Reducing the cost of childcare - talk to me like I'm a two year old

[DancesWithWoolEnPointe]

Greetings all

I had DDs 1 and 2 in South Africa, where childcare is a completely different kettle of fish, but had DD3 here in the UK. After my maternity leave finished I worked from home 9 - 3am, while the bigger DDs were at school and DD3 was at a childminder. I am considering going back to my career full time (as a teacher) and just did the calculations and am now weeping into my wine coffee. Even after the cost saving of the 15 hours preschool DD3 will get after Christmas, my childcare bill will still be £1050 a month. I will barely cover my child care and petrol costs!

I regularly hear people say they get various things that help with the childcare costs - working tax credits, vouchers etc. But being (relatively) new to all this I find it all terribly hard to understand.

Can someone explain to me, in clear simple language what, if any, possible cost reducing schemes I might qualify for, how I will know if I do, and how I go about getting said benefit thingy.

and

What pay scale are you on for teaching. I went back full time after my ds, and before ds and was on M6 and then UPS and I had enough left after childcare. However my dcs only go in term time to a childminder so that makes it cheaper.

I qualified in South Africa, and pay scales is another thing I don't understand. I've no idea what M6 or UPS is. Before I had DD3 I think I was getting the max I could as an "unqualified teacher" despite 4 degrees, a pgce, naric assessment and 10 years experience don't get me started

Are you a lone parent?

What are you going to be on?

You should be able to get childcare vouchers. Those are basically a certain amount, which is deducted from your salary and you don't pay tax or NI on it, that you employer uses to buy vouchers on your behalf and you can use them for registered childcare.

No Ham I have a DH and he earns relatively well.

Nom - I don't know, I only just considered going back. I have my first interview tomorrow. Do I ask them is they do childcare vouchers?

If it is a state school, then the majority of local authorities do childcare vouchers. You could probably look at the local authority website.

The payscales for qualified teachers start at M1 and go up to M6 until you go through the threshold and into the upper pay scale (UPS).

Is the position temporary? It seems very late for a teaching interview, most schools break up tomorrow or Mon/Tues. If so, they may offer an "unqualified" rate. However, you could ask to gain QTS through them if you already have PGCE. I know of a teacher at our school that did this. Means you can be paid as a British trained teacher.

Check also if your DH can get childcare vouchers as well, you are able to both get them if your employers offer them :)

Also, just as an aside, childcare costs aren't just a woman's responsibility, your DH's salary should be contributing towards the cost of it!!

Oh he does Rockchick -I didn't mean it to sound like that. He pays the morgage and I live here too