Is it really possible benefits cover my childcare costs?!?

[CatStorey]

Hi there

Me and my husband both work shifts and don't use childcare as we manage to look after the kids between us by working opposite shifts.

Its not working out as I thought it would as both our shifts either start/end at 3pm. We have negotiated about 30 mins for a handover but this is proving rather tricky as sometimes the next Receptionist will come late and I can't leave or my husband will get stuck at his shop and can't get out. Its getting really stressful!!

I didn't think we would be able to afford a childminder for the baby (Chloe will be off to school next month) as I am earning minimum wage but when I put the figures into Entitled to to see how much help we might get its showing the difference between the benefits we get now to the benefits we get if I pay childcare is about £300. And thats how much the childminder should cost.

Is it really possible they will basically pay all our childcare costs? I never thought that would be possible!!

The benefits is split between Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefits.

Thanks xxx

 

[Pearls18]

I can't speak for housing benefit but yes tax credits cover a lot of childcare if you are low to middle income. Technically the childcare element of tax credits only covers up to 70% of costs but with child tax credits on top of this some people find their TC actually cover it all. My husband is full time and I am part time, between us we have a decent income (especially considering we have very low housing costs) but we get a big chunk of our childcare paid for us, a lot of this is because I am part time, so long as one of you is working 24 hours and the other 16 they factor in the whole childcare cost, which is why it can benefit to be part time as it lowers your household income especially for me as my salary is quite high per hour, so low income families benefit greatly from the TC system. I wouldn't even class ourselves as low income but it's always paid for me to work thanks to TC, even with London childcare costs.