Don’t know if I can afford childcare

[Aaliah1234]

Hello all,

I’ve returned to work for 2 days a week (I’m a teacher) whilst hubby looks after baby. He’s also working part time as he’s doing a PhD. We’re eligible for tax credits and housing benefit too. It’s a shame it’s come down to us relying on help but hopefully in the next two years we should be in a better position

My dilemma right now is that up until Christmas hubby will be looking after DS whilst I work. After that he may need to travel abroad for his research. I would obviously need to arrange childcare.

There’s a nursery near the school I work at which costs roughly £650 a month. I’m not sure how I will pay this if I continue to work.

I know I can’t claim the childcare vouchers before the deadline as DS doesn’t need to go to nursery until December.

If I claim the tax free childcare I become ineligible for tax credits which means I won’t be able to pay my other bills.

Is there a way round this? I don’t want to quit my job and rely just on benefits.

DS will be 2 in July 2019. Would he be eligible for the free childcare scheme for 2 year olds?

1. look at childcare choices website to see if you’re eligible

2. why does the nursery cost so much- find a cheaper one or a childminder

3. working part time and studying are luxuries you just might not be able to afford unfortunately

Your tax credits will go up if you pay for childcare. Have a look at the online calculator and do it as if your child is already in nursery. Should give you a fairly accurate figure if youll be earning about the same when you do start using the childcare.

They are not luxuries. I’m only working part time because working full time would mean that I would need to pay £1500 in childcare which is how much my salary would be.

Average nursery costs are £65 in my area. That’s a cheap one btw and it’s only for 2 days. I don’t want to use a child minder

Gosh people are so judgemental. I don’t want people to give me their opinions on my choices here. Looking for advise on financial matters.

Is there any way DH can defer for a year until Dc is eligible for either 2 year old (low income families only) or 3 year old (not means tested) or can you or he get a PT evening or weekend job? It's not ideal but might be the only way to see you through the next year or so without giving up your job.

ETA I'm very surprised your teaching salary is the same a c/care for one child - surely you earn mOre than £65 for 2days work?

You can claim childcare vouchers. The electronic ones don't have an expiry date.

Thank you. Is the 2 year old scheme means tested?

Thanks!

Also my daughter nursery is £620 a month (term time only but still pay during hols as it's averaged) for five days a week so perhaps you need to shop around?

Hi OP, childcare is ridiculously expensive! Can you not sign up for childcare vouchers now and save them until you need them? I don't know how your provider works but the one through my company allows you to do that - might help to start saving them up now already?

Final point - have you checked what full time costs? Often it's cheaper for the fifth day.

2yo funding is means tested yes.

Have a look at the childcare choices website it explains all your options. It will also give you an idea of what you are eligable for.

Sorry I need to correct myself. £65 a day for childcare and I work 2 days (this is a relatively cheaper one). The quote the nursery has given me is £650 for the whole month. I only get £900ish a month. I get the tax credits and housing benefit and together they cover my rent and some bills more or less. We can’t afford ANY luxuries at this point. Not even little trips to Starbucks. So it will be a little tough if we have to pay anything extra.

That’s why I was wondering if DS might be eligible for the 2yo scheme as I could ask my parents to look after him until he turns two!

I was a teacher and can’t afford to go back to work. It simply doesn’t pay enough. The agency offered me £90 per day before tax - by the time I deduct childcare and petrol I’d be earning about £20. So I’d be working 2-3 days per week and stressing myself out just to make enough to go out for a meal on Saturday. We decided that cutting out restaurants was easier than me working. The only people I know who’ve been able to go back to work are those who have free family childcare or earn £50k+ pro rata.

sputnik i earn 20k dp only a bit more we have ds in nursery full time and a 14yo. It can be done!

We are up north so childcare/housing cheaper but wages also not as high too.

If childcare is £65 per day, how is it £650 per month ? Even if there were 4.5 weeks in a month, that would be £585.

Choose a term time only Nursery. You will pay for £39 weeks at £130 a week (£5070 for the year) yet you will take home £10 800.
Now, I realise that isn't enough to live on, but it is better than the figures you are saying.
Also, like it or not, it is a luxury choice to have one parent just studying, and one parent only working PT when you have a baby. they are choices that people are explaining are options you can look at.

I don't know what your dh's PhD income is, but maybe he needs to look at working some evenings / weekends to help out, or maybe you can, or even both of you.

I disagree. I think studying when you can’t afford to is a luxury. No problem with people claiming benefits to top up their income but you are the one saying you can’t afford it, and I just suggest maybe you need to ditch that plan until you can afford it.

A PhD is like a job, you get paid approx min wage salary as a grant. OP world that necessarily be any better off if DH worked.

*wouldn’t

Are they? Wonder why op didn’t say that?

Childminders are cheaper. Why don't you want one?

I'm a teacher and my dh doesn't earn a large wage. My salary covers the childcare plus a bit more. I work 4 days a week as we can't afford for me to work any less. Even though I don't earn much after nursery fees I'm still paying into a pension and progression up the pay scale. Don't forget to factor those two things in. You must be low down on the pay scale so very new to teaching if your wage doesn't cover the daily nursery rate? My daughter's nursery is term time only so we do save a bit there.

My husband does work. He works on the days when I don’t. He needs at least two days to study. He doesn’t get a grant and we’ve looked at those options. It’s not like a science PhD where you get paid to work. He wanted to do a PhD for a long time and we saved enough to cover his fees.

£65 is the cheapest one. The one that I got a quote from is £650ish a month. My neighbours also send their kids to the local nursery which is roughly the same.

The reason why I want to stay in teaching is so I can go up the pay scale. I’m on m3 so far and I’ve only taught for 2 years. I would like to increase my hours later on once DS is in full time education so in my eyes it’s vital for me to stay working.

It’s not a luxury again. We are both working.

I’ll have a look at term time nurseries. Seems like a good option to me.

www.turn2us.org.uk/Get-Support there are benefit calculators on this website - or check gov.uk website should have some figures on your entitlement

Because of the term time funding these days, there are quite a lot of Nurseries that are all year round Nurseries, but also operate term time only contracts. It makes sense as so many dc attend term time only, and, of course a lot of staff like term time only contracts. I know of a couple that actually have specific rooms for term time dc.