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Original poster

Giving up work - what benefits am I entitled to?

16 replies

SunnyJaamy · 03/10/2007 23:56

Hi

My mum has recently had a very serious illness. She's nearly 70 and facing quite a long convalescence. I have been working 3 days a week with my mum looking after 2DDs one day a week and DDs in nursery 2 days a week. Obviously mum is now unable to do any childminding for me. Daily nursery costs are roughly the same as I earn in a day so putting the girls in daycare for 3 days is just not an option (even if I really, really loved my job!). I can't see any other solution but to give up work until DDs are in full time school. No bad thing as we are TTC anyway and certainly couldn't afford 3 DCs in childcare.

So, am I entitled to any benefits if I give up work voluntarily (ie, not made redundant)? Also is my husband's income considered when calculating my benefits?

TIA

OP posts:
motherhurdicure · 04/10/2007 08:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HappyMummyOfOne · 04/10/2007 09:22

If your husband is working, you'll only be eligible for working tax credit/child tax credits (proving his income is below the criteria) and child allowance.

For income support, you have to be working under 16 hours with your husband working under 24 hours but then they still take into account wages - its more a benefit for single people.

LilBloodRedWantsGore · 04/10/2007 09:24

Just Child Tax Credits afaik

Original poster
SunnyJaamy · 04/10/2007 11:15

Thanks folks!

I will still be looking for a job - just that it would be one that would pay me enough to cover the childcare and then some!

Ah well, will have to curb my spending on all those designer clothes, shoes and big nights out. I wish!

Cheers

OP posts:
MrsMuddle · 04/10/2007 11:40

But if you're looking after your mum - ie being her carer - you might be elegible for other benefits. Go to Jobcentre Plus and ask for a "better-off calculation".

Original poster
SunnyJaamy · 04/10/2007 13:03

Ooooh, MrsMuddle, do they do that? Will gather together all my figures and have a chat with Jobcentre-plus.

I'm not going to be my mum's carer as she should recover sufficiently to look after herself but I just don't want her to have the pressure of looking after her grandchildren (my sister relies on mum 2 days a week for childcare and as I said she looks after my DDs one day a week)

OP posts:
MrsMuddle · 04/10/2007 20:22

Yes, they do, but unfortunately, in your case, it might be a "worse-off" calculation. . Go before you give up work, because you might be entitled to help to pay for childcare.

ScaryJaamy · 05/10/2007 12:18

Thanks Mrs Muddle but I seriously doubt whether I'll get anything with DH's salary taken in to account.

I suppose I'll need to "sign on" or whatever to make sure that my NI, etc is kept up to date? Will I be expected to pay anything towards that?

sunshineandshowers · 06/10/2007 15:34

Could you and your sister look after each other kids as you both appear to work PT?

You never know your mum might recover quite quickly and the prospect of having the little ones again might give her something to aim for?

LIZS · 06/10/2007 15:40

Short term you may not even get Jobseekers if you have resigned. It might be better to find a chidlminder (usually cheaper than a nursery) and keep the job. How old are your dd's are you claiming the LEA vouchers which subsidise their costs from 3

ScaryJaamy · 06/10/2007 23:19

Hi - thanks for all the comments:

My DDs are 2 and 3.5. DD1 has recently started the nursery at the school that she will attend next year so we have lost the LEA subsidy at the private nursery (who pick her up and drop her off at school nursery FOC), BUT even with the LEA subsidy, daily nursery costs are pretty much what I earn and I work 30 miles away so have petrol costs on top of that.

Childminder for 2 under school age actually works out more expensive than nursery. I would need them from 8 to 6 plus a nursery school drop off.

Sister lives 3/4 hour drive from me and has 2DS - nearly 3 and 5.5. Simply can't do the school and nursery school run - they are nearly 30 miles apart! Mum lives in between us.

Mum is 70 next year and shouldn't really be running around after toddlers single handed 3 days a week. She is also waiting for a knee operation. When I told her today that I was probably going to give up work she didn't make a fuss like I expected - think she knows it is sensible solution.

ScaryJaamy · 06/10/2007 23:28

Oh dear, just read last post and it sounds like I have been making my poor crippled OAP mum run around after my DDs while I swan off to work!

Just wanted to let you know, that's not the case! I've always told my mum that she must let me know if it gets too much, and lately it has.

Sunshineandshowers - know what you mean about giving her something to aim for. Am currently very worried that she's going to feel a bit useless in the next few weeks/months but putting pressure on her isn't going to help either. It's not as if she's never going to see her DGCs again and I don't have any more holidays to take at work if she does fall ill again. Don't want to feel like I have to choose between work and my mum's health/DDs' care.

Sorry for long posts!

ScaryJaamy · 09/10/2007 21:02

Anybody know how national insurance contributions work if I am not working or claiming benefits?

hifi · 09/10/2007 21:20

can you get attendance allowance, dont know much about it but my mum gets it for gran.

BetsyBoop · 09/10/2007 21:27

re NI credits - this should help

ScaryJaamy · 09/10/2007 23:46

Thanks hifi and betsyboop!

It looks like as long as I am caring for someone under 6yo (I have 2) the years of NI contributions I have to make will be reduced (I think - will check with jobcentre).

Not sure that mum is entitled to attendence allowance - she's not disabled just convalescing, but that would be her benefit, anyway.

Thanks again!

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