Paying for childcare after maternity leave

[katiee1999]

Hi everyone,

I was supposed to be going back to University in September (after having my baby who is now 3 months old) but I've decided that it would be best for me to go straight into work, or maybe even take on a higher apprenticeship, purely because university just isn't for me. However, how on earth do people go about paying childcare costs? My local nursery gets away with charging parents over £800 for a place. The government were willing to pay 80% of my childcare costs if I went back to university, but obviously I'd be going back for the wrong reasons if I did this. Can someone explain to me how they go about affording to work? I've read slightly into childcare vouchers but I also have no idea how these work, and I know not all employers offer these. I can imagine I'd only be on a salary of approximately £20,000 to begin with (at least), but I don't think I'm eligible for any other extra benefits. Hope someone can help.

Have you looked into using a childminder instead - it worked out a lot cheaper for us than using a nursery. We also decided it would suit our DC a lot better - it being a lot cheaper was an added bonus.

@missmuddypuddles yeah maybe! And nope, I'm a single parent unfortunately.

On 20k would you not be entitled to some universal credit? Have you tried the entitled to calculator?

If you decide to go to University, then Childcare Grant will pay up to 85% of childcare cost but that it is capped - max is £174.22 per week for 2020/21.
Details: www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/products/full-time-undergraduate-education/full-time-childcare-grant/whats-available/
If your childcare cost is £800 per month / £9600 per year, then the cap won't be an issue as 85% of £9600 is £8,160 whereas the cap would be £9059.44. This assumes the childcare place is charged all year round.

Even if youre a single parent, youre still entitled child support, will that help?

Yeah stay at uni - depending on your subject you will much more quickly get a £30k + job and it's a bonus your childcare costs are mostly covered during this time. Make the most of it - even change subject if you would do better/ enjoy something else more.

Would you be entitled to universal credit or anything like that?
If it were me I would stay at university, minimize my childcare costs & increase my earning potential for when your dc gets funding. However if you really dont want to then look in to what help you would get.

I'm sorry you took my comment about the cost as a dig. Didn't mean it that way. It is a lot of money and I do see where you are coming from but just trying to say that the nursery you are looking at isn't necessarily over charging. I wish you the best of luck in finding good childcare. As some people have mentioned a child minder may be cheaper. I found that if you want all day hours a childminder was not necessarily cheaper

Unfortunately it’s really difficult to afford childcare unless you earn very well. It’s why a lot of people don’t go back to work sadly. My youngest only goes part time (I work 4 long days and am home with him on the 5th day). It’s about £800-900 but with tax free childcare usually more around £600-700.

I think now is the tome to think long term. You earning prospects will not be great without a university education unless you plan to go into certain trades. I would take the funding and make the most of getting through a degree now so you are in the best possible situation to provide for both of you long term.

I finished (admittedly a postgraduate) degree when my first was little. We just about broke even after paying at the time about £1000 a month for nursery. 7 years later, it was very worth it, even though it was hard. I earn 2-3 times what I did back then and am in a much more secure situation financially.