Childcare reform: what about parents not on benefits?

The real problem with the 30 hours is the term time only - who thought that was helpful for childcare? There is next to nothing available for 3-4 year olds in school holidays so you can't even just pay for separate childcare

Have you forgotten the free school meals, free opticians, free milk for babies, free bus fares, …. Wonder what that all adds up to?

Not forgotten but presumably those requiring childcare do so because they work. The threshold for fsm etc is minuscule so anyone that works more than a handful of hours a week does not qualify. It's mostly just those on full benefits not in work that receive these things

UC doesn’t reimburse childcare costs for a household where nobody is in paid employment; paid work is actually in the eligibility criteria for UC childcare costs help. So there isn’t a bunch of unemployed single mums putting their kids in nursery while they do nothing all day every day. Which seems to be what people think. You have to be working to get that particular bit of help.

Childcare affordability in this country is dire, and the UC change is actually just tinkering around the edges for those of us who meet the eligibility criteria for partial help with childcare costs. It’s better than nothing but it’s not what’s really needed. The entire system of provision of good-quality early years childcare needs huge reform. For example, if we had a better and more accessible childcare system, you could easily leave your DC and go out to work as well. Anyone could, unless they didn’t want to, in which case it’s hard to see why they’d be annoyed about other people who are in work getting any help to access childcare.

I work full-time and earn around as much as your DH, and the reason I need to put my DD in childcare is because I don’t have a partner staying at home to provide childcare for DD.

UC allowance is a max of £640-odd per month for childcare for one child (reimburses, doesn’t pay upfront) - but full-time childcare here, as in lots of the country, is ~£1500 per month for the lowest-cost option. I can’t afford that even with UC reimbursement, so DD is getting two days a week with a grandparent, as that’s the only way I can work full-time - but grandparent is in their 70s and has moderately disabling health issues, so DD’s activities are very limited on those days.

I've given the whole subject a lot of thought over the last year - and have come to the conclusion that even if I was unable to increase my own salary (the potential to earn more in future is why I have no choice but to be full-time now), it would still be absolutely great to have a partner who was available to provide DD’s childcare. Or even a partner out at work to earn enough to cover DD’s childcare costs!

I would trade places with you in a heartbeat. You and your DH might feel a bit better about your situation if you counted your blessings, instead of seemingly imagining that us struggling households eligible for UC are actually not struggling. Maybe do some thought experiments on the topic of how hard life would be for you if you were suddenly a single-parent household (especially with only one living grandparent). But honestly, please focus on counting your blessings. You have more options than many.

mums unable to work because of the childcare costs outweighing any salary it wouldn't make sense.
We have got to stop framing childcare as a women’s issue! Yes, women are disproportionately impacted but that’s part of the problem: it’s always framed as mums unable to work, mums’ salaries cover childcare with nothing left, etc. If we make this a problem for men too it might actually get sorted.

34k isn't a lot but since you've only mentioned one wage I'm assuming you don't work in which case you don't need childcare.

I'm a UC claimant, I earn 30k a year, what I pay in tax and ni is more than the benefits I get back. I don't get a lot but having help with childcare means I can work and contribute to society.

Its not living off 300 a month though is it? That’s just a top up, PP earns 40k and gets that.

If you earn 25k for instance it’s lot more. Particularly if you’re also claiming for housing.

Why are people so quick to tell op to 'get a job' when the vitriol spat at someone who would suggest that to a person who's on benefits is HUGE!!

You have to be on a pretty low household income to qualify for 2 year old funding.

Or the child can qualify due to disability or involvement with the care system.

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds

But why is there a massive nursery bill if she doesn’t work?

The 15 hours early education is universal from 3.

It’s the additional 15 that require a minimum income (and a maximum).

I know everyone's circumstances are different but we have a combined income of £57k and still receive about £300 UC a month due to our childcare bill.
Although if you're not working surely you wouldn't spend that on nursery?! We do because we have to, to allow us to work!

This.

OP, if you don't work, perhaps you should get a job and help cover the bill.

The whole point of the increase is to help people with lower incomes than you, get back in to work.

I'm sure if one parent is on benefits tho you can get free hours when they are 2

They are free from the parents’ perspective though.

you still get 15 hours free if you earn over £100k. That’s because it’s DfE early education funding. The point is to support child development and ‘school readiness’ via universal preschool education entitlement. It’s not about childcare for working parents at all. That’s why the 2 year old funding is allocated the way it is.

The fact that providers are paid at far too low a rate is a different issue.

Have you got a link? I haven't seen anything about this.

The 30 hours is only when they are 3. What about before then? Also you have to be earning minimum amount to qualify and even then maybe not enough.

On paper my DH and I earn 'good wages' but with COLC and childcare we are really struggling. WITH our 30 hours our childcare bill is still £980 a month for our two children. That's with the 20.% tax free Our mortgage has gone up the electricity and gas bill is crippling us as well as the food bills.

We have £30 left at the end of the month

The childcare bill is killing us

If you work you'd spend less on nursery fees once they are 3? So worth looking into

Another benefits bashing thread. Don't you work OP? You must do because you would be entitled to some help with childcare costs on DH salary alone.
I earn 40k, renting, single parent, and I get between 300/600 UC per month depending on nursery bill and net income (bonus etc changes monthly).
I'm really grateful for the help because without it, I wouldn't be able to continue in my career. And as a woman why should I be forced out of work due to childcare costs?
Also, if you're not entitled to UC you can use tax free childcare.

the 30 "free" hours are only the term after they are three and are not "free" - they are funded at a poor rate.

I don't have a problem with that personally though.

From age 3 there is help up to £100k I think that's generous anyway. Help has to end at some point and 2 incomes including one on £34k (assume £25k for her) that's a decent family income way above average.

If only your husband is working, then obviously you wouldn’t be getting the childcare element of UC.

A single parent on £34k with FT nursery costs will qualify for some UC because of the childcare. But if only one of you is working, why are you paying £14k in nursery fees?

Or have you just neglected to mention your income?

Presumably it's so people on UC can get jobs easier and maybe move off UC if their circumstances allow?

I think the difference between the minimum wage and benefits should be far greater so that there are much more tangible benefits to working. And it's crazy that people who deliberately keep themselves 'under employed' in very part time jobs can get benefit top ups which disincentivise them from working a normal working week.

But I'm confused about why the OP needs childcare unless she's also working as well as her dh

Not like. Most only get 300 and something and that's supposed to last a month. My partners lucky he gets a decent amount but there's reasons why he does.

You do get help.

You get the 30 free hours and the tax free childcare scheme.

lt might not be as much as you would like, but it’s still help.

But not if one of you isn't working and so you don't actually need the childcare!