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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Returning to work after baby?

34 replies

RainMinusBow · 04/12/2019 22:17

Long story short...

I'm on a relatively low wage (£9.50ph) as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant. I work ft in terms of school hours - 8.30 - 3.30 Mon to Fri.

I just don't see how it's going to be possible to ever return to work after my baby is born as surely childcare costs will cancel out anything I earn?!!

I do have a fiancé - he also works ft on around £24k pa.

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Whodoyoutrust · 04/12/2019 22:45

Are you entitled to any help with child care costs or working tax credits? If not then yeah, full time child care can be around £1000 per month depending on where you live and whether you choose a childminder or nursery. It's obscene.

On the plus side for you, you could get a term time only place to keep costs down.

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 04/12/2019 23:08

Unfortunately not, we're completely on our own. It just saddens me that we're going to struggle, despite both working ft and having aways been in employment.

We're 39 and 43 so biological clock was definitely ticking and couldn't put it off any longer.

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goingtoneedabiggercar · 04/12/2019 23:23

We're in a similar position, the only reason I can afford to go back to work is because DH works weekends and gets 2 weekdays off however it means that we will have 0 time together as a family.

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 04/12/2019 23:28

@goingtoneedabiggercar Ah that's good you can work around it like that, wish we could. My OH works 9-5 M-F and his hours are very much fixed. But I do get what you mean about family time, that part's not great.

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KellyHall · 04/12/2019 23:34

You should qualify for Tax Free Childcare - do the application on gov.uk to check.

I'm an accountant but have been working evenings/weekends which is when my dh doesn't work, since our dd was 11 months old. I'm planning to go back to accounting part-time in the day when dd gets her free nursery hours [April 2020 - hooray!].

KellyHall · 04/12/2019 23:35

I've been working evenings/weekends in shops, for not much money but it made sense to us to minimise childcare and maximise mummy/daddy time. We both have a great bond with dd now, although family time is really only Sundays.

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 04/12/2019 23:41

@KellyHall We don't sadly as I have savings from my divorce above the £16k cut off.

Currently renting so the savings have been put away for a mortgage but can't get a mortgage as both on low wages and I'm on temporary contract and pregnant. Nightmare!

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Original poster

RainMinusBow · 04/12/2019 23:44

That's a very good point re shop work although don't know how good I'd be as always worked just in education. Will give anything a go though! May also be a little complicated by the fact I intend to breastfeed for at least first two years but could work around that I guess?

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CountYourRoosters · 04/12/2019 23:54

Yes it's ridiculous. In Germany it costs something like 200 a month for full time nursery, which means people's wages aren't entirely consumed by it. It should never be more attractive financially to not work rather than work, but sadly that's often the case

PixieDustt · 04/12/2019 23:59

I get how you feel.
I'm currently having to weigh up my options.
DP works mon-fri ft. I worked ft mon-fri also. Even if I go part time I'll be paying out half in nursery fees.
I can try to apply for an agency role (always work in my field) and work on the weekends. It's good pay PH and can potentially bring it more than what I would working mon-fri but also means giving up family time on the weekends. It's like a no win situation.

PixieDustt · 05/12/2019 00:00

In*

Whodoyoutrust · 05/12/2019 10:44

RainMinusBow the tax free child care is in place of the childcare vouchers, they don't take savings in to account, only earnings (upper threshold is £100k I think).

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 05/12/2019 12:54

@Whodoyoutrust Thank you, really useful to know. Does the child have to be a certain age to qualify for them?

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Whodoyoutrust · 05/12/2019 13:03

No, it's basically a bank account you pay in to and the government tops it up. You then pay your child care provider from it. You can't get the money back out once it's in though.

QforCucumber · 05/12/2019 13:08

You will be eligible for Tax Free Childcare account which basically knocks 20% off your bill. Childcare where we live works out at £47/day for a 10 hour day - £4.70/hr, knocking the 20% off we save in Tax Free Childcare means we pay £37.60 a day, both DH and I earn more than £37.60/day each which means it is still profitable for me to be at work. It's only for 2 years - from them being 1-3 when the 30 hours free kicks in.

QforCucumber · 05/12/2019 13:11

oh and thats using a nursery - a childminder round here is about £38/day - so tax free childcare would reduce that to £30.40/day. You need to do the figures and see what works for you. But also remember, if you're a TA you'll only need term time care - we pay year round as neither of us in a school.

Caspianberg · 05/12/2019 13:16

You might be able to find a childminder who works term time only? Some with their own children might not want to work in school holidays either or has too many then.

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 05/12/2019 16:52

Thanks all. I guess we'll have to do the sums as I only come out with around £60 a day so it would seem crazy to work ft and not really see much of the baby if I'm only going to be bringing in a tiny income. Work quite away too so petrol another factor...

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lifeisgoodagain · 05/12/2019 17:02

Why don't you look at retraining as a teacher whilst little one is young, there's extra help for student parents, and there's schemes where you train on the job now getting paid! I studied for my masters when mine were tiny

addictedtotheflats · 05/12/2019 17:10

Is there an option for a salary sacrifice scheme? Doing mine through my work (nhs) and works out 35% cheaper. Full day should cost £52 a full day but through the scheme it works out around £38..

If you put it through a salary calculator it would give you an idea of the reduced cost if you know the daily nursery rate. Also check how much child tax credit you would be entitled to on just your husbands wage.

Pinkblueberry · 05/12/2019 17:25

Why don't you look at retraining as a teacher whilst little one is young,

Hardly the most practical option. Applying for TT, completing TT and NQT years are tough for those with no one to care for but themselves, never mind having a baby/toddler to look after with no family to help besides, this shouldn’t be necessary. Being a HLTA is a skilled job that should be paid appropriately. It’s sad that OP finds herself in this situation. I would look into tax free childcare and a childminder - as pp said, at least you’re then only looking at term time care.

KellyHall · 05/12/2019 17:44

I was still breastfeeding my dd when I started the shop work, she was 11 months and she adapted really well - just feeding more when I was there and eating more actual food when I was at work.

Rodent01 · 05/12/2019 17:53

Possibly time to speculate to accumulate.

In 5 years time when the child has 12 weeks off a year you will be in the perfect position to maximise your earnings and pay minimal childcare.

I sucked up earning peanuts after childcare while mine were tiny and I work termtime only, because now, with 1 at school, 1 in termtime only childcare (year and a half to go!!) the grand scheme of things, it was worth it.

I get holidays off with the children and am not juggling ad hoc clubs / childcare to get through 2 weeks of Easter / Christmas, 3 weeks of half terms and 6 weeks of summer.

It’s easy to forget the bigger childcare picture when they are babies, but for 7 - 10 years of school when you can’t leave them alone, my job is the envy of many!!!!

BoomyBooms · 05/12/2019 17:58

I'm about to take maternity leave and when I go back to work (part time) I'll only be making a tiny 'profit' each month. In reality I won't make enough to pay our mortgage and vital bills. But I'm planning on staying in work because long term it will be worth it... When my DC is in paid nursery hours and then school I'll be back in a more reasonable profit again! So in reality it's a few broke years but better potential after that. I imagine your situation might be the same, especially if you can claim some help!

Original poster

RainMinusBow · 05/12/2019 17:59

I am a qualified teacher as it happens but ended up leaving the profession after 13 years as it made me very, very poorly. Was literally working 8 until about 1 / 2 am most days. Would never, ever return. No life at all, it was awful.

I love my HLTA job now passionately but the pay is shocking!

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