Complicated PhD situation re childcare

[rosesmummy]

My partner is starting his PhD this Oct and I'm currently volunteering one day a week. However I'm hoping to go back to full time work.

We live in the UK and childcare is stupidly expensive, I think its fair to say most families get child tax credits to help with the childcare costs.

My big fear is that I wont be able to go back to work due to the childcare costs, as I dont think we'll be entitled to the CTC childcare element as they dont see my partner as working even though he's a full time student!

If I did manage to secure a job, does anyone know if there is any extra funding for childcare etc anywhere?

Also I'd love to hear from people who's themselves/partners have been through a PhD and hat it's really like!

Thanks.

 

[Pearls18]

No advice on the PhD sorry, when I was looking at studying my masters full time I couldn't get any child care help because as you say you both have to be working (I think it's very unfair) so I had to make the decision to work and study part time time. The only thing I can think of is that some students seem to get loans for child care, so for instance the SLC have a special extra provision for child care but guessing this is for undergrads. There is something called a career development loan which I have to pay my fees and this may be able to pay for childcare but it is a bank loan (interest free for the first 2 years, you don't pay is back for 2 years) it's utter crap

 

[rosesmummy]

Thanks for your honesty Marine!

It is really rubbish! I love my partner to bits and I'm so proud of him for getting this PhD and everything but I never seem to get anywhere with my life! ( I wanted to get a job soon, hence to volunteering).

The only other option for me to achieve something would really be for me to start an undergrad course and then I can get funding through the SF for childcare but I'm not really clever enough (I dropped out of uni once already), I wouldnt get funding for the first year as I've used a year) nor do I have to drive to complete anything like that. (I used to be when I was younger but since turning 18 lost all motivation for life - possibly depression)!

Argh.

 

[Abz1982]

You should phone up the tax credit folk and ask them. My friend gets tax credits as she works and her OH is studying at uni, they also get HB and CTB.

If he is doing a PhD is he classed as a student? My friend was an employee/student whilst doing hers as she was actually paid whilst studying. , as was about 20k

 

[rosesmummy]

I've been to the job centre and rang tax credits. They were NOT very helpful and quite rude!

I've been told we're not entitle to anything other than the child tax credits (NOT the working or childcare bits though) ....so we'll get less than we're getting now as we wont get the working tax credits bit...

We could get the working tax credits if I get a job over 16 hours but not the childcare... The only way we'd get help with childcare and I quote, is if my partner got a job of more than 16 hour on top of his FULL TIME phd. (how thisi s possible I do not know!)

Whilst my partner is getting a low 'stipend' for his full time 'work' as a phd student its not enough to cover the childcare if I was to work, as my wage would be quite low (I've not really got a career right now so am volunteering in the hope to get employment)

I've also asked re income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit. We're not entitle to any of it apart from getting a 25% reduction on our council tax.... so about £250.

I just find it frustrating that I've been pushed out of working, I know having a child was my choice etc but they are supposed to be supporting families back into work..... it seems they wont support you if your partner is a phd student!!!

 

[nugget80]

Try student finance? We weren't entitled as dh earnt too much so we had to mayor our own childcare. They take into account incoming and outgoing to decide if eligible. I was on post grad course so might get help for phd? x