Childcare costs

[Mamofoneboy]

I have a few months before I’m due back to work and we’re fortunate enough to have grandparents able to help with child care. However, me and OH both work full time and feel this is a lot to put on our parents so we are looking at a nursery/kindergarten for our DS. We both have reasonably good jobs but on days where we need to pay for child care one of us would be working just to cover the child care bill. Is there any help available apart from the 30 free hours for 3&4 year olds (as we have a little while to go before we qualify for that).

Yes, I think if you both earn under £100k you can claim tax free childcare which you do through a gov account. Essentially, for every 80p you pay in, they top up by adding 20p, up to a max top up of £500 every 3 months. You then pay the money directly out of the gov account to the nursery. So it can save you either £2000 a year, or 20% of your childcare bill, whichever is less.

Yes there is a tax free childcare scheme by the government. You open an account and for every £80 you put in they will put in £20.

I don't know the detail as I used to use childcare vouchers which are closed now to new entrants but if you Google it the information should be there.

As an aside the cost of childcare is horrendous but has to be swallowed I'm afraid. You are fortunate to have some help.

Ensure you pay 50/50 with your other half so that this mental offsetting of childcare against wages doesn't turn into the childcare being your responsibility.