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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Labour are wrong to scrap the work childcare voucher scheme?

121 replies

neenz · 29/09/2009 15:53

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8279701.stm

Apparently Gordon Brown is going to announce that Labour will scrap the work childcare voucher scheme ("because it benefits too many rich people") and use the money to provide 10 hours free childcare a week to 2yos from low to middle income families.

I consider myself a socialist and I think free childcare is a great idea but if it means 2hr sessions five days a week (ie the kind of sessions that do not allow the parent to go out and work during that time) then I am a bit annoyed because the childcare voucher scheme is the ONLY benefit I get (plus child benefit of course).

I wouldn't mind as much if they were going to pay for a proper chunk of childcare for each poor 2yo to really help the mum/dad get back to work but these short sessions (the type 3yos get now) are pretty useless unless you don't work! And if you do work and want your child to go you have to pay a CM to pick the child up and sometimes to pay the CM anyway for the hours your child is at the playgroup . AIB totally U?

OP posts:
Rocky12 · 29/09/2009 17:54

Sorry to appear thick - but is this coming in immediately or some time in the future. What on earth does 2 hours of childcare do apart from giving free babysitting.... There arent many jobs where you just work 2 hours a day!

sarah293 · 29/09/2009 17:56

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marenmj · 29/09/2009 18:29

I'd say the benefit isn't so much to society as to the government's coffers. Parents in work = taxpayers. Even if they get some childcare costs tax free they will still pay the rest of their income tax PLUS n.i. and having a few extra pence in their pockets means they can buy products which have VAT added.

No 2nd earner means a lot less money for the govt than the tax rebate for a few vouchers.

Not to mention that the mothers who will be more sane and less shouty if they go to work will be better citizens for not being forced out of the workforce by childcare costs.

jelliebelly · 29/09/2009 18:36

YANBU and i suspect Gordon Brown has lost votes from a large proportion of working parents in one fell swoop!

Blondeshavemorefun · 29/09/2009 18:41

if this does happen then i fear many familys wont be able to afford childcare whether cm's,nursery or nannys

HappyMummyOfOne · 29/09/2009 19:05

Once again, Gordon penalises those that work - whilst we dont need nursery vouchers it was nice to know that they were available.

I notice the report gives no idea who will qualify other than numbers, given past experience its likely to be those that dont work or on really low incomes where CTC are already available.

Employers will be pleased though given they now have to pay for the vouchers over the maternity leave period which was always unfair especially for small employers.

Original poster
neenz · 29/09/2009 19:23

Panic over - heard on Fivelive earlier that anyone currently in receipt of this benefit will not have it taken away from them. In fact the the way they were talking it seems the scheme they are scrapping is not the voucher scheme because Anne Winterton or whatever her name is said that the scheme they are scrapping is only used by 6% of the country and that 'the voucher scheme is much better and they should use that instead'.

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Original poster
neenz · 29/09/2009 19:25

Er well it wasn't Anne Winterton cos she is a Tory

Can't remember who it was that Peter Allen was interviewing, Anne somebody I think!

OP posts:
Original poster
neenz · 29/09/2009 21:00

Having said that about the voucher scheme, the Mail certainly seems to be describing the scheme I am involved in here because I can claim up to £243 a month. It certainly sounds like that is the scheme that is being scrapped.

I think the 'phasing out' part is basically saying your kids will be in school by the time it is scrapped!

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sarah293 · 30/09/2009 08:56

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spokette · 30/09/2009 09:22

David Cameron did not support child care vouchers in the first place so Tories would scrap it the first chance they get.

Having the childcare voucher schemed saved DH and I £2000 a year when we had the twins in nursery 3 days a week!

Now they attend breakfast and afterschool clubs, we are still saving over hundreds of pounds a year.

I am a staunch Labour supporter and will be voting for them because I detest the Tories, especially Boy George and Clueless Dave. However, even I can see that Labour are making a huge mistake here.

FimbleHobbs · 30/09/2009 09:28

Oh great. The only help we get is childcare vouchers and child benefit.

Lately I really feel like I work so hard and yet I can't do right for doing wrong.

[gives self shake and thinks about those who truly do have it hard]

I think I need to stop following the politics/parenting news and get on with things like sorting out an Operation Christmas shoebox.

