No more 30 hours free childcare

[tipiipit]

Not an AIBU but I'm in a right state and just needed somewhere to come to cry basically

I'm a single mum to a 3 year old, expecting a baby in April too.

Won't be getting maternity pay as haven't been in my current job long enough, so saved up lots of money and I also get a student loan.

Have just found out my 3 YO will no longer be eligible for 30 hours free childcare once I finish at work.

I'm absolutely heartbroken cannot stop crying. I just presumed he'd continue to get 30 hours free I had no idea that you had to be in employment. Feeling like an idiot. A very poor idiot. No idea what to do. (Was planning on staying at uni after baby was born, taking baby in with me when I could and 3YO going to nursery. But now I can't afford for him to go to nursery, but if I can't go to uni I won't get a student loan which means I have no money. I know a few people who take babies into classes but I couldn't take my 3YO that wouldn't be fair on anyone.)

What am I going to do

Exactly @Doublegloucester

You cannot undo a pregnancy so the OP needs to deal the situation she is in.

It’s like those people who think that cutting benefits for those with “loads” of children, forgetting that the children are already here and those are the ones which suffer.

Check whether you are eligible for free childcare due to being a student - I'd be surprised if there isn't anything. At least you'll be able to get 15 hours.
Worst case, you might have to put studies on hold and get a job. You can always return to studies in a few years time once both children are in nursery/school. It may seem annoying now, but it's not long in the scheme of things. Studying with a 3 year old and a baby is VERY hard work anyway - I've done it. I studied part time in the evenings in order to manage the child care issue. Could you consider some sort of part time arrangement?

I think you would still qualify for 15 free hours and that's still better than nothing. The way the government thinks is that since you still be at home more you can obviously look after your child more?
If you aren't going back to work and are unable to get to Uni I suggest you put a claim in for income support.
Does your university not have any nursery on site? Some do.
Good luck OP. I know things haven't worked out like you planned but you will manage

You still get 30 hours on mat leave. Is it because you don't qualify for mat pay??

This may or may not help, it depends on your skills, but apparently if you are starting up a business and are in your first year of trading you don't need to make the minimum earning criteria (£120 a week or 16x minimum wage if you are under 25) for the 30 hours funding. Might be worth starting up an ironing business or something like Avon that you can do from work?

^Link for above info: www.familycorner.co.uk/30-hour-free-childcare-guide-parents

I had to look into this and am pretty sure the 30 hours is based on Statutory Maternity Pay not maternity leave, so if you haven't worked for long enough at current employer you may not qualify for SMP and then 30 hours.
However if you have earned enough over the past year then as others have said you may well qualify for Statutory Maternity Allowance - it's the same amount as SMP but is paid via the Govt (same way as benefits) rather than via your employer. I'm not sure whether this counts towards the 30 hours element however.
all 3 year olds get 15 hours so you will still get that.
I would seriously consider whether you are going to be able to put in enough effort to pass your course with a 3 year old and a baby - what are the financial consequences of failing your course eg would you need to pay again for the modules you fail?
Good luck.

Don't think you would be permitted to take the baby to uni on a regular basis anyway - it would be disruptive for other students and you'd be unable to fully concentrate. They usually only permit you to bring your baby in occasional exceptional circumstances when you are unable to arrange alternative care.

Sounds like you’ll have to defer your uni degree and go back to your job- is that doable?

I would suggest putting your study on hold, I’d have been really annoyed if someone had brought a baby into classes I was paying a lot for. Go into employment/self employment until both kids are at school then go back to studying then. Get money off the dad.

I'm a student an on a low income (single parent) and I'm entitled to a large percentage of childcare back - if you're on a low income it should be the same for you?

And shouldn't you have thought all this through before becoming pregnant again

Really helpful.

OP - if you're on maternity leave surely you're still employed - does that mean you still get the free childcare? Worth checking.

Otherwise check out what benefits you're entitled to and how they might help the childcare situation,

Has this changed since you decided to have this second baby? If so, that really sucks if you were relying on it.

