Additional child care cost of £300 a month

[TheMintHam]

My DC goes to nursery three days a week term time only, she used to be in one day a week in the hols but nursery now unable to cater that. Since April the cost on top of funding will be approx. £308 a month. This has basically doubled. Nursery has now said that 5:30 is the latest for pick up, it was 6pm. Early bird drop off has doubled so that it is now an unaffordable extra. It might not sound a lot and I bet others are struggling with even higher costs but I’m a single mom and now can’t get to nursery in time to pick her up after work as my work day ends at 5:30. I may actually have to stop working because I have no informal childcare and DC’s dad is not great. I’m just shocked at what’s happened recently. Anyone else in the same boat?

Can you look at a different nursery with better hours or maybe a childminder who will probably be cheaper?

When you say DC's Dad is not great, does that mean he doesn't do anything? Can't he step up and do some pick ups or drop offs?

Failing that, I would talk to your manager at work see if they can offer some flex eg. Shorter lunch and earlier finish.

I feel you. All this bull shit about 'free' hours but the. Not funded correctly from the government so nurseries are passing on the cost.

My fees have gone up by £115 a month. It's crippling us. I pay just over £850 a month for 1 child 4 days 7.30-5.30 and 1 child 3 days 7.30-5.30. That's including the 30 hours 'free' for child three days and using 20% government tax free account. I also now have to pay for nappies and wipes for youngest which used to be included and food for the oldest which used to be included so that's maybe another £100 a month too. I'm literally paying childcare to keep my job for when they go to school.

My nursery is excellent and it's actually classed as one of the cheaper ones.

It's killing parents

@BusyCM Thanks for your response- There is zero availability at the nurseries near me. I’d been looking into it since before Christmas and made enquiries but have been told they’re at capacity especially after universal 15 hours. I’m on the WL for a few. I can’t drive at the moment due to a health condition so the only other places are way out of area and it takes too long on public transport making it a moot option. I’m just kinda gobsmacked. Childminders are like gold dust round here too, doesn’t seem to be many about.

My childcare costs were £1100pm for 5 days a week. Bill for April onwards is now £1450pm and pickup time has changed from 5:30pm to 5pm, if we need a 5:30pm pickup it is an additional £15 a day. Also consumables that were included are now not.

I completely understand, it's extremely difficult for parents and settings at the moment.

I am a childminder and offering the hours completely free at the moment, though I do only offer full days as it's the only way I can make it work at the moment but I'm very mindful of my fees. All my parents are paying less now with the funding in place.

@Jk987 Saying he’s not great is putting it mildly, he pays no rent or board where he’s living, no bills etc and pays bare min. Child maintenance. Doesn’t pick DC up when he knows I’ve got work etc. I had an asthma attack the other day and he left DC with me, because he didn’t ’believe me’- He’s a real piece of work in all honesty. He has stepped up to do pick up drop off in the past but isn’t reliable and uses it against me. DC hasn’t seen him for the past few weeks for more than a couple of hours. Sigh, rant over haha. Basically, if he knows I’m struggling he won’t help…

My boss is rubbish. Truly. Already has some issues because I’m single parent which I won’t go into here.

@Whatelsecouldibecalled Solidarity with you. The amount of stress it causes is insane, it is just eye watering to hear the costs that yourself and others are paying.

@weaningdoubts What are the nursery options like round where you are? Very few places?

Absolutely maddening.

I don’t understand how there’s not much noise about this issue. To me, it’s the pretty much the number 1 problem facing women of childbearing age.

Thankfully my children are past nursery age but I know about this because of all the publicity, it was being discussed on national radio the other day when I was going to work. I'd say it is pretty high profile at least in the places I get news from

There is a whole lot of ‘noise’ about this!

I never understand these threads - don't people think about this before they have kids? Do you not look into the price or restrictions of childcare? Whether you think it is fair or not - that is the price of having a kid in nursery.

I have a kid at nursery so I am not talking about it from a place of ignorance.

People don't realise that nurseries are businesses - they are not there to provide a free service. They need to pay rent/utilities/wages etc. The hourly rate I pay for my kid at nursery is a hell of a lot less than I pay for her £15 an hour dance lesson!

@Bostoncremecolor Yeah I did, but sometimes you can’t foresee certain occurrences. I didn’t plan for my ex of 7 years to be an abusive serial cheater when I became pregnant but that’s the hand I was dealt. I work full time, have completed my post grad thesis whilst working since becoming a single mom and have basically raised my loving and kind DC with no help from 8 months along. I’m not asking for a medal, I am not asking for a hand out, I just wanted to share my experience because it is rough at the moment.

