Free childcare hours

I’m doing some research and want to see if I can afford to go back to work. Right now my husband is covering everything financially but I know he is struggling. I have some supply work/potentially long term teaching roles coming my way, but I’m wondering if I can even afford it and if everything will just end up paying for nursery. I think we are eligible for free childcare from what I can see, has this been helpful to those of you who have it? I would love to go back to work for my own mental health too but worried that I literally will be working so much with no money to myself at the end of the month.

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I'd looked to go back into teaching as well. The max youd probably pay for nursery is £1400 for a full day (dependent on nursery prices) so depending on the band youd be starting back at you're looking at a take home pay of at least £400! I decided to go back as a part time LSA in the end due to the same financial dilemma but also still wanting more time with my LO. His nursery (8-2 mon-fri) works out around £630 including money for meals. We are able to claim some back through UC though so makes it a lot cheaper and manageable. That amount also includes the free hours. Think I went with the 11 hours stretched option rather than 15 free hours as it covers more weeks in the year! Hope that helps

@Ebony this is good to know, thank you. I’m also worried about putting her nursery for the first time and then being sick every day with a school I’ve just started with, there’s always something!

Also going through that 🙈 ive had at least 4 days off since September but luckily the head teacher is very understanding as she is a working mum too! If you can find something that starts after christams or easter you might skip the first bout of winter illnesses then by the time next winter comes around you will have been working there long enough for it not to feel so bad! 😊

Teacher here. Work 3 days, nursery 2 days and one day with family. In term time only and our nursery bill is about £300/month with the 15 free hours (i’m assuming this is what you mean by free childcare). Definitely worth jt, I do work hard but also love that satisfaction that I can have a career and be a mum. I have maintained my full TLR as I didn’t want to lose my ability to progress career wise and still manage to just about balance it… hard at crunch points but worth it to have more financial freedom too. Started nursery in winter and she was sick lots but my husband and I split any days off we needed and used family. Plus work totally understand that this happens. I have only had 2 half days off to collect from nursery between Jan and now, totally expecting it to ramp up again Dec/Jan x

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