Paolosgirl · 30/09/2009 09:39

According to the Times Online, it will be closed to new entrants next April, and phased out over 5 years.

Please, please sign the petition here (although as we know this Govt doesn't actually give a shit about the middle class majority, so whether it will do any good is another matter)
petitions.number10.gov.uk/keepvouchers/

If they want parents to keep working, and if they want a middle class to be able to fund all of these schemes they keep coming up with, they need to continue with these vouchers - otherwise they are going to force more and more parents out of work and onto benefits. Does a 5 year old advise them on fiscal policy???

blueshoes · 30/09/2009 09:48

Neenz, agree that the surestart grant benefits SAHPs more than working people who need proper consistent childcare. Will be the same with the proposed 10 years free childcare for 2s.

£243 Childcare vouchers are Labour's piddling concession to tax deductible childcare. Administrative nightmare and by no means universal.

Looks like Labour is moving away from supporting the general work ethic to intervening in low to middle income families instead.

Original poster
neenz · 30/09/2009 11:08

I am also a Labour supporter (although am seriously considering voting Lib Dem as I was quite impressed with what they had to say last week).

And I agree many people who are turning to the Tories are going to get a big shock when they get in because all the tax credits etc will go - to pay for scrapping inheritence tax for the rich .

GB just doesn't seem to understand that it is the middle classes he needs to convince to vote for him - after The Sun's front page this morning the writing is on the wall for him. Labour need a new leader or it is going to be a landslide for the Tories .

OP posts:
wook · 30/09/2009 14:59

Total nightmare. Why just penalise working familes all the time??? Drives me insane- will I ever be able to go back to work after my new baby is born now? Or will I be no better off if I do? Would be nice to have the choice.

BoffinMum · 30/09/2009 15:07

So is it like this then? I go to work and pay out up to 100% of my pay in tax, NI and childcare costs, so other people can stay at home, not go out to work, and get childcare FOR FREE? To give them A BIT OF A REST? Or free time to WATCH JEREMY BLARDY KYLE?

Much more of this and I will probably turn into Father Jack.

RUDE WORDS!!!

BoffinMum · 30/09/2009 15:08

If you see me sporting a handbag and a helmet hairdo, do sit on me. I am rapidly in danger of looking like a Tory.

BonsoirAnna · 30/09/2009 15:10

Stay at home BoffinMum, and put your feet up .

BoffinMum · 30/09/2009 18:14

I shall do cricketers' teas and save stamps obsessively for Blue Peter instead.

I know my place.

Paolosgirl · 30/09/2009 19:40

Isn't cricket the sort of elitist, competitive thing that Labour would prefer didn't exist? I think you may find yourself serving meat pies at friendly football matches instead, young girl.

emmarussell · 01/10/2009 09:05

I am furious about this. I only make any profit on my wage because we claim vouchers from our employers. I have a 2 and 3 year old and have to have a nanny because nurseries are not open for the hours I work in the NHS. I may as well give up work if they take these vouchers away.

What the government are not thinking about is the impact on those working in childcare. There are already fewer jobs and lower wages in the industry because of the recession and if parents feel the pinch even more they may well give up work and stop using childcare. The knock on is that many (mainly woman) working in childcare will lose their jobs. How is that a good thing?

This is such a gimmick.

Grrrr!

emmarussell · 01/10/2009 09:08

I am furious about this. I only make any profit on my wage because we claim vouchers from our employers. I have a 2 and 3 year old and have to have a nanny because nurseries are not open for the hours I work in the NHS. I may as well give up work if they take these vouchers away.

What the government are not thinking about is the impact on those working in childcare. There are already fewer jobs and lower wages in the industry because of the recession and if parents feel the pinch even more they may well give up work and stop using childcare. The knock on is that many (mainly woman) working in childcare will lose their jobs. How is that a good thing?

This is such a gimmick.

Grrrr!

HerHonesty · 01/10/2009 09:11

quite honestly if you believe labour have a cats chance in hell of winning the next election you are living on another planet and if you believe a future tory government wont erode exactly these sorts of benefits then you are definitely away with the faries...

sarah293 · 01/10/2009 09:23

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