OcUK Dadsnet thread

[Haggisman]

800 / 750, not that much difference?

No, but your £800 is for 3 days... It would be more like £1,300 full time

 

[Brando]

We got the letter confirming, that despite 11 free hours from the government, our nursery bill will be going up in April. That reminds me I need to fill the form in for hours ASAP. I have the code, that was easy to get via the Government Portal. Cornwall Council require a 4-page manual form to be sent in via the nursery, as well.

 

[OG]

Aren't prices also going up because the government has reduced the age for the free hours again? And it's making further changes from September this year? So essentially nurseries make a loss on each child using free hours so they bump the standard cost up to accomodate for it.

We've not had our rise through yet - expecting it at some point before April - but currently we pay just under 1500 a month for our daughter and she's in from 8-5.30 for 5 days a week. That includes breakfast, lunch and tea (plus the snacks throughout the day) and we get a 10% discount on that 1500 as she's in full time.

I really rate our nursery, there obviously comes a point where the cost becomes tough to swallow but seeing how far she's come along, the variety of food she eats, the activities she gets up to etc. makes it much easier to justify.

Precisely, 15 free hours come in for April this year for kids 2 and over.. that's being extended to younger kids (1?) from September 2024. Was talking to our nursery manager yesterday as we're enrolling for the 15 free hours from April, it's the classic story of the government funding not getting even close to covering the nursery costs. Our nursery has increased meal costs for free hour kids from £9 a day up to £15!

 

[ddoubleep]

My niece starts nursery soon and they have already increased daily day rate by £13! So yes the government funding not getting even close to covering the nursery costs.

 

[ChrisD.]

Our nursery has increased meal costs for free hour kids from £9 a day up to £15!

My wife knows the chef at our nursery, he said although the nursery are increasing the cost for this, his budget remains the same.

 

[OG]

My wife knows the chef at our nursery, he said although the nursery are increasing the cost for this, his budget remains the same.

Oh yeh for sure, I'm fully aware the meal cost increase is just being used to fill the gap in other places. There's no way a 2 year old is eating 15 quid's worth of food a day

 

[alchal]

No, but your £800 is for 3 days... It would be more like £1,300 full time

Ah yes I see.

That's why we only do three days lol, our lass has had the benefit of being able to drop to a three day working week otherwise it would be a child minder set up

 

[alchal]

Oh yeh for sure, I'm fully aware the meal cost increase is just being used to fill the gap in other places. There's no way a 2 year old is eating 15 quid's worth of food a day

Reckon ours could eat 15 quids worth of pasta and bloody pom bears if given the chance ha

 

[ChrisD.]

It wouldn't be a new month without a new nursery fee rant in this thread.

 

[theone8181]

I found once mine hit 3 nursery was mega cheap. Once they get to school age, the wrap around care is mega cheap compared to nursery costs. Think we pay 8 quid per child for a session. That means I don't have to leave work early to pick them up from school so works well. I still stand by my opinion of nursery being the most expensive time for kids, mine aren't asking for brand new iPhones (yet), but even that's cheaper than nursery.

 

[ci_newman]

So the changes to child benefit are interesting, I'm guessing there's going to be quite a number of other parents in here who were outside of the entitlement bands but will now fall back into it again with the threshold rise to £80k?

[Edit] https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...hanges-to-the-high-incomechild-benefit-charge

Seems we should hold off applying until 6th July to avoid paying HICBC for the 2023-2024 tax year

 

[tom_e]

So the changes to child benefit are interesting, I'm guessing there's going to be quite a number of other parents in here who were outside of the entitlement bands but will now fall back into it again with the threshold rise to £80k?

[Edit] https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...hanges-to-the-high-incomechild-benefit-charge

Seems we should hold off applying until 6th July to avoid paying HICBC for the 2023-2024 tax year

Yep, now makes it worth looking into again.
Although they'll have probably only just processed the paperwork I sent in December saying I don't want it by the time I send in new paperwork saying "show me the money!".

 

[fez]

Mine aren't asking for brand new iPhones (yet), but even that's cheaper than nursery.

Especially when you tell them to bugger off!

 

[ChrisD.]

Am I getting confused between a (now) £60k limit and a £100k limit?

 

[Azza]

Not sure why you wouldn't apply for child benefit as you get National Insurance credits when you claim. So if one parent isn't working / earning enough it'll cover gaps in NI record for that period.

 

[ci_newman]

Am I getting confused between a (now) £60k limit and a £100k limit?

Current rules - anyone earning below £50k can claim child benefit. For every £100 over your earnings of £50000, you have to repay 1% of child benefit to HMRC, so that when you are earning £60k you no longer receive the benefit at all

New rules - anyone earning below £60k can claim child benefit. For every £200 over your earnings of £60000, you have to repay 1% of child benefit to HMRC, so that when you are earning £80k you no longer receive the benefit at all.

 

[ChrisD.]

Current rules - anyone earning below £50k can claim child benefit. For every £100 over your earnings of £50000, you have to repay 1% of child benefit to HMRC, so that when you are earning £60k you no longer receive the benefit at all

New rules - anyone earning below £60k can claim child benefit. For every £200 over your earnings of £60000, you have to repay 1% of child benefit to HMRC, so that when you are earning £80k you no longer receive the benefit at all.

I thought that there was a £100k thing as well for 20% off nursery fees up to 2 years old?

 

[ci_newman]

I thought that there was a £100k thing as well for 20% off nursery fees up to 2 years old?

That's for tax free childcare, something different

Child benefit is a cash pay out every 4 weeks

 

[ChrisD.]

That's for tax free childcare, something different

Child benefit is a cash pay out every 4 weeks

Right, that's why I'm confused. And that hasn't changed?

 

[dlockers]

Am I getting confused between a (now) £60k limit and a £100k limit?

100k limit is for 2k tax-free childcare. This hasn't changed it's just for folk earning below X with actual child benefit payments (unrelated to childcare or nursery).