Can i get free childcare when on benefits?

Question

Hi, my partner claims obseekers allowence for us both, and we get tax credits for our 3 very young children. My partner has just started a course which is part of the benefits scheme. My oldest goes to nursery on the afternoon and im having trouble taking and picking her up as my partner usually does it. Im having trouble because my 1 1/2 year old wont walk outside and my youngest is 3 months, i cant push 2 pushchairs at once. Im just wondering if i can get free childcare or so much free for her if im on benefits? just a couple of hours a day, then it will give me time to pick my other child up from nursery. To be honest she would benefit from nursery as she is very shy and would open her up a bit especially as she starts big school nursery in march next year too.
All advice very apprichiated. thanks.

We are not wanting handouts, sometimes its very difficult to get a job, my partner keeps getting jobs and they lay him and others off after so long, he is trying his best, we also need a good enough job to pay everything too. I dont work because ive got 3 young children to look after, ive been to college and got my qualifications too and inteend getting back to work when my youngest is older and when my partner gets a secure job too.
Sometimes there is no choice than to recieve benefits, i need to put food on my table at the end of the day.

Answer 1

Good to hear that your partner is at college, at least he is making an effort to get to college and get decent qualifications for a better job

I am so fed up with people that put down people on benefits (not everyone does it to scrounge) ( by the way I do work but I'm not small minded and I have spent time on benefits so I know how hard the struggle is.) Do people really believe that on benefits you are free loading? It is a measly amount that you struggle with daily to make ends meet

Unfortunately you will not be able to get child care, as it does only seem to be there for more well off people, but some colleges have their own nurseries so maybe your kid could go there. Your partner would have to speak to the college to find out about any financial support.

Good Luck
:-)

Answer 2

you can only get free child care i believe from the age of 3 in a nursery or in some places 2.5 years.
if you were working then you could probably get help with child care costs through the working tax credits system for working parents, but its not 100% free you still would have to pay for some of it (i think the max is about £180 a week and less for 2nd and subsequent children)
if you have the money i would try -
1. buy a double buggy (look in the papers, on the net and in charity shops for cheap ones, or go on to a freecycle website for your area as people often have things that others want and they are all free!!!)
2. buy a buggy board - they fit on the back of a buggy so your older child can sit/stand on it if he/she doesnt want to walk. these are a bit more expensive though at about £50.
3. get a baby sling from ebay for the littlest one, they cost about £10-£20 and are really handy for every day use.
4. try and find a mother and toddler/baby group in your area they can be a great help. my daughter hated the one i went to when she was 1 year old but loves it now she is 2. remember kids go through phases so just because she/hes shy now doesnt mean to say she/he will be in 6 months! groups like the singing circles are really good too as mum/dad can interact aswell and they are only a couple of pound for a couple hours and you could take all your kids too so they all have fun.

Answer 3

To be honest with you - you should contact your social services and they can let you know if you can get free childcare. You shouldn't be claiming job seekers allowance if you are not looking for work and I know this because I have asked the Job centre staff. I am a mother to a 9 month old baby, I live with my partner who brings in the only source of income but we manage to get by. We don't claim anything not even working tax credits, because I don't want people to think I only had a baby to claim benefits. Plus the money I don't recieve could go to people who actually need it not people like you and your partner who are too lazy to get off of your arses and look for a job. Find some work you could do from home - there are loads of jobs like that. Your partner can work as a cleaner or at Macdonalds anyway to get money coming in. If he doesn't want a job get him to look after the kids and you can get some work. There's no excuse for being lazy. If you can't afford a buggy board cancel your internet and use the money for that for a buggy board!

Answer 4

How about you buy a double pushchair or you do what us working folk have to do just get on with it and grin and bear it.
If you can not look after or afford to look after 3 children then why have them. Also as far as getting more things on the free like child care dont you think getting your rent paid and your council tax paid, a college course with all the other benefits also dont you think you get enough already!!!! Maybe if there were less people like you out there then this country wouldn't be in the state it's in now!!! So why don't you go and get a job and see what real life is really about.