But where are the father/s of these kids? They have as much responsibility to sort this situation out as you do.

You won't be able to take a baby to uni classes, whatever their age. It's not appropriate at all and deeply unfair on others who are there to learn.

What made you decide to have a second baby while in such a precarious position? I'm just curious as it seems like this has come as a bit of a shock to you, but also the entire situation seems fairly precarious and like it's not going to be the best situation for you or either of the children to be in.

Do you have a job that'll pay enough to support the three of you if you drop out of uni?

You can get additional benefits as a student with children. You also don't a actually needtogo in to uni for most courses. I had two children at home full time in my first year. I moved all of my tutorials to one day and watched the lectures online.

See, when I was planning my pregnancies, I gave some thought to finances first. Could I afford another child? Would I need to rely on the state (i.e. my friends and neighbours) to pay for it or would I have enough money to fund my own life choices.

My friend is a single mum. She is at uni and her daughter (3) goes to nursery 8-3pm 4 days a week. I don't ask people about finances it's not my place but she seems to manage it somehow. There must be a way. She also gets housing benefit and council tax payed.
You need to do more research. Where there's a will there is a way.

Just bring you don't qualify for maternity pay doesn't mean you aren't on maternity leave.

(Although if you start studying I guess you won't be on maternity leave? This is a grey area)

"...and you can still apply for 30 hours free childcare if you or your partner:

are taking paid time off work, such as maternity leave, paternity leave or sick leave"

See, I wasn't actually expecting to be in this situation. I was left by my DP, planned pregnancy, finances were in order and this wouldn't be an issue if I was single.

I'm just desperately trying to make a nice life for my kids how DARE you accuse me of expecting to be able to rely on tax payers money to fund it. I've always worked, it's just the fact of the matter is I've not been at my new job long at all and I went into it knowing I wouldn't be getting any mat pay or be going back to that particular job. Which would of been fine if my exDP had stayed.

In retrospect I think when I found this out I just panicked a lot but realistically with 15 hours free I should be fine.

Thanks to everyone with really helpful comments and for links etc. Really made me feel a lot better and put things into perspective. Just think it's a matter of muddling through.

Not thanks so much to people who think it's helpful to make snide remarks about me not planning before getting pregnant. Love all the judging before knowing my actual situation.

So what financial assistance will you be getting from ex DP? I hope he's fully pulling his weight.

Just a thought. If all else fails and you don't qualify for the 30 free hours....

Could you register as self employed and start up a very small 'business' from home alongside your studies. For example selling greetings cards on eBay or Etsy? As I believe you qualify for 30 hours free childcare if you are self employed and it doesn't specify a minimum amount of earnings.

and you can still apply for 30 hours free childcare if you or your partner:

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds

I am amazed that students are allowed to bring babies into class. It is annoying if you just assumed you'd still get the free childcare. I didn't know much about it and assumed everybody got it.

But practically speaking. Find out what childcare provisions your Uni has. Find out what childcare costs you are entitled to. Ask father of children to contribute extra costs if you aren't entitled to the free 30 hours. Go and see a Student Advisor at your Uni and tell them about your difficulties. Sometimes they have a discretionary fund so you might be entitled to apply for help through that. Last resort give up your course. Try not to do that.

You'll still be eligible for 15 funded hours as it's not employment related. But no, you're right, you won't get the full 30 hours as that's to support working parents, same with tax free childcare. But I would make good use of your 15 hours and get some quality time with baby then.

If you were working beforehand at a different job you might still get maternity allowance?

The 30 hours have a 'grace period' if you lose entitlement to it. I lost my job in early november, and my son is continuing to receive the 30 hours until Feb half term. It doesn't get mentioned on any of the government websites, but check with your provider because it is there :-)

Hope that helps :-)

When on maternity leave and employed, you only get the 30 hours if you are still being paid maternity pay. If you take any unpaid leave at the end of your maternity leave even though still employed you lose the 30 hours as that happened to me.