Tax free childcare working as a TA??

[Sunnydays60]

I used to work as a TA. I've since had a baby and had to quit my job (long story but had to move etc etc). So now I'm looking at getting back into it. Thing is, it really doesn't seem worth it if I have to pay full time, full price child care. I've found a nursery place that can do term time only, my only problem is that to qualify for tax free childcare, I have to be paid for 16 hours a week. Working as a TA, your pay is split over a year so this would require working considerably more than 16 hours a week to hit the minimum income when LO is attending nursery. This means longer days during term time and paying more nursery fees. We wouldn't be claiming over the summer as I wouldn't be using the childcare and the allowance is split over the year so it can't even out as I would be missing out on most of the summer payment. Has anyone worked their way around this can give me some pointers??? Or do I just have to work full time to qualify? In which case, it's probably more worthwhile me going back when I get 30 free hours?
Thanks
PS. I know making childcare work at the best of times on a low income is practically impossible but just feeling so guilty being off work. Especially now. Having said that, if I'm going to be earning a fiver a day, I'd rather try other ways to make money (even though I miss the job!)

Aren't f/T TA positions around 25-30 hours a week? Well over the min for t/c. Is your main motivation for working to claim top ups, or to earn? You'll be better off once you get the free 30 hours, but until then you'll be gaining experience and employability.

Hi, thanks, yes usually 9-3 ish so around 25 hours full time I guess, depending on the role and the school. I probably should have explained that ideally I'd like to just do mornings. Less time in nursery for her and also less fees to pay. My motivation for returning to work is to get a bit of social interaction/ mental stimulation as well as earn cash - I won't qualify for top ups. Possibly best leaving it til the term before 30 hours (I'd like her settled before having to worry about juggling work) and then just starting full time (she'll be older and earning so much more seems to make it more justifiable). If I've worked it out out right though, I'd have to work 19/20 hours a week to hit the 16 hours minimum. That's possibly doable if I work a morning and cover a lunch duty. Just wondering if anyone else had done it and if I've worked it out right?!

You don't have to work 16 hours a week, you have to earn so much a week (£140? £160?) I can't remember off the top of my head but it's not that much. I'm sure you'd qualify as a TA.

I think they look at your average pay over 3 months and that needs to be at least the equivalent of working 16 hours per week at £9.50 per hour so £152 per week or £658 per month.

Yes, the government website says it's usually the equivalent of 16 hours at minimum wage. A TA wage isn't usually much over the minimum wage. Plus if I work, for arguments sake, 16 hours a week, I estimate I will get paid for just under 14 hours a week over the course of the year. So even if I were to get paid, say 10.50 an hour, the extra money gets lost when they pro rata the salary (in this situation, if I worked 16 hours, I'd get approx £147 per week which isn't enough). It's making my head hurt trying to take into account the pro rata, so that's why I was wondering if anyone had actually done it and made it work and how many hours did that take?

You'll get paid for 38 work weeks, plus 5.6 weeks holiday, then split over 52 weeks.

So you'd probably have to work at least 20 hours in term time at £9.50 to qualify. Maybe 18 hours if you are contracted to work inset days so do 39 weeks term time and earn £10 an hour.

Might be easier to look at the gross annual salary - needs to be at least £7904.