Answer 5

what you do is get to the local charity shop or warehouse and ask them if they have a double buggy or you get a hodall that you can put the baby o n your chest. to say you can't pick your child up is an insult to the 1000's of women who do it every day including those who work! If your 1 1/2 year old won't walk outside how are you going to get him to nursery you still have the two buggy problem eh!!!!!!Sorry but this question annoys me because l have 5 children and work . My friend has 5 children one is 4 who is at nursery with my twins she gets there to pick him up every day with her 16 month old and four month old. Its so easy to find reasons not to do something when your on benefits and its all paid for you. I'm not talking from ignorance either before you tell me that l don't know how hard it is to get a job. I was on benefits with 3 boys untill l got a job as a shop assistant within 2 years l had worked my way up to manager. I paid for childcare out of my WAGES . The high l got from earning a wage was a lot better than collecting my giro..!! Even when l had my twins l still kept my job part time.I had my eldest at nursery and my two others age 2 and 1 at home. Yes its hard you just drop them off and its time to pick them up again but you had them. Come on no excuses.

Answer 6

Unfortunately you can get the place for 2 hours of free childcare only when your child is 2 years old and more likely it will be the same hours as the nursery. Childcare is extremely expensive especially in London area. I had go to work with my little one because of that. In your case you can get a child care costs ONLY if you are at work (not just your partner). I found that childcare services are in favour of high paid jobs or jobs with child care allowances.

Answer 7

I sympathise with anyone who is, genuinely, on benefits and is desperately trying to eke out an existence. I was once in that situation for a year until I found fresh employment. My daughter still is and has two small children aged 3 and 5. Rather than stay jobless and claiming benefits she has decided to do something about it and has taken A levels that have enabled her to go to university where she is studying as a student nurse. This also involves working at a hospital on long hours, today for example she is on duty from 7.00 am until 9.00 pm. To fund this she is given a bursary of £6000 a year. However from this she has to find childcare costs, rent food, travel and has had to buy a uniform. Although it is hard she is getting by and i admire her tremendously for doing this when she could have sat back and let the state keep her. However one lesson she has learned is this. When you attend the Benefits Office ASK WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO. They have to tell you if you ask but do not volunteer it if you don't. Said daughter has been very persistent and will not take no for an answer if she feels she has unclaimed entitlements. My advice is then that you should go along there, explain your situation, and make them tell you what you can claim. There certainly is help there, it's just making them give it to you that's the problem. If they're obstructive go along to your local M P's surgery and tell him/her of your problems and that, as your representative, they should help. Keep on at them until they do. Go to the Citizen's Advice Bureau also. They can help in many ways from advice to acting for you in debt management.

Best wishes for Christmas and I hope you get resolved soon.

Answer 8

myself and my wife were in a similar position we have a 3 y.o a 18 month old and a young baby to. what i would advise you to do is both have part time jobs under 20 hours so you can still put all three kids in nursery while you both work as alraedy advised by others you can claim up to 80% of the child care . i would also asume you are in the uk? if so i would have advised you to have used your surestart maternity grant to have bought a double pram they are a godsend . if you have problems finding the cost for the first month there is a government run iniitative called "working for families" that could help. they help pay the fisrt months nursery fees help with bus pass costs to get yourself on your feet.. working and coming home to your family is the most rewarding feeling ever.

Answer 9

yes you would need to work to get childcare unfortunately. I am a single mother myself with one 4 yr old and at one point i had two jobs, one part time and also being self employed. i am now fully self employed and my son is at school (which is free) but his after school club i have to pay for, so i get childcare help with that. for your youngest child to be 3 months they are a little young for childcare, i would suggest your partner find a full time job (its not that hard in this country! anything will do) until your youngest is about a year old, then you should find part time work and have them all in childcare only a couple of days a week. why not work from home if you can?
good luck;-)

Answer 10

You're TWENTY TWO and your partner is NINETEEN and you have three children - what on earth did you have 3 children so when you are so young and have no earning potential, why didn't you wait until you had some work experience and could get a decent job then take maternity leave and pay for child care like the rest of us? Having a child is a big decision, when you took this decision 3 times presumably still in your teens the first time, how did you think you would pay for things like this? YOU are not putting food on your table, we, the people who pay taxes are. WHY WOULD YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THIS POSITION SO YOUNG!!! I get soooooo angry with people who make these decisions and then won't take responsiblity for them. grrrrr..

Answer 11

You could use a baby sling for the youngest or get a doulble buggy. You shouldn't expect to get everything for free just because you are on benefits. Also if you put her in childcare you will have the same problem collecting them from nursery/childminder anyway as you will still have to get her there and back as they won't supply transport.