages gone in a shot.

[FlossALump]

So would you try to do your two other things as well as this?

[IntergalacticWalrus]

I'll have to.

I can reduce some of my hours elsewhere.

Can't wait til the kids start school I'll be minted!

[hippopotamouse]

We earn too much for WTC but still get the childcare element of it.

You seem to be paying a lot for childcare can you not look for a cheaper option?

My little ones are in nursery 2 days a week from 9-5.30 (but I pay from 8-6 in case I need to go in early or leave late).

I work 4 days DP works 5 but we alternate working days and we spend Sunday together.

Sunday - family day!
Monday - Me working, DP has kids
Tuesday - DP working, Me with kids
Wednesday - Me and DP working kids at nursery
Thursday - Me and DP working kids at nursery
Friday - DP working, me with kids
Saturday - DP working, GP's with kids