Childcare and Family Tax Credits

[nikkiandmidgets]

I am due to have a meeting with my boss re. going back to work after 2 years maternity (Each year 6 months unpaid\6 months paid). I am currently on FTC and had it planned that I would stay at my mums as I live 30 miles away from my work, cannot drive and there is no reasonable transportation system in place to get there (Think it would involVe 3-4 buses and take approx 2.5 hours each way) and as the first bus is a minibus and I would be using a double buggy, not at all practical. Anyway have had a fall out with my mum and although I have text her she has not responded to say she will meet me half way re. the argument.

 

My husband then confused matters by saying he wanted us to try to fix our marriage and had been offered a better deal on a job he had turned down a few weeks ago. This job would mean he would be home most nights and we could spend time as a family. Would also mean he would manage to take me into work for the 2 days I'd be going back. Anyway not sure now if this new job is going to come off which means he wont be able to give me a lift to and from work, I cant stay at my mums or have her babysit cos she isnt talking to me. I could possibly stay at my sisters till I get a driving license. Anyway I was wondering if there is any system in place to borrow the childcare money till I get paid? Thats of course if i can find suitable childcare able to start in 2-3 weeks time. I have heard some require 6 weeks money but I wont get paid till the end of the month. Am also thinking this is more complicated than I need right now and I should maybe quit but then if hubby and I dont get back together I wont get FTC so will have nothing to live on till the solicitors sort it all out. I am on a not bad salary with my current employer but know if I take a job in the local village it will end up as minimum wage but would this leave me worse off or better off through Tax Credits? My previous salary was approx £30,000 and I had told them I would be going back to do 20 hours a week - If my salary drops to just under a third of that when I change from Systems Analyst to shop assistant or similar, what would this mean re. money from FTC if my husband and I dont get back together - would I get less cos the tax I was paying was less or more cos my wages were low?

 

Also, my kids have never been in childcare and are funny around strangers. The older one is at the 'everything is mine and nobody is allowed to play with it stage' and the youngest takes a while to settle with anyone but mummy. The oldest is a bit of a biter (She is coming up for 21 months). Any recommendations on what to look for in a childcare person - number of other kids they are looking after, ages of them or should they be able to deal with any child? Just worried cos I have ever left them with a stranger before. My mum and sister are the only people I have ever left both of them with, and my sister only the odd hour here or there.

 

Cheers for any info\advice.

[gizmo111]

I am due to have a meeting with my boss re. going back to work after 2 years maternity (Each year 6 months unpaid\6 months paid). I am currently on FTC and had it planned that I would stay at my mums as I live 30 miles away from my work, cannot drive and there is no reasonable transportation system in place to get there (Think it would involVe 3-4 buses and take approx 2.5 hours each way) and as the first bus is a minibus and I would be using a double buggy, not at all practical. Anyway have had a fall out with my mum and although I have text her she has not responded to say she will meet me half way re. the argument.

 

My husband then confused matters by saying he wanted us to try to fix our marriage and had been offered a better deal on a job he had turned down a few weeks ago. This job would mean he would be home most nights and we could spend time as a family. Would also mean he would manage to take me into work for the 2 days I'd be going back. Anyway not sure now if this new job is going to come off which means he wont be able to give me a lift to and from work, I cant stay at my mums or have her babysit cos she isnt talking to me. I could possibly stay at my sisters till I get a driving license. Anyway I was wondering if there is any system in place to borrow the childcare money till I get paid? Thats of course if i can find suitable childcare able to start in 2-3 weeks time. I have heard some require 6 weeks money but I wont get paid till the end of the month. Am also thinking this is more complicated than I need right now and I should maybe quit but then if hubby and I dont get back together I wont get FTC so will have nothing to live on till the solicitors sort it all out. I am on a not bad salary with my current employer but know if I take a job in the local village it will end up as minimum wage but would this leave me worse off or better off through Tax Credits? My previous salary was approx £30,000 and I had told them I would be going back to do 20 hours a week - If my salary drops to just under a third of that when I change from Systems Analyst to shop assistant or similar, what would this mean re. money from FTC if my husband and I dont get back together - would I get less cos the tax I was paying was less or more cos my wages were low?

 

Also, my kids have never been in childcare and are funny around strangers. The older one is at the 'everything is mine and nobody is allowed to play with it stage' and the youngest takes a while to settle with anyone but mummy. The oldest is a bit of a biter (She is coming up for 21 months). Any recommendations on what to look for in a childcare person - number of other kids they are looking after, ages of them or should they be able to deal with any child? Just worried cos I have ever left them with a stranger before. My mum and sister are the only people I have ever left both of them with, and my sister only the odd hour here or there.

 

Cheers for any info\advice.

 

With reagrds all the different scenarios fiancially check out entitledto and put them in to see what your finances would be like.

 

With regard borrowing for a childminder - I don't know of anything in place - but in my expereince tax credits respond to a change of circumstances quite rapidly so child minder may not have to wait too long. I pay mine 2 weeks in advance.

Your local council should have a list of all registered child minders in the area and then ring around and see who is available and go and check out house wiht kids. In my exp it has been a gut feeling of what feels right - regarding your kids clinginess - then a little regualr break may be a good thing - to increase their experienece away from home.. I would suggest that you make the inital times that you leave them short - so to sort of test the childminder, and the kids for few hours at a time before you go back to work properly. I can seethat you have ashort time to get sorted - also try local nurseries. And don't forget if one thing doesn't work out perfectly you can always change it at a later date - kind of a process of elimination of waht you and your family are comfortable with.

 

As they get older then maybe worth considering gettin an au pair.

 

Good Luck