Benefits?

[Happylittlebluebird]

Hope this is OK to ask?

Do any of you get any financial help as you are a SAHP and partner working ft but on a low wage? If so, how much does your partner earn?

I've had a baby and just trying to work out options!

You are better off using benefit calculator www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators Have a look on here and input your other half’s wage

The only way this works out financially is when there is a much higher earner. For instance, my friend earns £40k, she went back to work FT after 5 months mat leave. Her partner is a SAHD because his earning potential is around £20k. It made no sense him going back to work too as his whole months wage would have gone on childcare arrangements! And who wants to spend their entire wages on a stranger raising their child. He will go back PT once the baby is at school though. But this only works because she can afford to support the family on her wages alone.

From my understanding you don’t get benefits if you’re left short for choosing to be a STAHP if the partner can’t support this decision. Support is provided to low earners, but they must work over a certain number of hrs a week to qualify.

Another example I can think of is my cousin who is a single mum and works as a part time cleaner, she is eligible for Universal Credit which bumps her income up considerably. If she were to find a partner and move him in, her benefits would be stopped and she would be financially worse off!! ..... unless he was earning a lot of money and was willing to cover rent etc.

It’s a tricky one and with the cost of childcare it makes it very hard to find the balance between whether it is worth going back to work or not.

I also forgot to mention if you have savings benefits are a non starter, but I’m sure you know that already

@CuriousAndCurious

I also forgot to mention if you have savings benefits are a non starter, but I’m sure you know that already

Incorrect

Allowed savings up to £6k
Then tapered up to £16k
But if more than £16k - no benefits

@Itsabeautifulday81 wow I had no idea. Always thought they expected people to use their savings before receiving benefits.

Look at one of the online calculators. Assuming your children are under 5 you may be eligible (over 5 you are expected to seek work pt)

Partner earns around 18k pa ft. I earn around £12k ft. The question is will we be better off us both working as obviously then our baby will need to be in ft childcare.

Does your partner have the option to maximise his earning potential by looking for a betrer paid role? Personally it depends where in the UK you are but childcare will cost you more than 12k a year, you can however get help with your childcare such as tax free childcare, claiming the childcare element of universal credit or 2 year old funding if you qualify.

@Pebbledashery His field of work is adult social care and he is passionate about his job (and I am very proud of what a difference he makes). But the pay is crap. This 18k is with a recent promotion!! So no, he's as high up as he can get with this.

It will be better when we can apply for the 2 years + thing but our daughter is only 11 months currently.

We don't get any tax credits if we both work full time (18k and 12k).

Ah that's a rewarding job :) is it a care home job? They are notoriously bad for underpaying staff but can see how he would be passionate about it.
I would say in your circumstances to perhaps just stay as you are.. Unless you're going to find a job that pays more than him, you'd be worse off working and spending it on childcare.
Universal credit is all really very much dependent on your circumstances.
Do you have any family that could look after your child if you did work so you could save on childcare?

@Happylittlebluebird

We don't get any tax credits if we both work full time (18k and 12k).

You will not get any tax credits at all. Those are non-existent for new claims. It's all UC and child benefit.

@Pebbledashery In essence he's an unqualified social worker e.g. he doesn't have a degree.
We are older parents (40 and 46) so sadly our parents are too old to be able to help with childcare.
I just worry that I will be working for nothing?

You could try a childminder instead they are usually cheaper than nurseries..
I would sit down and look at your outgoings vs your income see what you're better off doing, stay at home parent or working parent. Universal credit will take your partners income into consideration and you'd be making a joint claim.

@Pebbledashery Yes, we thought that may well be the case with a childminder. Thank you

Well we pay £900 rent pm for a start so bit of a nightmare!!

[quote CuriousAndCurious]@Itsabeautifulday81 wow I had no idea. Always thought they expected people to use their savings before receiving benefits.[/quote]
Probably best not to give financial advice without being sure!

@Itsabeautifulday81 chill your beef

Hi op. You’d be better off your partner working and you claiming UC. We have just claimed and although my dh earns more than yours and I work very part time and we have a little over the lower savings threshold we were actually pleasantly surprised by what we were given. It’s made the world of difference. Although tax credits no longer exist you still get the tax credit ‘element’ as it were. You will not be expected to look for work if child is under 3 I think. As you mention, if you are on a low wage it’s completely pointless you working to cover childcare costs, unless of course you love your job that much. I believe you can also claim back money from UC on childcare you’ve paid for (80%) however I haven’t worked that bit out yet. So in theory you could work part time and get some cost towards your childcare. Use something like entitledto benefits calculator.

You should be entitled to it I believe.
You're quite low earners so should be entitled to UC.

Use the turn2us calculator. First do it with just husband working, then with both working with childcare. Does partner's work run any schemes where they will pay costs to qualify and his wage?

Have you done any sums OP?

Have you looked at local nursery and childminder rates?

Do that then see if you’re better off working or SAH.