Stay at Home Mum

I am currently on maternity leave. i am due back to work in 8 weeks. It will not pay me to go back to work or to stay at home. My husband brings home €600 per week. My mortgage is €1750 per month. If I go back to work my Salary is €1950 per month. Childcare would cost me €700 a month. I would also have other costs such as Car Insurance, Bills such as ESB, Oil, Shopping, Petrol etc. Would I be entitled to any benefits???????????? I really don't want to be struggling and have the pressure and stress of work on top of the guilt of leaving my little baby for 11 hours a day. Any suggestions greatly appreciated...

You are obviously entitled to Child Benefit and Early Childcare Supplement payments. See here. If you become home carer then your husband may be able to claim the [broken link removed]. He will also benefit from some of your credits/allowances if you become a married couple one spouse earning. Can't think of anything else offhand that you might be entitled to.

Thanks a million ClubMan. Hopefully my husband will be able to claim the Home Carer's Tax Credit. Thanks for advice much appreciated.

I'd imagine that he should be able to claim it - [broken link removed] is clearer on the qualification criteria.

www.taxcalc.eu is useful for getting a rough idea of the married two spouses earning versus married one spouse earning situations with regard to tax/PRSI and take home pay.