I'm currently at university and am due to finish at the end of june 2009. I have a 2 year old who attends nursery full time on week days. I have earned zero last tax year (07 - 08) and will probably earn zaero this tax year (08 - 09). My partner earned 18750 before deductions last year (07 - 08). Last year we were entitled to about £2000 worth of child tax credits but no working tax credits. My partner is predicted to earn about 19200 before deductions this year (08 09). It is the LEA and the university that pay 100% of my sons nursery costs at the moment but all this will stop at the end of June 2009. This childcare costs are £573.75 a calendar month (132.40 a week) and this is all weeks or months of the year. The question is is how much can myself and my partner earn this year (08 - 09) to be eligable for the working tax credits again and the 80% of the childcare costs next year (09 - 10) if from June 2009 I was working 16 hours a week. And then does anyone know or can predict how much we can earn next year (09 - 10) and not have to pay any of the childcare payments back and still get some for the following (10 - 11) tax year. After that my little lad will be at school. I thought I'd better ask about the following year becuase I'll take a 16 hours a week job back on the checkouts or something until find a degree related job. This I hope will then put me on about £18000 or £20000 a year. It's just that how am I going to search for work and attend interviews up and down the UK with no childcare paid for? There's no way we will be able to fund a nursery place on my partners wages alone.