Childcare reform: what about parents not on benefits?

[justwren]

So universal credit claimants will be entitled to more help with childcare costs as announced by the govt this week.
What about those who aren't on benefits?
We're the ones who have to be finding 14k a year for one child in nursery. I'm not entitled to any benefits because my husband earns £34k a year. That's hardly millions!

Why is there no support being offered to the families who are having to pay for it in its entirety?

www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare

Yes, the link says what I said, well done.

Yes both parents need to work and earn over a certain amount to get the 30 free hours. Non-workers get 15 free hours.

You don't have to work 30 hours just earn over a certain amount.

The level of reading comprehension for some posters on this thread is so poor that it's hard to believe.

This!

Yes.

but let’s not have that prevent people from
painting people in receipt of the childcare element of UC as feckless losers who don’t contribute to society. 😩

I don’t think enough people understand that UC is, for many, many claimants an in work benefit.

I didn’t say that you had to work 30 hours, I said that you had to work for the 30 hours, as in, you have to work in order to be eligible for the 30 hours free childcare.

30 funded hours (not free for me as pay a top up so still over £200 a month for 2 days, prior to turning 3 was a struggle, worked for pennies) are in usually for working parents. Everyone is entitled to 15 but if working you can apply for the extra 15. & we're not
on a low income & I can't remember how I afforded everything whilst paying out so much. & not just the parents who struggle. The nursery's aren't funded enough by the government & so many are shutting down.

The government only helps with childcare costs via UC if you are in work. 41% of people on UC are in work if you are on less than 40K as a household with nursery costs then you should be entitled to something.

I think the system needs a bit of an overhaul tbh. UK is fairly unique in not giving some sort of tax advantage to parents. Imagine you increased tax free allowance by 50% for parents (as many countries do) and affordable childcare existed.

I do agree I was hopeful that given we have two full time working parents and I have to work during the night some of night to try ti keep our childcare costs down (which are rising along with many other things) that there may be some additional support in regards to childcare.

We do get 30 hours free childcare (and are on no benefits) as both parents work over 16 hours a week and that is the qualifying factor (plus neither earning over 100k which we certainly don't!)

This is a massive lifeline. We were struggling every month to balance the books until this came in the term after our son turned 3 and has changed the childcare cost from £1150 to £450 which was massive. Unfortunately the energy prices as well as mortgage and food increases has swallowed it, but we aren't going to lose our home, which is what would have happened if the cost increases had hit us whilst not having the 30 hours free childcare.

We don't get much of a life though.. it's not a great existence and both exhausted with not a lot to show for any of it!

I thought the plan was to change the way it's paid not the amount paid at the moment the parent on UC has to pay childcare then claim it back this is hard if your living on a low budget by paying it upfront it removes a barrier to work as most childcare is paid in advance before you earn the wage.