Bugger, bugger and Bugger!

[Lisa78]

Just went on the inland revenue website, to see how much we would get if I went back to work part time instead of full
Answer, exactly the same as we get now
How do they work that, its very depressing
Bloody tax credits - I hate that advert, "its money with your name on it" - not enuf bloody money thank you!

Hi Lisa78, would you be able to manage on that because at the end of the day your pay will go up and you'll get more experience, whereas your benefits will help you but in the long term they'll not go up much..is there any job you'd really like to do?

Well congratulations on making it to the website anyway, every time I've tried it hasn't been available.
Sorry the credits aren't any help though..

Oh no, are you sure it's right. Would it be worth ringing them just to check ??

I find the whole thing very confusing i must say.
I have considered part time work several times but with childcare it always seems we'd be either worse off or the same.

Im not really any better off working part time and paying for childcare so its probably right Lisa!

Its stoopid

Really stupid! And I just calculated what we would get if I gave up work altogether (fat chance!) and we would get even less!!!

If I go part time when I go back, we will be left with the grand total of £7.60 a month for nappies, clothes, christmas etc etc etc! Not really viable, so I have to go back full time - we'll be left with about £180 then, which I keep telling myself is a lot, but I know by the time we have paid for nappies, milk, DS1's various school trips and sundry other bits, is not much at all

And I guess that rules out another baby.... which I knew we couldn't afford anyway but I sort of kept thinking about it

Hark at me, wanting the state to look after us so that I can stay at home - how awful is that?

Lisa78, I have been trying to wrap my head around the same calculations and agree with you - it is stupid!

I want to look after my baby, not pass him over to someone else for a ridiculous amount of time . . .

Sorry I can't advise you but you have all my sympathy and then some!

When do you go back libb? I have 5 weeks left, when I went on maternity leave, 7 months seemed like forever, but its just gone flying past and I feel like I have only just got into the swing of being at home and need at least another 7 months

In theory it should be October but as I'm on the basic SMP (missed decent mat. package by a few weeks!) it will probably be a month earlier - he hasn't even arrived yet and I am having to calculate ahead!

It sucks quite frankly . . . . I wish you could find a way of getting your extra 7 months though!