Pictured: Yvette Oliver-Mighten, a director of @Home
Childcare
An extra £300 million allocated to the childcare pot under
the Universal Credit proposals is welcome news for working parents
but for those set to benefit, 2013 is a lifetime away and they
urgently need help now, says Nottingham-based @Home Childcare.
Under new Government plans to scrap the minimum working hours
limit for childcare support, parents on low incomes who are working
less than 16 hours a week will now be eligible for childcare
support from 2013. It's designed to encourage more mums to
return to work.
Worth up to £175 a week for one child and £300 for
two or more, the changes will come into force in 2013 to coincide
with the introduction of the universal credit, a single payment
consolidating existing benefits such as child tax credit, working
tax credit and jobseeker's allowance.
Yvette Oliver-Mighten, a director of @Home Childcare, says: "The
current system isn't working. I met with a single mum last week,
who was unable to claim working tax credits as she has only been
able to access 14½ hours of work. The changes will
eventually help her and the many more who fail to meet the 16 hours
threshold, but 2013 seems a lifetime away for them. More should be
done now to help low incomes parents like them."
According to Yvette, the news also cannot deflect from the fact
that recent cuts within the benefits system have placed many
families under considerable financial strain. She continues: "There
is no extra support in sight. We desperately need to see a return
to the 80% coverage of childcare costs before we see more and more
working parents fall into poverty and debt."
Established in 2005, @Home Childcare provides a quality,
flexible childcare service within the family's own home. The
company's part-time childcare is particularly useful for parents
who need a pay-as-you-go childcare service to suit their working
hours and budget, whether daytime or out of hours care.
The company also works with many local emplyers to address
problems which their workforce, particularly shiftworkers, have
with finding or affording flexible, quality childcare provision.
There are a number of options which can be explored, ranging from a
simple sign-posting arrangement to operating a bespoke childcare
service for employees.