Nurseries so expensive

[samommy]

My family has just moved to the UK on a 5 ancestral visa, and we are loving it . We have no access to public funds which is understandable as we are not citizens but we find the nursery school very expensive. According to our visa's we both have to work so it is not possible for me to stay home with the kids. I have a 3yr old and an 18mth old and together their monthly fees come to more than my salary.. and I have been told that I am getting a really good salary considering it is my first job in the UK... I also prefer the nursery structure as compared to cminders and the children get to mix with many different children as well instead of only a few... but the cost is out of this world..Are all nurseries so expensive or did I (unknowingly) go for the elite..?

our nursery is £30 a day or £125 a week, that covers 11 hrs a day (open 7am -6pm) and all food/drink during the day (breakfast, cooked two course lunch, sandwich tea)

We get childcare vouchers pretax from OH company which saves us about £20 a week

I don't think that less than £3 an hour is expensive, and whilst I may not be getting the one-one care I could get by employing someone on minimum wage what I do get makes up for that.

For £5.25 (or whatever min wage is) I could get one to one care but:
no guarentee of holiday /sickness cover
I'd still have to cover overheads either in my house or theirs (heat and light, food, equipment, playgroups)
If I was employing them myself I'd have to pay/sort out tax and NI stuff.
I know its not always the case but in DS nursery all the room key workers have NVQ level 3 as a minimum, they have 3 fully trained first aiders in the building, a trained cook, a trained teacher (who handles the after school club), an early years practitioner (who handles the preschool and 0-5 framework)
They have large equipment that I couldn't afford/ have room for
They have lovely little kid sized loos and singing potties to help with potty training

All in all I think £3 an hour is a bloody bargain! (and he gets 1:4 care aged 2-3)

When people say nurseries are expensive I wonder what price they do think is reasonable to pay?

SIL was told that she and her kids counted as seperate indviduals and could get funds for stuff but her dh didn't coz his visa said no recourse to public funds like mine did. the public funds according to my old letter are:
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income Support
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
a Social Fund payment
Child Benefit
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit
State Pension Credit
Attendance Allowance
Severe Disablement Allowance
Carer's Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
local authority housing, and
local authority homelessness assistance.

Hence maternity allowance and nhs treatment don't count as they are based on NI contributions and i am reasonably certain nursery places dont count.

Found it

'Do other benefits and public services count as public funds?

Only the forms of support listed above count as public funds. Public funds do not include the Benefits based on National Insurance contributions, such as:

contribution-based jobseeker's allowance
incapacity benefit
retirement pension
widows benefit and bereavement benefit
guardian's allowance
statutory maternity pay
Healthcare and education also do not count as public funds - although your immigration status may affect whether you are eligible for them.'

I also agree that I think my fees aren't that expensive and we pay £52 per day (3 days/week) in North London. This is for up to 11 hours' childcare, all meals, snacks, milk and nappies (if needed). I pay £34 for a cut and blow dry that lasts 1 hour. I think £52 per day (less than £5/hour) to put my DD somewhere she is happy and I trust is worth every penny.

L

Hiya Bossybritches, believe me I have put my fees up now and parents still think we are too expensive! I show them that I do things with the children, cook them decent meals for their lunches (meal plan), take them to tots groups to mix with other children as well as doing school runs for my own child. I would love to have the minimum wage but this government is telling ofsted to charge us £100 to register in 2010 or before if they get their way.

I don't have a choice in the work I do as my family are not local, I have a 5 yr old and until he goes to senior school. I tried working in a nursery but when he was ill with chicken pox for a couple of weeks and I had to take time off they (the nursery) told me I cannot take any more time off when he was next ill so I returned to cming (I stayed registered).

I have just been let down by a woman today, I was supposed to start looking after a 10 mth old next Monday but its gone pear shaped.

Oh dear M2L did you have a contract with her & at least a deposit?

I know the OFSTED thing is going to affect us all -don't get me started!!- & we'll have to pass the cost on to the parents.

Stick to your guns though & your reputation will go befor you- if your clients are working for anyone they will HAVE to be paid minimum wage so why shouldn't you get at least £4 an hour?