Tax credits and childcare - moral dilemma

[JeanBodel]

I really need some advice on this.

I just got a second part-time job. This bumps up my hours to a point where I'd be eligible for some help with childcare costs. Not a lot of help, because of my husband's salary, but a bit.

My daughter already goes to nursery for three days a week, which obviously costs us a significant amount.

Here's the rub: neither of my jobs takes place when she's at nursery. She's in for various reasons: so I can study, so I can provide sickness/holiday cover on an ad hoc basis, so I don't go mad caring for children all day.

Would it be morally wrong therefore to start receiving a government contribution towards my childcare costs?

I don't seem to be able to think about this clearly, so would be very grateful for any comments.

Thanks in advance.

I'm a childminder and I care for a little boy whose mum works nights. She has to sleep at some point and so I have him during hours that his mum doesn't work but without me, she wouldn't be able to work those nights. She gets help with her childcare costs.

Same thing surely?

callmemrs

I can see that your scenario looks unfair. But what if it's working during unsociable hours? I'll be working all day Saturday plus three evenings a week (getting home at 11:30). I have no free childcare as such, but obviously my husband can have the kids outside of his 9-5 job.

I don't know whether I would feel guilty about getting some small assistance towards the childcare that allows me to study, given that it would be quite hard to fit in any studying in my remaining free time.

Loony- my query was really 'what is the money FOR?' Is it to pay 'for childcare to actually enable you to do the job, then thats one thing - and would be childcare for while you are actually working , or commuting to/ from work, or as in nicknacks case, enabling you to sleep so you can work a night shift job.

You seem to be saying that the money should just be a 'bonus' to make life pleasanter for those who work, (eg enabling a mum who works 3 days a week and gets free childcare to then have work-free and child- free days on the other 2 days)

Ok - but my point is that if this is the case, why restrict it to parents of under 5s on a low income? If the reason is to make life easier- a sort of bonus- then why not pay it for people to employ a cleaner on their days off, to save them having to do housework? Or to enable them to afford to go to the gym or to study in their spare time?

Either its money for childcare because you actually need that care to work- or it isn't. If the former-then I think it should be ringfenced for that purpose only. If you can get free childcare and just use the money to get free nursery time when you have your days off- well, why not pay it to everyone on a low income to use as they wish?

Just a small point callmemrs the tax credits won't pay for free childcare, they pay an amount towards it, max 70% I think. So although I can see your point (I think) as you only get a significant amount of help towards childcare if you are on a fairly low household income, it makes no sense whatsoever to use childcare just for the sake of using it. You still have to find the rest of the money from somewhere! So really, your point about everyone getting it eg to hire a cleaner, makes no sense at all.

I was planning to do this if I got a part time job - do the job in the evenings and use the childcare during the days to cover my uni classes. I didn't even think that this could be considered morally wrong - if I could swap around and do it the other way I would, but there is much less module choice in the evenings. But either way surely this doesn't matter. It would be one or the other anyway.

OP it's worth investigating if there is a fund through your university or college which will help with childcare. Often they have things like this but they are not well publicised. If you have a student advice centre or something similar that would be a good place to ask.

MrsJRT sorry, this is a technicality, but surely the childcare during the day is not because you are sleeping but because your husband is working?

Aha "MrsJRT sorry, this is a technicality, but surely the childcare during the day is not because you are sleeping but because your husband is working?" You are indeed correct and I have once again fallen into that well trodden trap of childcare being womens work. However if I wasn't sleeping then I would be able to look after the kids so I guess it's 50/50.

Yes you have a point. It wouldn't matter which one of you stopped work, it's the fact you're both working which needs the childcare

Rockchick - yes, I agree, it's up to 70% of the costs. But the principle is still the same isn't it?

The money is for childcare to enable you to work - ie when you are working/commuting/sleeping (if you work shifts and your sleep time is dictated by this)

If someone works 3 days and granny looks after the kids for free, then you don't actually need childcare on your remaining 2 days. It might well make your life pleasanter to take your 70%, top it up with a bit of your own money and have time off, but it's not a direct need - as you would still be working on your 3 days with free care anyway. In such cases, I can't see any difference between paying, say, 70% of cleaning costs, to enable other low paid workers to get more time freed up.

You say you can't see the point of people using the childcare if they don't need it, because they have to top up out of their own money - but reading this thread, that's clearly exactly what some people do, so they obviously see it as worth it. I'm just a bit surprised that in the current climate, the govt considers it money well spent if its just enabling people to get a bit of extra time off! Enabling you to work is one thing; this is another.