So confused financially (tax credits)

[user1487854472]

I am a single mum and started a new job working nights following my maternity leave. My daughter is 10 months old and I have no support from her father. I literally only have my mum for childcare. I am currently working two nights a week (22 hours) and earn approx £16500 a year doing this. I claim tax credits and get £50 wtc and £250 ctc.

My mum is now saying that she may not be able to offer child care for one night a fortnight, which means I may need to cut my hours to 16.5 a week (spread over the fortnight) and would earn around £12400.

Does anyone know if the rest could be made up in tax credits? I am so stressed by this, I don't know what to do. I haven't found any benefit calculators to be correct so far, so wondered if anyone else could offer some advice?

You tax credits may increase a little but not by the amount that you are losing. Maybe 5 or 10 pounds per week if they change at all.

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There is a £2.5k disregard if your income drops meaning any future award would be based on earnings of £15k I think. So yes they would increase slightly but not a lot. Try putting your figures into a benefits calculator.
You need to make sure your hours don't drop below 16 or you would lose working tax creidts and childcare help ( if you get it).

Do you have the option to not drop your hours and do some day shifts instead?
You would most likely then get a good proportion of childcare fees paid.

Day shifts are only 8am to 8pm, so I'd have no one to care for my daughter for that short amount of time before bed. I can't believe how hard it is to juggle being a single mum and work.

I'm assuming you are a Nurse? Maybe you need to consider a switch to community nursing or practise nursing or some kind of clinic work.
We do a similar shift pattern to what you describe but the lone parents I work with have older kids and lots of family support.
Of course the problem with a 9-5 type Nursing job is it is less money as no weekends or nights and more childcare costs.
There are no easy solutions I'm afraid.
Could you find a childminder who could keep your baby until 8pm or a reliable babysitter who could pick up from the childminder and be with her in your home for a coupled of hours until you get home ?
There are usually ways around shift work but it might cost you a bit more and if a babysitter isn't officially registered you wouldn't be able to claim help towards childcare for those few hours.
Things will get easier as your child gets older.

You are earning really good money for the hours you are doing so it would be a shame to change it. If it is only one night in each fortnight can you find a reliable babysitter that can stay over this night at your place so you can keep your working pattern the same?

There are also night nannies but this would cost more per hour