Childcare issues on universal credit?

[lisamxxx]

Hi I am looking for some advice on my situation. I am currently working 20 hours a week. I do 4hours a day mon-fri and earn about £850 every 4 weeks. My partner lost his job at the end of last year and has been looking for work since. Our son just turned 2 and my partner has been looking after him since he became unemployed whilst I’m at work. Beforehand we relied on my mother in law to help with childcare but she has since got a new job herself so is no longer able to help with childcare. My local nursery has said they can only take my son 3 days a week at the moment. I don’t drive and have to get a bus to work so this isn’t ideal as it is the only nursery I can easily access there is currently no childminders in the village I live in. We are finding it hard as I don’t know what we would do about childcare now if my partner was to get a new job and the job centre is getting on at him saying he has to be applying for full time jobs. An evening or weekend job would be ideal for him the now due to our childcare problem but he hasn’t had much luck yet finding one with hours to suit. The only other option feels like if he was to get a full time job for me to quit my job which I really don’t want to do as I’ve been there for years and enjoy it. I am currently down as the main carer for my son on our universal credit application, would we be better changing it to my partner to ease the pressure a bit for him finding a new job until we can get childcare sorted? Also if we done this would I then need to attend job centre appointments instead of him even though I work part time? Thanks x

Why don't you get a full time job? Where is he looking for work? He needs to take anything available. Even part time would help

Once you are both doing at least 16 hours each, your son will get 15 hours of funded childcare.

I think as long as combined you reach a certain income it doesn’t have to be full time - you could both be part time or just one work as long as you meet that earnings threshold ?

Yes swap over to your partner being the main caret, you’ll go into the light touch group becuase of your work already and will have minimal commitments and your partner will move into preparing for work subgroup wjere he won’t have to find work until your child is 3

My work don't tend to offer full time, just some overtime here and there and also because the plan is for my partner to get a full time job eventually as he doesn't plan on being a stay at home dad when we are able to get my son in nursery for the 5 days. He is looking for anything just now but because we don't have childcare mon-fri it's a bit of a problem as I work mon-fri and unless I get a new job with the days the nursery can do or quit my job there's no one to look after my son. I live in Scotland I don't think we get any free hours in childcare until my son is 3.

I only make around £840 at the moment but it will be going up to about £920 next month due to a pay rise. I got told that if it's a joint claim we would have to make over £1080 in order to not have to attend appointments but I'm just not sure if this is right or not it was on another group I asked the same thing and got told this by someone.

You are right about the threshold for couples. You would have to attend appointments if you are not the main carer in the claim.