Does anyone work for their dp/dh? Can you get £ help with nursery?

[ntt]

Hi, my partner is self employed and I have always helped him with his books/invoices/vat/liaison etc etc, there is quite a lot to do. However, since having my baby 7 months ago I've been unable to help him much at all on top of housework, cooking, playing with the baby, you know how it is....

Anyway, he's getting in a pickle because he simply can't keep on top of everything (he's not the most organised of people lol) and he's losing out work and opportunities because of it. His accountant suggested I work for him at least a couple of days a week and he pay me a wage, which would help with his tax anyway, not that he can afford to pay me much.

But, there is no way this would work if we had to pay the full amount of nursery fees which would be more than £500 a month just for 2 days!!!!

What I'd like to know is, would we be eligible for financial help towards fees in the same way I would if I was working for someone else?

TIA

depends what your dh is earning - if it's less than about £14,200 then I think yes, as long as the number of hours you are jointly doing a week exceed 30. you will then get 70% of the costs back. look at the tax credits website - here for more info.

Thanks lalaa- slim pickins last tax year - but he'd earned just over £15k net, so I guess that makes us ineligible? (that's a very low threshold for a family isn't it???)

Thanks for the link, it's not leading anywhere but I'll investigate.

the link should be to www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk. click on tax credits in one of the top menus.

worth taking a look anyway to check in case i've remembered it wrong.

Found that the link worked if I cut and pasted it for some reason... weird. I've had a quick look but info I need is seems to be a bit specific and going to take some looking for. I think I'll save my brain and call them instead on Monday.

They should be open now and tomorrow. You both have to work over 16 hours a week and depending on your costs on an income of 15k you should get 70% of your costs. So as long as he employs you and give you a wage it should be fine. The childcare also has to be registered but most is now a days.

That was his residual income after all business related expenses etc, so could the "costs" you mention be domestic ones?

thanks for letting me know they're open tomorrow

I really should read posts before posting them that last one doesn't make much sense.
I was meaning your childcare costs. But if 15K was the full income for the household you'd get 70% of the weekly childcare costs (so for 500 a month that would be £115 per week, 70% would be about £80 a week on top of whatever your getting for child tax at the moment. When you phone they should be able to do a rough calculation on the new figures). If the household income was higher you'd still get some help but the amount would reduce as the income goes up.
They should be quiet tomorrow especialy if you phone after about 6 O'clock, they are open till eight.

reat - thanks!