Is Going Back to Work Worth It? Childcare vs. Work Calculator

How this childcare vs. work calculator works

Going back to work after time at home is rarely a simple “salary in, money out” decision. A job paying €32,000 or £28,000 can shrink fast once you take off tax, childcare and the cost of getting there. This childcare vs. work calculator follows the money step by step so you can see what is actually left at the end of the month.

It starts with your gross pay and takes off the extra tax your household pays because you’re working. That last part matters. In Ireland, a married couple where one parent stays home usually gets the Home Carer Tax Credit, and that credit shrinks or disappears when the stay-at-home parent starts earning. In the UK, a spouse who transfers their Marriage Allowance loses it once they need their own full Personal Allowance. In the US, a second income is taxed starting at your household’s top rate, not from zero. The childcare vs. work calculator includes these effects instead of pretending your pay is taxed on its own.

Next it takes off childcare, after the main help available in each country: the National Childcare Scheme subsidy in Ireland, Tax-Free Childcare in the UK, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit (plus a Dependent Care FSA, if your employer offers one) in the US. Finally it subtracts commuting and the small costs of working that add up: lunches, clothes, more takeaway nights.

Workplace pension contributions are shown separately. They reduce your take-home pay, but they’re not lost. They’re money you’re saving for later, often with an employer or State top-up.

What “worth it” really means

The headline number is what you’d keep each month. It’s important, but it isn’t the whole picture. Before you decide, think about:

• The childcare years are short. Costs usually fall sharply once children start school. A job that roughly breaks even now may pay well in two or three years, and it’s often easier to keep a job than to find one after a long gap.
• Pension and social insurance. Working builds your own pension, and also your PRSI (Ireland), National Insurance (UK) or Social Security (US) record. That affects your State pension later.
• Your hourly rate. The childcare vs. work calculator shows what you keep per hour worked. If it’s very low, a different arrangement may make more sense, for example fewer hours, school-hours work, or a remote role with no commute.
• Things money can’t measure. Adult company, confidence, independence, and time with your children all count. Only you can weigh those.

Childcare help you might be missing

Ireland

Every family using a registered childcare provider can get the universal NCS subsidy of €2.14 an hour for up to 45 hours a week, whatever your income. Families with lower incomes can get a higher, income-assessed rate. Your provider takes the subsidy off your bill, but you have to apply yourself through ncs.gov.ie. Budget 2027 announced a higher subsidy of €2.50 an hour for younger children (early years up to senior infants) from September 2027. Children in the free ECCE preschool programme get those hours free on top of this.

UK

With Tax-Free Childcare, the government adds £2 for every £8 you pay into your childcare account, up to £2,000 a year per child (£4,000 for a disabled child). Each parent normally needs to expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Living Wage, and no more than £100,000. In England, working parents can also get up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare from when their child is 9 months old. Going back to work can be the thing that makes you eligible, which can change the numbers a lot.

US

From the 2026 tax year, the Child and Dependent Care Credit is worth 20% to 50% of up to $3,000 of care costs for one child, or $6,000 for two or more. Many middle-income married couples now get 35%. If your employer offers a Dependent Care FSA, you can pay up to $7,500 of care costs from pre-tax pay. The same dollars can’t count for both, so the calculator uses the FSA first and applies the credit to anything left over.

If the numbers don’t work (yet)

A negative or tiny result doesn’t mean work is impossible. It means this particular combination of pay, hours and childcare doesn’t add up. Try changing things in the childcare vs. work calculator:

• Tick fully remote to see what removing the commute does. Remote or hybrid roles also make shorter childcare days possible.
• Lower the hours and childcare together. Two or three days a week, or school-hours work, often keeps more of each euro, pound or dollar.
• Check whether a partner can shift their hours to cover some care.
• Look at the pay. Sometimes the honest answer is that a role needs to pay a little more before it’s worth it. That’s useful to know before you accept an offer.

RemoteGlide only covers real, honest ways to work from home. We don’t recommend “join my team” schemes or anything that asks you to pay to start.

Figures used

Ireland: 2026 rates, and 2027 rates as announced in Budget 2027 on 6 October 2026, including the PRSI increases from 1 October each year. The 2027 figures still need to pass the Finance Bill. UK: the 2026/27 tax year, using England, Wales and Northern Ireland income tax rates; Scottish rates differ slightly. US: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction, with state income tax as a simple estimate you enter. Last checked November 2026.

This is a planning estimate, not tax or financial advice. It doesn’t include social welfare or benefit changes, student loan repayments, or every possible credit. For a decision with big consequences, check with Revenue / Citizens Information (Ireland), GOV.UK (UK), or a tax professional.

Frequently asked questions