A stay-at-home mum says quitting her job has saved her £9,000 a year in childcare, as Jeremy Hunt announces his new ‘back to work’ budget.
After being told her childcare bill for 30 hours would come to £750 a month, mum-of-two Claire Chircop felt she had little choice but to ditch her job in a jewellery shop in order to stay home with the kids.
The 32-year-old blogger, who lives in Middlesbrough with her husband and two young girls, ages four and one, was stunned at the price.
She says she could no longer justify outsourcing childcare when it was "considerably" higher than the couple’s mortgage and not far off her monthly wage.
After considering her husband's salary, the couple were only £150 better off with Claire’s 30-hours-a-week job, so she decided to leave.
A recent report released by the childcare charity, Coram, revealed that the costs of full-time nursery for two children below two reaches almost £15,000 per year.
However, today the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a massive expansion of childcare, giving parents of kids from nine months 30 hours free support each week – which he claims will reduce childcare costs by 60%.
Claire welcomes the news but says for her “it won’t make a huge difference” due to it not coming into place fast enough – and adds that it “seems too good to be true”.
“For me personally my youngest will be almost three when the support comes into place, so it won't make a huge difference,” she said.
“I regularly start work at 8pm once the kids have gone to bed, which as you can imagine isn't all that enjoyable and plays havoc with my mental health and craving 'me time'.
'But it seems too good to be true.
“I quit my job because it was cheaper than paying childcare.
“While I welcome the government's announcement, I wish this was available from the beginning for me and my family.
“But what's important is it's available for the future generations and future mums stuck in a tricky situation.”
Claire quit her job in January 2021 when she had only one child.
With the couple's family living 70 miles away, forking out for the huge childcare expense would be their only option had Claire not decided to stay home.
She said: "I can't imagine the stress and anxiety we'd be under trying to afford childcare for two children, on my previous wage.
"If I was still working there's no way we'd have been able to afford two lots of childcare.
“It's no wonder so many women are quitting jobs and setting up small businesses like myself.
"Of course we still have a mortgage and bills to pay but not sending a large chunk of money to our childcare provider is a massive weight off our shoulders."
Despite the lack of choice due to rising living costs, Claire says the benefits of being at home include being able to watch her children grow up.
It has also enabled her to start a hobby which has become a small business, writing a lifestyle and parenting blog, http://ClaireMac.co.uk.
She said: "I now parent by day, and work as a blogger by night – and any other opportunity I get – which leaves us better off financially.
"It now feels like any money we make now, is ours [but] it's difficult for me because the days are longer.
“I parent 6am-8pm then work 8-10/11pm."
Although their family has found a solution that works for now, as they look to the future, her hope is to get back into a standard working environment.
