You know what, i have had the childcare migraine from hell today and have been ranting to my poor partner. I stumbled upon your website trying to search to see if the council provided any sort of childcare grant. Let me put you in the picture .... My husband walked out four years ago leaving me in a ton of debt which i consequently had to go bankrupt for. I have been debt free for the last three years, myself and two children. I actually have a half decent job thats pretty secure and i have a good disopsable income left after paying childcare. But can you beleive this... Myself and my partner want to move in together. I merely rent a council house and he joint owns a property. Myself and two children are moving in with himself and his two children. I lose £540 per month and would not be entitled to any help from child tax credit. This is insane!!! Surely everything that this country stands for goes out the window. The cost of putting my children in to breakfast and after school club and holiday schemes comes to £89.00per week for 52 weeks a year. Now i can change 55 per week into childcare vouchers which saves me £950 but i cannot afford to. £950 is nothing when your childcare for the year comes to £4650!! I just cant beleive it. I have worked since i was 15 years old and only stopped to give birth. It seems i would be better off sitting on my ass claiming benefits ridding the tax payer of their hard earned cash. What incentive is it for any working mother, to know that they will lose so much by becoming part of a family. Family britain i think not. Credits are hard to understand, and when you seek help, the professionals know less than you do so you end up telling them how to do their job! I have spent today searching internet sites and ringing enquiry lines that keep transferring me to find out the following. I am not entitled to tax credits even though my partner and i are not rolling in it. I am entitled to child care vouchers which gives me a £950 tax refief. Was i mistaken or did the government want mothers to return to work. In my opinion dont bother. Unless you can get a job at your childs school (which i have tried and many other local schools) its just not viable. The childcare either costs more than you earn or takes your pride away and you become bitter from working your ass off for £100.00 per month. Surely they can come up with some better way of helping the working family. £950 tax relief a year is pants. We have worked out i would be marginly better off staying exactly where iam and also paying my half of the mortgage!I just dont know what to do next. Still i love my children dearly x