Childcare & tax credits stress

[hulahoop09]

Hiya

Okay so I go back to work june but have taken 2 wks annual leave so I go back 7th july (or maybe 14th if I need to sort the below). We had a childmonder who I spoke ro in sept and she said not to worry she has space for them and I could visit after baby was born (nov) and have a chat and pay £90 retainer fee of happy etc as I get my xmas bonus. Well I have emailed and txt her to no response and now looking on her profile online she only has availability when I dont need it so guessing she gave space to someone else So now I have to try find someone who has space, we can afford and is within walking distance of my home and work. Emailed 2 people so far but no response.

Anyway I am on smp so cant afford to get a mnths fees together (approx £900 we will get approx £700 in tax credits pm). Atm our tax creditsdue 10 jan so come june will be 25th but they dnt start childcare til july so cant let tax credits know til wk before 7th july so likely is if Im right our first payment of childcaretax credits wont be til fri 25july?

Im considering asking grandparents to have kiddies for the firstwk so 7th julyand then reserve their childcare space from 14th july, ask if I can pay a wks fees whih I will have to pay out of my smp then from 25 july I can pay for that wk and a couple in advance and then top up when hubby also gets paid around 21-26 of each mnth. That way the last wk of the mnth we will be in arrears on but by end of the mnth we will be paying a couple of wks in advance lol. Does this make sense and sound fair, hopefully we get and understanding childminder if I find one!

Also when you pay a retainer fee does it get taken off the first lot of mnthly fees when you start the place?

TIA

Xx

 

[hulahoop09]

Jst worked out the above wouldnt work as if they start cc 14th july on 25th our tax credits would only be for 2 wks. Confused!! Cant even lend the money as we couldnt afford to pay it back when I am at work. Aaaarrrggghhhh. So worried now!

Xx

 

[aimee-lou]

Try not to get stressed. I've found childcare twice at short notice and it is all totally doable. Try calling rather than emails as i find people will respond more to a phone call. Also xmas is a busy time so they may not have the time to respond fully. If it were me i'd try calling but not worry much til January as it'll be easier to get a clear idea then.

 

[hulahoop09]

Thanks hun. Im more stressed about how we will afford the start up. Its so crap feel like crying! Was looking forward to a sun holiday to wales in sept for our 5th anniversary which is oct which would also be our first as family of 4 but now feels like even that may not happen

Xx

 

[aimee-lou]

Thanks hun. Im more stressed about how we will afford the start up. Its so crap feel like crying! Was looking forward to a sun holiday to wales in sept for our 5th anniversary which is oct which would also be our first as family of 4 but now feels like even that may not happen

Xx

People are very understanding. If you are using a CM rather than a nursery especially, it's rare they'll ask for full months up front unless you offer. I've only ever paid for the first week, and then paid weekly for the first few weeks until we got payments through etc (I used to get childcare grants as hubby is a student).

 

[hulahoop09]

Well second option has said as a holding fee she requires a mnths fees upfront (so now) which is 900+

No way we can afford that. Figured can afford 2 wks fees then hopefully ctc sorted so we can payanother 2 wks then the first full mnths of ctc will cover 2 ks in arrears and 2 wks in advance which is what it would be each mnth. Only option I can think now is to speak to nursery nr my work. All other childminders are out of the way due to us not driving.

 

[Abz1982]

Hugs, i am in the same boat! I have repeatedly contacted 4 local nurseries and only 1 had gotten back to me in 2 weeks - to me thats bloody shocking behaviour! I go back 3rd Feb and have NO childcare bar DDs 2 days in nursery ....MIL is getting her knee done in January so she cant watch them either.
Unfortunately I have specific criteria as to where they can go as DD starts school in aug and I cant be in 2 places at once to get her from ASC and DS from CC.

I have NO idea how tax credits will work as I cant call to change until I have somewhere, and everywhere wants money up front. If I call up and say they are in cc from 3rd feb then they should pay from then yes? so we should get some amended amount in out payment on the 12th feb??

 

[Abz1982]

Thanks hun. Im more stressed about how we will afford the start up. Its so crap feel like crying! Was looking forward to a sun holiday to wales in sept for our 5th anniversary which is oct which would also be our first as family of 4 but now feels like even that may not happen

Xx

People are very understanding. If you are using a CM rather than a nursery especially, it's rare they'll ask for full months up front unless you offer. I've only ever paid for the first week, and then paid weekly for the first few weeks until we got payments through etc (I used to get childcare grants as hubby is a student).

Up here they usually ask for a retainer if its more than 2 months before you take the place, and that retainer is paying the full monthly fees

 

[aimee-lou]

Wow, I'm shocked to be honest. I've never been asked for more than a week, and one place I managed to get them to take £50 as a good faith payment as I couldn't afford to give them any more. I'm sorry it's so hard..... I guess I've been lucky, or maybe it's the times (my experiences were 3+years ago now) we live in?

Strange question - have either of you considered a nanny/au pair? I know a friend of mine used one for a couple of months as while it was a touch more expensive it was more flexible and easier to afford.

 

[Abz1982]

Wow, I'm shocked to be honest. I've never been asked for more than a week, and one place I managed to get them to take £50 as a good faith payment as I couldn't afford to give them any more. I'm sorry it's so hard..... I guess I've been lucky, or maybe it's the times (my experiences were 3+years ago now) we live in?

Strange question - have either of you considered a nanny/au pair? I know a friend of mine used one for a couple of months as while it was a touch more expensive it was more flexible and easier to afford.

I have, I put up an add and have had 2 replies, but they need to register with an agency so we can get tax credits, and the agencies wasnt £25 PER voucher transaction and we have to use them to or we cant afford the costs of £80 a day (I only earn £81 a day BEFORE tax!)

 

[xxVickyxx]

I went to an open day at the nursery my boys went too. It was about 6 months before they were due to start (only started 2 weeks ago) and usually they require just a £50 holding fee (i think per child so for me would have been £100) but on that open day they had an offer if you signed them up and registered that day, you didnt have to pay the registration fee. I liked the nursery so i signed them up. I was also asked how i would like to pay so i said weekly so i only had to find the first weeks fees 3 days before they started (i pay their fees on the friday in advance for that week) you can only inform tax credits 1 week before they start which i did and i was paid just over a week later so it worked out fine for me although i was like you so worried to begin with xx