If you were absolutely flat broke in this situation, how would you make money?

Have you tried using one of the tax websites to work out how much tax you would pay if you cut some of your hours? Listen to the Taxman is a good one.

You might find that cutting a shift cuts the tax enough to still give you the same take home pay? That would give you a rest and save taxi fare.

Moped sounds a great idea though. I think it would change your life.

Ignore me - just read you've already looked at the UC and cutting shifts.

You are doing so much. - I really hope someone comes up with something helpful

I can't read the whole thread but you mentioned that most months you aren't eligible for UC. I would work out your average monthly take home and then work out if I could do fewer shifts and in place get UC. Then you aren't paying for taxis for that shift. Let UC be in place of a couple of work shifts to give yourself time to breathe.

Surely it's better for her to be out while they're asleep than during the day?

Presumably for a night shift she's leaving the house at somewhere around 5:30-7:30 which means she can often be there to make their tea after school for example - which many working single mums of older teens couldn't.

They're not tiny children - they don't need her home to do bath and bed - and they have each other. Adults have to work - I don't really see the OP's working pattern being particularly worse than someone working a more standard daytime job.

Op your best bet is to get a moped. It will cost u initially to get everything but will pay off in the long run. Cbt to get on the road is around £135(think it depends on area, 2nd hand moped u could probably get for 300/400 off facebook marketplace or gumtree. My partner was 36 insurance a month(moped would be cheaper as there only 50cc) he had a 125cc bike plus around 40 a month for petrol if that, if its only being used to go to work and back.

Hi, I'm sorry you are going through a tough time financially atm. I just wanted to raise a concern I had about your children. You say they are on their own 4/5 nights a week and you are not easily contactable. How old is the child in school?
I'm concerned they don't have a parent around in the evenings. Emotionally to see and talk to for any issues or just spend time with and also physically.
I see this alot where the parent works so much to earn a good living however unintentionally neglects their children.
Please think about the impact this has

You could buy, perhaps second hand, one of those mobility scooters which is an all-in closed cabin. No road tax, no petrol, no MOT.

It will do 8 miles an hour, you ride it on the pavement so it is much much safer than a motorcycle or a bicycle, and when you get to your destination you just plug it in to recharge it. Of course this depends on you having somewhere at home that you can plug it in. It would definitely do the 12 miles without needing to be recharged, so it would get you there and back.

Being an enclosed cabin keeps you dry when it's raining.

Why get an electric bike when a small motorcycle would be faster and much much safer?

@stressedoutstudent ignore the people saying you are being rigid and not open to their suggestions.....frankly, some of these suggestions are shit. No wonder you're not considering them.

One of them first suggestions was "do online surveys for money" Don't do this. You are working 60 hours a week as an A+E nurse. You do not have time to piss about for hours and hours to make a tenner a month, if that.

I think the moped suggestion is a good one and you seem hopeful about that, so I would definitely speak to your parents about that.

Is your rental private or social housing? Long term, I would think about getting yourself on the list for social housing, if you're not already. Cheaper rents and more long term security.

I agree stay working in A+E which you love. Don't do the pip assessor role just to save on travel costs.

And remember, your salary will go up. Hopefully this very squeezed situation is just temporary.

Good luck xx

You're doing amazing op. You've put yourself through a nursing degree which is bloody hard. You've raised your kids alone.

I'm a nurse lecturer. It might not be something for right now but the point I want to make is that you won't always be on a band 5. We have quite new staff lecturing and they earn good money. I would think twice before moving out of A&E because your skills and knowledge in that area will help you progress up the bands more than PIP assessing will.

One thing I did when strapped for cash once is match betting. I just did it for a year and earned £10k extra that year. You don't pay tax on winnings. Read up on it. It's not gambling it's just basic maths.

The other tax free income is renting spare rooms but not sure that's an option.

How is it "cruel"? It's an economical and practical way of travelling short distances. I work shifts and cycle year-round (in North Wales mind, not somewhere easy like Cambridgeshire). This is the UK, not Finland. Though actually many Finns do cycle - the city of Oulu is pretty close to the Arctic Circle and a significant chunk of the population cycle even in the depths of winter.

There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothes.

Hi can you give some more info on this please? How did you learn? Can you link to an example (doesn't have to be your product) thanks x

I did cycle to work, no cycling in the dark or shifts and it was 5 miles. I think cycling at night plus your actual job it would be a bit too much

What gaming consoles do they use? Is it Xbox ? Do they share game pass?

Olio offers free food form people who pick it up as shops close, it’s to stop waste.

Some excellent advice already so nothing to add other than to say what an inspiration you are to your children in modelling the absolute grit, determination and resilience it takes to achieve your goals and provide for your family - keep
Going and take all the advice and support you can get to ease your situation.

There was a PIP assessor AMA on here recently, see if you can find the thread and ask her about it.

If you cycle in can you shower or freshen up at work ( 'cos I would be a big old sweaty mess if I cycled in m especially in waterproofs and protective headgear )

You need to declare other work if you're NHS so you don't run the risk of overdoing it and compromising your working standards ( like excessive hours worked)

NHS Trusts always maintain that their Staff is their biggest asset so want to protect us .
In my Trust it's a 'mare with travel and parking , we can get the bikes on Salary Sacrifice but I wouldn't be safe on a bike , and I carry a load of stuff with me

See if RCN has a hardship fund or similar also.

Just a few nhs thoughts.... most Trusts have (see intranet) a link to staff / financial help pages etc - ours has lots of grants & financial assistance for nurses, staff discount schemes (money off / discounted shop vouchers etc) - pretty much get 5% minimum off everything I buy, sometimes both %off plus pay with discounted vouchers. 8% off Xbox store.

Use all the supermarket apps, asda, nectar and lidl particularly good for discounts, points, cashback etc (plus discounted vouchers to spend at most of these).

Spend time on Money Saving Expert if you don't already.

Christ. That professionals have to live like this. And it's normal.

I'm a keen cyclist, but the thought of HAVING to cycle 6 miles either side of a hard night shift sounds really horrible. Getting all dressed up in the grim weather in the winter, or all hot in the summer.

Definitely look into the Cycle to Work scheme.

An eBike will easily do the hills with little effort from you. Do not buy secondhand as you could run a fire risk of potential dodgy batteries, if you go through the scheme you'll be buying a decent model
Salary sacrifice for the Cycle to Work scheme is taken from gross salary BEFORE NI and tax are included and should cost you the equivalent of about £50/month for 12-18 months depending on the model you choose. SO the equivalent of 4-5 days of taxis A MONTH. Should save you masses, and you will get the bike before you get a deduction, so instant savings.
All you'd then need is a helmet and a waterproof jacket, gloves and trousers - maybe ask your parents ? Christmas pressie?

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/get-active/the-cycle-to-work-scheme-explained/

Something about BOTOX I don't understand.
It has to be prescribed in person by a Doctor. But they never do.
I don't know if that would lose the nurse her registration.