Help hard-working families: Samara’s Story
“When you have twins your first thought isn’t what on earth am I going to do about childcare? but when you need to find thousands of pounds a month to go back to work, it’s the only thing you can think about.”
Did you know that nannies are the only childcare provider currently excluded from the Government’s 30 hours free childcare scheme?
As a result, many families are prevented from accessing this flexible form of childcare, and families who already rely on nannies are unfairly disadvantaged. We’ve asked our Nannytax customers to share their stories about their experiences, why they rely on a nanny, and how being excluded from the 30 hours free scheme has impacted them.
Here’s Samara’s Story
Samara Bailey lives in East Sussex with her partner and their three children – a five-year- old son and four-year-old twin boys. A full-time nanny worked out cheaper than paying nursery fees for all three at once, but the family has still struggled to cover childcare costs.
“My eldest son went to nursery from 12 months old for four days a week, which cost about £2,000 per month, so it was touch and go as to whether I went back to work just to pay for nursery. When I had the twins 21 months later, three in nursery just wasn’t a financially viable option.
I seriously considered not going back to work, but my career is in technology – a sector where the pace of change is fast – and I didn’t want to take four years out to find myself miles behind. We have no family nearby to help us. I am originally from Australia and, in any case, my mum’s almost eighty, and my husband’s parents have passed away.
When you have twins your first thought isn’t ‘what on earth am I going to do about childcare?’ but, later, when you’re suddenly faced with needing to find thousands of pounds a month to go back to work, it’s the only thing you can think about. Childcare is a colossal expense alongside mortgages, especially now with interest rates rising.
A nanny was the only viable option if I was to return to work and, although she worked out at £1,500 cheaper per month than nursery fees for all three, it was still an expense we barely afforded. There was also the flexibility she offered that nurseries simply can’t offer. Because we’ve moved further out of London, the commute is long and can be unreliable. Our nanny starts bathtime so we can take over at bedtime.
Our nanny leaves us this year as our children are off to school, and we’re very much looking forward to not paying that salary despite the fact she’s been wonderful and a huge support around the home. If we could have paid some of her wages using 30 hours free, it would have made all the difference.
Many skilled people are having to choose between career and children. I have a good friend who is a doctor and who cannot afford to go back to work due to childcare costs. This is a huge drain on the workforce, the NHS, and the economy. Offering more flexibility within the 30-hours free scheme is critical to its success.”
