Anyone get help with childcare costs?

[CoffeePuffin]

Does anyone get help with childcare costs from the government?

OH and I are struggling to live on just his wage alone and minimal tax credits. I need to find part time work, but there isn't anyone we can rely on to watch LO while I work, and I'll need to work more than just the days OH has off, to make us enough extra money. So LO will have to go into childcare, which we can only do if we get help. Found out that if both people work 16 hours + a week, then they will give you 70% towards childcare costs, up to the amount of about £122. I read that the average cost of childcare (for 25 hours) is around £106 a week, so based on that, we'd get around £74 towards it (if we qualified for the full 70%). Would that be paid straight to the childcare provider or would it be paid to us and then we pay the childcare?

I just need some advice from people that have done this.

 

[Pearls18]

All it is is tax credits, you ring up and tell them what you'll be earning, how many hours and how much you pay and what you're entitled to is paid in with your other tax credits. You just need to make sure it is an ofsted registered child care provider. You can play around on the hmrc tax credits calculator.

 

[ForeverAutumn]

I dont have any advice, but its just crap isnt it> A friend of mine is a single mum and said all her childcare is free. Weve been wondering how the heck were gonna afford it. I can get childcare vouchers through work (worth asking about) however all it is is taking the cash for your childcare out of your bank before it is taxed...so they should really get rid of the word 'voucher'.

 

[Abz1982]

its depressing isnt it I calculated that if I was on JSA, we would get MORE tax credits than we do right now for me working and paying childcare costs...........I would literally be paid to sit on my arse

 

[CoffeePuffin]

What I don't understand is why single stay at home mothers get free childcare, when they are able to stay at home and watch their child. Yet people in couples that have no choice but to go to work, have to pay for the childcare? Makes no sense.

 

[Pearls18]

You don't get free childcare for being a single mum, they are more like
to be entitled to the 70% contribution in tax credits because their household income will be much lower having only one income. Or they get free hours from the state 15 from either 3 which we all get or from 2 because of their area. These free hours are not given as a form of childcare but because it is seen as beneficial for the child to go to nursery sometimes this is because of a SEN, it could be that the HVs sees the need for socialisation, sometimes a parent is struggling and may need respite, sometimes it's down to household income but it can purely be down to the area you live in, some parts of Wales used to do free childcare from 3 full time for everyone. But it is always for the child's benefit, not the parent's, so it is not a case of free childcare though it can look that way. There certainly isn't a type of benefit that enables all single mums to get free childcare, except for the 15 free hours from 3 but as I say we are all entitled to that whatever our situation, income etc.

 

[ArcaneSpark]

I can get childcare vouchers through work (worth asking about) however all it is is taking the cash for your childcare out of your bank before it is taxed...so they should really get rid of the word 'voucher'.

The fact that it's taken out pre tax means you get/save 20 or 40% on the value of child care you buy. I guess they call it a voucher as you can 'bank' them for future use rather than using immediately to pay your child care bill.