@Bostoncremecolor

I'm assuming a lot of people don't.

However, very few would have been able to predict the situation we are now in with all the decisions the government have made recently.

theres a scary shortage of staff (Brexit, wages stagnant)
staff dropping out due to wages/ratios/unreasonable expectations
cost of living
Increased fees to make up the shortfall for 'free' hours

A nursery changing opening hours - how was she supposed to forecast for that? And no alternative places?

@TheMintHam it's dreadful isn't it.

are you able to look for a different job (more money/more flexibility)? It's about the only option I can think of.

can you get Ex's contribution re evaluated??

,

@TheMintHam

you mentioned 'hand out'

are you actually claiming everything you're entitled to? Have you checked??

if you're eligible you must claim. There's a lot of benefit money unclaimed.

Not having a go at OP but for the paying extra to make up the government shortfall has been known for years as has the cost of nursery. Inflation is always possible - history teaches us that one! I certainly knew about it when i was pregnant a few years go. The brexit staff shortage was also easily predictable.

Yeah there are some uknowns but that is why I made sure before having kids I could make things work on one wage - because you just don't know what the future holds. Which means things like not taking the mortgage at the top of my affordability etc etc.

I am not saying that you can predict everything but I see these threads all the time and can't believe people don't plan for more than the 'happy path'.

I don’t understand how there’s not much noise about this issue. To me, it’s the pretty much the number 1 problem facing women of childbearing age.

There is a whole lot of noise about it, especially on forums like this, but I disagree it’s the number 1 problem facing those of childbearing age. It is a massive problem it’s only really affecting a group of women/parents with under 5s which is a smaller group, I guess. Nobody I know (of childbearing age) is affected by it as our kids are now at school, but it’s massively affecting people a bit younger.

Unfortunately the government have cocked this idea up (and it was a very good idea to subsidise childcare!). You cant bang on about free childcare for 2y+ but then not fund it properly or ensure there are enough places. It’s a minimum wage job with no flexibility, the government need to somehow persuade more people to do it so that there are 40,000 more spaces. How are they going to do that?

@Bostoncremecolor It is funny because I have never ‘only planned for the happy path’, I have always been realistic about what life has to offer, or not offer, and do not believe I’m owed a debt of happiness. Also, compared to hell I was living in a two parent household in latter days of my previous relationship so this is the happy path, relatively speaking. It is just hard which is more the point. I live a frugal existence, and I’m sensible because I have to be. You cannot plan for every eventuality no matter how hard you try, having children you surely should empathise with this sentiment. They love throwing curve balls at the best of times.

@Pinkpinkpink15 Sorry, ‘hand out’ I sound like my mother, that terminology isn’t representative of how I think.

Honestly, I haven’t checked or had the time to. I think my income, which is still less than national average, would exclude me? Tbh student loans are killer when they’re being taken too.

OP are you able to get any help with childcare fees through UC or tax-free childcare?

Fucking hell. Open your eyes, sweetheart, will you?

Childcare costs 18 months ago were 40% less, yes, you read that correctly, in my area. My DS is not even out of fully paid childcare yet and I can't afford DC2 because of the cost which increased in a totally unpredictable and unprecedented manner. Wake up then comment.

OP, I give you every sympathy. I pay a lot more than you (over £1k for 3 days at the moment...) and that's hard on two decent wages. What you're paying is proportionately high to what you bring in as a single mum and I agree with you, the fees have gone up incredibly. The whole sector needs a complete overhaul.

@TheMintHam check on entitledto. You might be eligible for atleast something per month!

@TheMintHam

Sorry, ‘hand out’ I sound like my mother, that terminology isn’t representative of how I think

that's pretty much why I highlighted it. It sounded like the way you were brought up to think of it.

you're as entitled as anyone to claim the money the Govt have ring fenced for someone in your situation.

make it a priority to check what you're entitled to & put your claims in. Other than using Entitled to, I don't have any idea what you are entitled to claim, but if you start a thread asking, you'll get advice. It all helps & it helps you to work, pay tax & stay in the work force way beyond the nursery years.

Honestly, I haven’t checked or had the time to. I think my income, which is still less than national average, would exclude me? Tbh student loans are killer when they’re being taken too

@Bostoncremecolor

im sure she didn't plan to have her partner become violent & for her to be a single parent, yet here she is.

There's factoring in inflation, but you can't factor in such massive increases in absolutely everything.

Youre being very smug & it's not nice.