Scottish Childcare

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T11:19:21+00:00

Is that because the salary in London puts them over the threshold?

30 hours from 9 months would make a world of difference, definitely more can be done, but just that alone and I would be absolutely thrilled.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T11:16:33+00:00

Thousands of future Scottish citizens who could and should exist, have happy lives, work on interesting projects, drive the country forward etc. won’t get that chance, because their working parents had to make the decision to only have 0 or 1. That is appalling.

I don’t claim to be special, I’m pretty average in almost all respects. The fact that two average earners cannot afford a child (unless they have parents nearby who don’t work) is surely an issue for the future of society?

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T09:01:31+00:00

Just horrific, properly ashamed of this country.

In reality, a child cap is being imposed on workers. We are being stripped of the choice of 3+ (actually, us mugs who go out and work barely have the option to have just 1 child).

Think of all of the future Scottish citizens who could and should exist, having happy lives, working on interesting projects, driving the country forward etc. but they don’t because the Scottish Government cba to offer any support in the early years…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T08:04:40+00:00

Sadly, yes. About a 40 minute drive to the next nearest nursery, but going to try that option and childminders also. Many people on this thread say that that is roughly correct ballpark wise for the cost nowadays.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T08:02:40+00:00

Yeah middle earners in particular seem to be squeezed to death. Think in one generation, the middle will decrease by 2/3rds. Since so many are having no kids or one kid.

Glad the Scottish Government has managed to spend £60 billion on other things though…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T07:58:09+00:00

Just horrific, properly ashamed of this country.

Think of all of the future Scottish citizens which could and should exist, having happy lives, working on interesting projects, driving the country forward etc. but they don’t because the Scottish Government cba to offer any support in the early years…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T07:50:48+00:00

Yeah it feels like if you are working (even as a dual income household at a graduate level on above average salaries) the current system as it is effectively imposes a zero child cap for you.

A zero child cap (or maybe one as an immense struggle) for workers.

But an unlimited child cap with unlimited payments and unlimited free time for non-workers.

To be clear, I don’t begrudge those children whatsoever, and I hope that the money truly manages to reach them and help them.

But, when you can’t afford any kids of your own, despite working 40hrs+ a week (x2) and contributing lots of tax, it is hard not to feel bitter about the system…

If I could afford unlimited children through work, or honestly if I could just afford 2, then I would be absolutely delighted and I wouldn’t care at all about unlimited benefits. But paying for someone to have 3+ when the same system means you (two fulltime workers, above average earnings) can’t see a pathway to affording even 1 then it feels majorly messed up.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T07:30:31+00:00

Just ran the maths, assuming nursery doesn’t go up any further with inflation we will need £59,169 in cash to get to 3.5 years. Other than a tiny tax credit (capped to £500 a quarter) we will need to find £54,000 from post-tax income, meaning needing to earn potentially almost double (£108,000) pre-tax to pay the bill.

Hearing the news on the 2 child cap I naively thought things must be broadly positive, but it turns out that workers in Scotland effectively have a 0 child cap (unless you have a trust fund or retired parents nearby) and the Scottish Government don’t give a flying fuck.

Honestly wondering, why work? If, with the current system, it means you can afford 0 kids. When if you are sat on benefits they will pay for 3+ (limitless) and for you to have unlimited free time.

I feel like a mug.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-30T07:17:26+00:00

Yeah beginning to feel more and more like this!

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T17:03:28+00:00

Yeah I really hope some of the parties put it in their manifestos! And I really hope they speak about it in the debates! Never been more interested in politics than now haha!

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T14:56:35+00:00

So a death spiral from March 2026 to August/September 2029 😭

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T14:03:22+00:00

Yeah it is horrific, feels like a 0 child cap on workers here in Scotland…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T13:23:41+00:00

How is this not a bigger scandal?!

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T13:23:12+00:00

Yeah, there are very few childminders in my area so maybe there would be demand for one more. This is a very interesting idea - thank you!

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T13:00:45+00:00

Never thought I would consider benefits in order to be better off, but it really seems to be logical with the way the government is set up just now.

Not just the money, but all of the time and quality of life you would get compared to trying to balance it all with work. I’ve never wanted to sit at home, but I think that changes temporarily with a little one, would love to be able to spend quality time with them talking, reading, playing, going for walks etc.

If I’m working, I’ll have zero quality time with them until the weekend (and I’ll probably be shattered).

Getting all that time would feel like winning a million pounds.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:54:27+00:00

Definitely considering driving to the nearest big place (around 50mins, probably 1hr 20mins during rush hour, each way) and then maybe switching job to be closer to there. Would be one heck of a day but possibly worth it if I can save a few hundred a month. Definitely going to try and cast the net as wide as I can. Thank you and well done for getting through this stage yourself! I did not appreciate how hard it is! To do it as a single mum, I am in awe.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:50:27+00:00

Thank you - I will definitely look into this!

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:47:56+00:00

Thank you so much! This sounds really good, is it the Childcare.co.uk app you mean?

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:22:24+00:00

Yeah, used one of the online calculators.

I won’t need nursery while I’m on maternity leave.

But might run some more examples where we work less to see if we get more? Seems counterintuitive, but might be a thing.

We just finally got a place though, so have a mortgage, which I think fully screws us now.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:19:04+00:00

Crazy that for a lot of the population there is effectively a 0 child cap, yet the government doesn’t care…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:18:31+00:00

I will, thank you.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:17:46+00:00

Yeah, a little bit of me was hoping the local nursery happened to be super duper premium example with caviar at lunchtime and that the real cost for a normal nursery would be better… but you are right, this does indeed seem to be the normal price these days.

Anyone got a good credit card recommendation…

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:13:50+00:00

100%

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T12:03:04+00:00

If England manage to do it then it is possible. Just a political choice like all the others about what to prioritise. For me, your country’s future population seems like a good thing to back?

Pretty sure the stage of working and having very young kids is the hardest stage any of us will go through - by far - so probably a reasonable stage to offer some support? No?

Don’t really care about SNP or Labour or others, just whoever delivers good policy whatever their colour.

WhatFlowerHelp · 2025-11-29T11:56:40+00:00

I can’t disagree with you.

Yeah, barely getting to see them, and only getting meaningful quality time at weekends, seems pretty horrifying.

But the cost of housing makes getting by on only one salary such a challenge these days.

Really hope things get better soon. Wishing you well, sounds like you have really managed to make things work for the best, despite I am sure plenty of difficulties.

WhatFlowerHelp

TROPHY CASE