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Original poster

Really don't know what to do

79 replies

Beccarollover · 01/04/2004 12:53

Im at work so cant really type much but just need to offload

I started back at work a month ago - 3 days a week
Childcare fees have just gone up

I earn 520 a month after tax - childcare is 604 a month - DPS salary has recently gone up so we dont qualify for any help anymore with the childcare.

So for me to leave my babies at nursery and be rushed off my feet morning and evening (leave house at 7.45 get back at 6.15)3 days a week Im paying almost 100 quid for the privelage not to mention petrol/lunches/work clothes.

WHAT TO DO THOUGH!!

Company operates bonus quarterly so might end up getting some cash for coming to work but it isnt enough to cover fees etc

DD starts school in September/October where fees will go down but will have to pay for before and after school care.

What would you do?

OP posts:
aloha · 01/04/2004 21:50

Meanmum sounds like the expert here, Becca, but they do have to give you paid days off. You are entitled to the same terms and conditions (pro-ratad) as full-time staff.

Original poster
Beccarollover · 01/04/2004 21:54

I just dont know what to do!! aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh

I'm on 2.5 times less than I was this time last year, takes a lot of getting used to

Someone posted a great tax credits calculator a while ago (not the IR one) but I cant find it, does anyone know the URL?

OP posts:
MrsGrump · 01/04/2004 21:55

I think my maternity repay situation is same as Popsy's... I get more than SMP, though, that's all I understand. Everyone I know who got occupational maternity pay had to pay some or most of it back if we didn't work so long (usually 3-4 months) after the leave before resigning. One friend worked for a big pharmaceutical company, and they way they did it was pay something like 6 weeks maternity pay, and then give a hefty bonus which was effectively the occupational maternity leave pay, when she had completed the 3 months of work afterwards.

meanmum · 01/04/2004 21:56

Don't count me as an expert I just work in the area of HR. One thing you do need to do is have them explain clearly to you how your salary is worked out. You should also look on the following websites for information whenever you have questions about your employment - www.acas.co.uk or www.dti.gov.uk. The dti have a great website with links to loads of different things. ACAS are the people HR refer to in terms of best practice and are a good source of info for employees too. There have been changes in the law in terms of fixed term staff and I think also part time. If there aren't changes to part time yet then they are coming. Forgive my vagueness I'm on maternity leave and it's all gone out the window at the moment.

GeorginaA · 01/04/2004 21:56

Have you thought about tossing a coin?

Seriously though, I quite often do that with difficult decisions, just to see what my reaction is with the result - if I feel relieved I go with it. If I feel disappointed I choose the other option

meanmum · 01/04/2004 22:00

One other thing. I would probably be inclined to leave if I was in your shoes. Look for another job if that is what you want, stay at home if that is what you want. Your children are only young once so whatever decision you make ensure that in years to come you won't look back and regret anything.

MrsGrump · 01/04/2004 22:01

GillW gives some good links in this thread -- might be what you wanted, Becca?

berries · 02/04/2004 10:28

Slightly different slant here. You say you can train for the MCSE so assume you work on pcs/networks? Current jobs market in this area is picking up slightly, and looks to be getting more bouyant month on month. Extra training in this area could really pay dividends in the future, so it may be worth the £100 loss for 12 months, in the hopes of future gain. You should notice a BIG difference when you eldest starts school. Although you will still pay cm/after-school, ime they're nothing like nursery costs. There is some government stuff re:employees being able to pay childcare vouchers so you get it tax & ni free. Not sure about this but could make quite a difference. I went through something v. similar when my 2 were younger, and realised how little I was actually picking up for all that rushing around, but now it has paid off, we pay around £200 per 1/2 term on childcare (2 nights after-school). When youngest dd went to school, the amount we were paying for childcare per month was almost exactly 1 days work, so I went down from 3 days to 2, but I could have continued at 3 days & ended up with a few hundred extra clear per month (and still have that option if we need it). One thing that did help a lot, was that Dh was available to pick ups/drop offs at nursery if I need to work early or late, and that helped me to focus on work on those days, also meant that I didn't feel as though all the childcare was on my shoulders. Also, I do actually love what I do, and would hate to give up work, although did feel very torn when the children were little. Not sure whether this has helped or added to the confusion, just really wanted to say that if you do stick it out you could end up in a much better position before too long.

Rebi · 02/04/2004 10:50

Becca

I am in a similar situation to you. I work 9-2 everyday and get paid similar money. I had some money taken off my recently (Carer's Allowance) and found I was paying for the privilege of going out to work. I nearly tore my hair out deciding what to do.

Like you I consider childcare costs to come out of my salary (although my dh disputes this). If I didn't work it wouldn't be a cost.

I decided to stay in my job, as future prospects will be better. I will be paying childcare for just 3 more years (not long in the scheme of things) and by then I should be more established, possibly promoted, pay increased, etc.

I stayed at home for 5 years before and found it very hard going back to a much lower rank and payscale.

It is hard to come home, just to put kids to bed. Maybe you could go part days, but imho I think it is probably better to get it all over in 3 days and have 4 days off. If I could change to 3 full days I would.

Anyway, as usual I ramble on, but what I am trying to say is.... try and look at the longterm picture. It is hard, but what ever you decide will be the right decision for you.

