I’m not being flippant- I genuinely don’t get it- childcare costs

Her post is mainly asking why her family don't get any benefits the bring them any where near what a 100K plus earner takes homes. Hopefully all these 100K plus people who feel upset, have now realised there are very very few people get anywhere nearer benefits/childcare that bring them anywhere near thier take home salary. So they are still in the top few percent ( with all the choices they have to make things easier if they need to).

I don't think anyone needs the over 100k benefits loss thing explained yet another time! It was so many times on yesterday's post, making my violin get smaller and smaller.

I don’t really know how it works but my friend who is a single mum, rents half her house (50%) shared ownership and works 2 nights a week is a lot better off than me and DH combined with two average incomes. (Approx £28,000 each) as they pay her rent and 85% of her nursery bills among other things. It’s rubbish for families with an average income who are struggling, have a mortgage but can’t get any help to make ends meet.

The people on UC who get free prescription and dental are on meagre earnings.
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

Not quite answering your question, but there should be nursery provision for your youngest if you would like them to go, if 2 or over. We have 3 nurseries in our area attached to PMLD schools so there are a nursing team on site. We have children with peg feeds, with tracheostomy, on ventilators, severe epilepsy. If your child needs 1 to 1 health care constantly, you can apply to your local CCG for a HCA or nurse to a company them to nursery, and to also give you some respite care at home too. Going for an early EHCP can also help with funding for support.

I don't know if it's everywhere but there are some charities who you can phone and they help with forms like Carers Allowance and DLA. Just from personal experience doing the forms this way was much quicker and got a faster response than when we did it ourselves

Sorry I meant earning over £100k not having a disabled child.

On the other hand they have raised the earnings threshold for the new 15 hour funding so not entitled so will have to pay up front, reduce the sessions and hope UC pay some of it back.

I know which position I would prefer.

That's grim, and certainly needs support. Love the idea of a book allowance, too.

@Strictlymad Yeah it would be cheaper for me to drive and park in central London than pay for my monthly season ticket... but the time it would take would take is prohibitive and too stressful. As it is I drive further up the rail line to try and bring the cost down a bit. I know it's in manifestos, but I really hope whatever government we get next does something about the crippling cost of public transport. Combined with childcare costs (school age so a lot less than we paid at nursery) it's more than our mortgage each month.

Some people really understand how to get the max out of the system. Other people just aren't as clued up. I include myself in this as we've never managed to get any help.

On a sidenote - if you husband is commuting in every day I'm awe of your money management. My season ticket is £500/600 (with or without tube) so managing that with 2 kids, running a home, cars etc on a salary is £41k is impressive.

May be worth checking what benefits are included in your DH's job? As even if there's nothing in the way of private healthcare at the moment, registering interest is usually something companies take seriously, and it often applies to spouses and kids as well.

DLA won't mean that you become entitled to UC. Entitlement depends on earnings and savings. If you have over £16,000 in savings you won't be entitled. They will also assess income.

What DLA and Carers Allowance do is to make you eligible for additional elements if you do become to entitled to UC. However Carers Allowance is always deducted pound for pound as income from any UC you are entitled to.

As others have said it all depends on individual circumstances. There may be additional things you can get as a carer, including free entrance tickets and a disabled children's railcard when your child reaches the age of 5 which allows 1/3 off rail travel for any carer accompanying a disabled child.

Once you hear about the DLA award it might be worth contacting Citizens Advice to find out about any other help you can get.

I agree that it's very confusing.

Oh, all the UC stuff above assumes you don't have savings over 16k

Some practical steps for you:

1. it you're married, transfer your tax free allowance to your husband www.gov.uk/marriage-allowance
2. once your child is awarded DLA, claim carers allowance and update universal credit. I did some very rough calculations and I think you'll probably be entitled to UC once the DLA is in payment.
3. if your child's dla claim is badly delayed, get in touch with your (new) mp and get them to chase DWP. They have better access than the public and intervention from an MP often resolves delays
4. as long as you're still doing a bit of work or are in receipt of carers allowance, you can get help with childcare costs such as breakfast club and after-school club for your older child

Re your UC claim - if you claimed around the same time you claimed DLA it should probably be backdated to the date of the DLA claim. If you claimed after claimed DLA then UC will be backdated to when you first claimed UC. If you claimed uc more than six months ago, your UC claim will probably have closed so you might need to get advice

In addition to this being help for childcare which you don’t use, this is also a bunch of rich people whining that they’re not getting free stuff and imagining that someone in 46K like you lives much better than they do.

I think folk on higher salaries are only getting help towards childcare and not any other top ups. Perhaps non means tested disability if eligible. I can't lose any sleep about folk on over £100k a year losing out. Boo hoo.

It's the fact you have a mortgage OP. The Tory government is happy to pay a landlord's many mortgages for them (on behalf of the tenant) but won't offer the same support to a homeowner who is struggling. If you were renting you'd very likely be entitled to UC.

I’m just curious at these posts of others saying if dh earned under 100k we would be better of cuz of the ‘help’ - is there something I’m missing!!

It as a childcare thread, surely it’s pretty obvious that the thing you are missing is that you don’t actually use childcare so it doesn’t apply to your.
There are varying amounts of 15/30 hours available at different ages but you don’t use childcare anyway so it’s irrelevant and based on your income I don’t think you work enough to be eligible even if he was in childcare.

Op you will find that once your DS gets DLA then you will be entitled to more support. UC has a disabiled child element and also a carers element, once you’re awarded to these, then your entitlement goes up significantly. I know from personal experience how frustratingly long the DLA wait is, but make sure you apply for UC again once you have the award as you will be eligible.

Depends when you buy the property. Mine was £240 a month but was bought in 1997