Topic: The UK Economy - Is it the 1970's again?

[west_london_red]

So we have now got our bill for April for two 2-year olds in childcare which includes the new government support of 15 hours per child. We expected as a result our bill would go down a bit.

The actual result? My bill has gone up because to compensate for the government support, the nurseries put their costs up by 8% and started to charge for consumables such as food.

God, this country is fucking broken.

We had exactly the same with our oldest, hit 3 years old, thought we’d save some money with the 30 hours ‘free’ but actually ended up paying exactly the same, queried it with the nursery and ended up explaining it all to me it way that made sense but made absolutely no sense. With the younger one we just ended up sending him to a cheaper nursery, it wasn’t as good in terms of facilities and the general quality but compensated by sending him for 5 days instead of 3 that my older one did.

Edit: are you getting the 20% off through the tax free childcare scheme?

[Shankly998]

I've made up my mind to leave this country just waiting another year to be in the job for long enough to ask for an international transfer.
I can earn significantly more after tax in the role I'm in abroad and get a much bigger house in the same price bracket that UK houses are. Having a child has really shaken me out of my inertia if we can move somewhere else to that provides a significantly better quality got to do it. This country is going nowhere fast taxes are at a 70 year high and everything is still broken. When my little lad got ill and we were told better to drive him to hospital as it would be 4 hours for an ambulance and you consider with an ageing population it's not going to get better any time soon. Schools are crumbling and it'll probably be a PE teacher who teaches him maths  ather than someone qualified to do it. Childcare is so hideously expensive that we've worked out it's basically better for the wife to stay at home rather than go back to work. It's hard to ignore the parallels with Argentina a country that once had an income level similar to the states at the turn of the 20th century which declined largely due to political instability and while I don't think Britain will become that level of a basket case it shows there's no guarantee that a country will continue to be rich. Anyone else looking to leave?

[Lusty]

So we have now got our bill for April for two 2-year olds in childcare which includes the new government support of 15 hours per child. We expected as a result our bill would go down a bit.

The actual result? My bill has gone up because to compensate for the government support, the nurseries put their costs up by 8% and started to charge for consumables such as food.

God, this country is fucking broken.

At least it stayed open.  Ours had to close so we've had to move both the kids, one was due to start school this year as well so it's a massive upheaval for about 4 months for her.

They're closing up and down the country, they have to give out all this free childcare but the councils can't afford to pay the going rate so it's become an impossible business to run.

[killer-heels]

We had exactly the same with our oldest, hit 3 years old, thought we’d save some money with the 30 hours ‘free’ but actually ended up paying exactly the same, queried it with the nursery and ended up explaining it all to me it way that made sense but made absolutely no sense. With the younger one we just ended up sending him to a cheaper nursery, it wasn’t as good in terms of facilities and the general quality but compensated by sending him for 5 days instead of 3 that my older one did.

Edit: are you getting the 20% off through the tax free childcare scheme?

Just checked and i still get the 20% tax free so i do save around £250 compared to now. Thought initially that was junked.

Interesting that Labour are questioning whether they will stick to this plan though. Rumours are that they may junk it.

[west_london_red]

Just checked and i still get the 20% tax free so i do save around £250 compared to now. Thought initially that was junked.

Interesting that Labour are questioning whether they will stick to this plan though. Rumours are that they may junk it.

Its the first thing I tell anyone when they mention nursery, had a few parents at my kids nurseries who didnt know about it and a girl who used to work for me so I always try and spread the word.

Hopefully they dont junk it, but it does have some big flaws, mainly that the hourly rate per child the nursery receives is just over £5, they have to have one teacher/carer per 3 children so thats only £15 an hour per member of staff, from that they have to pay for staff, equipment, stationary, bills, etc which is why so many cant afford to do it.

[stewy17]

So we have now got our bill for April for two 2-year olds in childcare which includes the new government support of 15 hours per child. We expected as a result our bill would go down a bit.

The actual result? My bill has gone up because to compensate for the government support, the nurseries put their costs up by 8% and started to charge for consumables such as food.

God, this country is fucking broken.

This was obvious from the moment they announced the package. It was underworked and underestimated, as always, and was rushed through to beat Labour to the punch. Our friends have seen 30% daily increases to their fees in some nurseries. A swizz, as expected.

Labour should junk it and they should come back with a properly funded, workable solution. SPOILER: they won't.

[PaulF]

Just checked and i still get the 20% tax free so i do save around £250 compared to now. Thought initially that was junked.

Interesting that Labour are questioning whether they will stick to this plan though. Rumours are that they may junk it.

It probably won't be true when yours are old enough, but some private tuition companies accept childcare vouchers. We used one approaching gcse time for education top ups.

--edit--  I'm not sure, but I think you can get paid the vouchers pretax

[Wabaloolah]

Its the first thing I tell anyone when they mention nursery, had a few parents at my kids nurseries who didnt know about it and a girl who used to work for me so I always try and spread the word.

Hopefully they dont junk it, but it does have some big flaws, mainly that the hourly rate per child the nursery receives is just over £5, they have to have one teacher/carer per 3 children so thats only £15 an hour per member of staff, from that they have to pay for staff, equipment, stationary, bills, etc which is why so many cant afford to do it.

my current role is partly involved with supporting the Early Years sufficiency team at a London Borough with an IT system that manages Early Years Funding and loads of nurseries have closed in the last 12 months and guess what just when they are expecting an upsurge in places due to this rushed through policy they don't have enough places to meet the demand and they are hoping that childminders will step in to fill the void.

[killer-heels]

West Ham owner puts in bid for Royal Mail. That will be another national asset fucked off for money. Fuck you Tories, Vince Cable and Nick Clegg.

[Brissyred]

West Ham owner puts in bid for Royal Mail. That will be another national asset fucked off for money. Fuck you Tories, Vince Cable and Nick Clegg.

Scorched earth before being fucked off for a decade.

[west_london_red]

West Ham owner puts in bid for Royal Mail. That will be another national asset fucked off for money. Fuck you Tories, Vince Cable and Nick Clegg.

It was fucked off for money years ago when it was privatised by Cameron and Osborne