Childcare fees and tax credits ----

[Abz1982]

Ok, so I go back to work first week in Feb......Ive got them both in childcare 4 days a week for about 9 weeks that is left of this tax year - when do I tell HMRC this?

Also, for next year they are both in nursery till mid aug, then DD goes to school so only DS will be in child care daily and DD before and after school.

For the purpose of the tax credits.....do I tell them the child care costs for both of them then in august tell them the new costs per week once DD is at school.......OR do I average it out over the entire year and say this is my per week cost??

 

[Pearls18]

I update them as and when, I am fairly sure you won't be able to update them about a new childcare provider until they have started which is a pain as it means you have to pay out in advance (especially if you have taken any unpaid mat leave as they class that as not working so I don't think you can update them of working again until the day you go back). I could be wrong I would ring up and check, I think you can only update in advance on an existing provider but I could be wrong as I say. I wouldn't average it out for the year, when the childcare situation changes I would ring up and change it, I think you can do this in advance but I wouldn't do it really far in advance, maybe before the next payment is due if you think it'll be wrong.

 

[hulahoop09]

I read that they allow you to ring a wk before childcare begins. I have taken some annual leave onto the end of ny maternity nxt yr as if we pay childminder per mnth it cant be in arrears but I.cant afford to pay her £780 out of my own money so I will likely save and pay the first couple of wks then when ctc sort the claim I can pay for the rest of the mnth. Then likely by end of the mnth nxt payment will be due. I hope! Lol.

Xx

 

[Abz1982]

cheers folks. Thankfully for DD she will go back the start feb when I go back, but Ds cant go till end of march ......so I now have to find him child care until then.

I am thinking of changing nurseries, but they need paid in full within 10 days of the first of the month, so if they start 3rd feb I have to pay full amount by the 10th .

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How do folk who have been out of work do it?! Most nurseries seem to be changing to payment in advance, which is really making them seem elitist!

 

[Pearls18]

cheers folks. Thankfully for DD she will go back the start feb when I go back, but Ds cant go till end of march ......so I now have to find him child care until then.

I am thinking of changing nurseries, but they need paid in full within 10 days of the first of the month, so if they start 3rd feb I have to pay full amount by the 10th .

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How do folk who have been out of work do it?! Most nurseries seem to be changing to payment in advance, which is really making them seem elitist!

I'm taking a month unpaid at the end of my maternity leave and will need £1300 up front without me getting any pay that month to pay for the nursery, thankfully we have savings that we can use and replenish on payday but it is depressing and as our money is in a building society in Wales it's a phaff!!

 

[aimee-lou]

cheers folks. Thankfully for DD she will go back the start feb when I go back, but Ds cant go till end of march ......so I now have to find him child care until then.

I am thinking of changing nurseries, but they need paid in full within 10 days of the first of the month, so if they start 3rd feb I have to pay full amount by the 10th .

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How do folk who have been out of work do it?! Most nurseries seem to be changing to payment in advance, which is really making them seem elitist!

With great difficulty.

When I was out of work when Earl was a baby I went back to work. It took me a long time to find a job and when I did I had to put him into a nursery 2 days a week fulltime. Thankfully my MIL was having him the other 3, otherwise we'd never have managed it at all. They were very understanding and took a £50 'gesture payment' as I explained I had literally no money until my 1st payday. That £50 was the last money we had to our name, and we had to beg, borrow and steal for the next 2 weeks to be able to pay for fuel, food and nappies, plus go to work and save up the fees to pay them at the end of the first 2 weeks which was my first paycheck.

In the end though, they sent me a massive bill after we'd left (bear in mind he was there for 8 weeks and at £70 a week we'd paid them £560 less our deposit) - they said we owed them a month's money as we'd not given them notice of him leaving (always said it was temporary but nonetheless) and it got nasty....but that's a different issue. Pretty much they're leaving it to the good-will and trustworthyness of people in order for them to be able to afford to take that first step back to work.