Good luck

btw I am certain you must be entitled to tax credits on your income.

M2T · 02/04/2004 10:59

Beccarollover - Sad as I am I was working out your take home salary compared with your income and it seems you are paying a very high Income tax rate!!

What is your tax code? It should be around 463L.... unless you have a company car.

Kittypickle · 02/04/2004 11:18

Becca, M2T is right, that is a lot off your gross salary - my bet is that the Inland Revenue have got your tax code as it was at your last job when you still had your company car.

Original poster
Beccarollover · 02/04/2004 12:44

I paid 140 pounds this month on 700 pounds and 60 or so on NI

I did ring tax office and informed them I no longer had company car

Our combined income is about 36500 a year - childcare costs 615 or so a month

OP posts:
Gumdrop · 02/04/2004 13:17

Sorry if you already did this, but when you rang the tax office and informed them that you didn't have a company car, did you actually ask them to change your PAYE coding?

No disrespect to anyone working for HM Inspector of Taxes, but on occassion they don't always see the next logical step (I don't always as well). I'd hate to think you ended up with just a file note on your record rather than an actual change to your coding.

Yours pedantically

Crunchie · 02/04/2004 13:34

That does sound wrong Bella. Everymonth you are entitled to 1/12 of the personal allowence (£4630) before you start paying tax. Therefore £385 a month should be pre-tax. This means you should only pay tax on about £315, which is not £140 + £60 NI. Those are probably the figures for emergency tax, when you are being taxed on the whole of your earnings. The Tax/NI on £315 is about £80 ish (approx 25%). This could make all the difference.

At the moment you have about £200 deductions and I think you should have under £100 deductions, that would mean at least you cover the childcare.

Crunchie · 02/04/2004 13:36

CALL THE TAX OFFICE ASAP!!! Also you and your Dh are eligble for Tax Credits of about £545 a year (about £45 a month) but perhaps your dh claims it all??

Also Child benefit is about £100 a month for 2 kids, so you maybe able to consolidate things and actually not lose out. WOuld this change your feelings about working? If you were happy to work and not lose out, then stay, if it makes no real difference to everything, leave.

Good Luck

Original poster
Beccarollover · 02/04/2004 19:31

I just checked my tax code its 348L

Also, just dug the info about the bizarre holiday arrangement - this is a copy of what they said - what do you think?

We will pay you for the days worked rather than to accrue holiday. You will be paidte based on your full time salary divided by the number of days you would actually work in a full time year. You will only be paid for the days you work.

The daily rate is based on the yearly salary. It is caluclated by dividing the yearly salary by the number of days worked in a full year after allowing for weekends, public holidays and company holiday. This makes it easy to calculate the part time monthly pay . You will not accrue holidays when working part time, you will be paid more per day.

Calculation of daily rate

Full time salary - 16000
Days in a year - 365
Less
Weekends 104
Company holidays 22
Bank Holidays 8
Total 134

Days worked 231

Rate/day 16000/231 = £69.26 per day.
The daily rate is based on the yearl

OP posts:
Original poster
Beccarollover · 02/04/2004 19:31

I also noticed something that is GOOD news - I didnt work all of the possible days this month as I didnt start til the second week (doh)

OP posts:
aloha · 02/04/2004 21:51

I think it sounds odd Becca and not really right. I really would ask Acas or the EOC for advice. Or leave and get another job - sorry not to be more help. It doesn't sound a great situation. Do you get sick pay etc? It's illegal not to give that and I know it's illegal not to give paid holidays.

Batters · 03/04/2004 12:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tinker · 03/04/2004 14:19

Try this one - you may have to go to the bottom of the page to Restart the Calculation

tax calculator

tallulah · 03/04/2004 17:12

No answer to your dilema, but on the tax side of things, "normal' tax code for 03-04 is 461L (being 4615 tax free- don't know where this 463 has come from!). If you had your company car from April 03 until you left your last job/went on maternity leave, the Car benefit gets apportioned- it doesn't just disappear. Also, tax codes don't get changed in the last month of the year because there isn't time for an employer to get them & put them into operation, as usually the payroll is done in advance.

Good news is that this week is the start of the new tax year, so you should be on a code of 474L, unless you've got some other deductions to come off. Your best bet is to wait until you've got your P60 (between 6 April & 19th May) & your P11D from your last job & send both to the tax office with a letter explaining your circumstances and asking them to check whether you are due a refund. (send the originals & keep a copy).

Original poster
Beccarollover · 03/04/2004 17:57

Thanks for that - so if they have done it properly I will get taxed less next month??

I know this might sound really dreadful but does anyone know how much absent fathers are supposed to pay? My DD's dad pays 35 a week at the moment and I was just thinking seems senseless Im struggling if he doesnt pay what he should be doing? He earns about 19k I think and has no other children or anything. Hope that doesnt make me seem terrible!

OP posts:
Original poster
Beccarollover · 05/04/2004 10:13

anyone?

OP posts:
Tinker · 05/04/2004 10:29

Becca - have a look on the CSA site. Not sure, but think it's 15% of take home pay.

norma · 05/04/2004 10:48

Hi there, have you got the space in your home to consider employing an au-pair? As you only work for 3 days per week outside of the home this could bring you considerable savings on your childcare costs.

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