How do single mothers on low incomes afford childcare?

[Hopspinach]

So I'm currently helping a Ukrainian relative come to the UK, to escape the war. She has primary school aged children, and she speaks no English. I presume this means the only type of jobs she'll be able to do are those that don't require much verbal communication, like cleaning. She'll be staying with a family who I know in London. My question is, what will she do during the school holidays when the kids are home, she needs to work, and childcare is so expensive? Even if she earnt like £80 a day as a cleaner, if she had a childminder she'd have almost nothing left over for rent, especially in London (she won't have to pay rent for several months, but once her BRP is issued and the 6 months are up, she will, presumably, have to support herself). How do people manage/afford this normally? During term time I guess she can work while the kids are at school, but what about during the summer?

A good question, working tax credits/universal credit supplement earnings for low earners and have a childcare element, but I don't know if refugees will qualify.

Benefits, but I'm not sure that will apply for your relative unfortunately.
There may be subsidised holiday clubs available.

If your kids are under 5 and your working you pay to have them in private nursery/childminder and get 80percent I think it is paid to you for the childcare under universal credit depending how much you work etc, after the age of 3 years if your working your entitled to 30 hours nursery but only during term time I'm not sure about childminders etc if you can claim or if it's something that you can look into if the kids are older, or if she would be entitled to anything. I'm just going off myself when I was working part time when my oldest was little . Most people do rely on their families to pick up the childcare for them.

If she qualifies for free school meals there are free holiday clubs available. Otherwise it’s the child care element of universal credit.
The early years department at the council are very helpful and have a list of providers so it’s worth contacting them

She would have to rely on friends to help her.

Even if you are well off you still need people to help you in case you have an emergency.

So you need to make friends with as any people with children as possible and if you are lucky at least one person will do reciprocal childcare.

I work when ds is with his dad so I don't have to pay for childcare. Is there anyone who would be able to help her with childcare? You can claim help with childcare costs through universal credit, but I'm not sure she would be able to claim for that. Also schools do tend to put on some free/subsiside childcare during the holidays.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/dwp-benefits-access-ukraine-refugees-26515989

This looks promising

When I was in that situation I got 72% of it paid by the tax credits direct into my bank account, then I would pay the nursery ( incidentally that was also my work place). Childcare was £570 a month and my wages were £900 so when I left and went on benefits I was actually better off by £50 a month.

You've never thought about this before until your relative was affected?

@A580Hojas

You've never thought about this before until your relative was affected?

I don't have children so I've never had any reason to look into childcare costs.

What is her current (most recent) working situation and what experience of studying does she have?

It might be better to learn English to a level which lets her build on her previous experience. It will depend on her exact situation how practical this suggestion is.