How many jobs per week am I expected to apply for on universal credit

@Tubetrain do you think it's that easy when not in an established career to get a job that covers childcare? Even with government help she'd have to pay up front at first.

I do think a 10 hour job within 20 mins of your front door is a bit unlikely tbh, but I can see the catch 22 of it all. What work did you do before you had him, OP- any contacts there who might be able to help?

This is exactly why I rarely post about my own circumstances on here, because Ive found myself being one of of those looked down on ‘scroungers’ due my personal situation. Doesn’t matter that I went to university, that I worked, that I had children in a relationship where the other parent was working a job that covered our bills. Now I’m a single parent to high needs children who wouldn’t dare ask advice about how to reenter the workplace with my years of empty CV. I’d be ripped apart. The op is making that first step, I hope she finds something that works for her situation.

This thread is awful and must be quite disheartening for the op. As those who are more knowledgeable have said it's not so much about how many jobs you apply for but the time you spend searching and the quality of your applications. I would take all the help you can get in terms of having your advisor work with you on your CV to make sure you are highlighting all of your transferable skills. I hope you find a job soon.

Try care work if your able to they can be flexible if you get the right agency and some take on walking staff during school hours

UP TO 85% you are not guaranteed to get anywhere near 85% and you need to be able to pay in advance not every jobcentre likes giving you money from the flexible support fund starting low like OP they will need less support to get started off and can increase when they are able

I knew you’d get a hard time OP. People do not know your circumstances. Unless you had a secure job before you was pregnant it’s not as straight forward as just returning to work at 12 months. You get trapped in a cycle, where you have had to claim benefits, and then the jobs potentially available to you are minimum wage, with the added stress of needing childcare in place before getting a job, but not actually being able to secure any childcare, because you don’t have a job.

As a single Mum on benefits, getting f a full time job and full time childcare
place at the same time is pretty much impossible and also a huge leap. In reality, most people in this situation would chose to work less and work around their children. People that say they wouldn’t, have never been in that situation. Pride and ‘not wanting the tax payer to pay’ for you doesn’t come into it. It’s very different when you have career prospects, a partner.

OP I’m not saying that’s this is your situation, but just an example. I was in your shoes, I didn’t work for 10 years, I went back to college when my youngest started school and it was the best thing I ever did.

Why can't your youngest do full days in nursery - then you'll have a genuine chance of finding a job and moving yourself on in life?

I think lots of women reading this post would feel bewildered. To choose work hours around school runs? What a luxury. I think that some people on benefits and top-up benefits have a better quality of life in terms of time spent with the children, than career women or just normal working women. Makes you think.

Op would get 85% of childcare costs reimbursed.

I think so too.

I've had clients expected to earn 30 x NMW per week with pre-school age children.

OP asked a question. She is not required to give her personal circumstances to anyone, let alone those who think they have a right to judge whether or not 10 hours is reasonable in light of those circumstances. If the work coach says it's OK, it's OK. What does it have to do with you?

Mumsnet at its finest.
Mum posts clearly anxious and looking for advice about her specific circumstances which sound tricky to say the least.
Most of the responses are suggesting that she is clearly work shy and leaching off the tax payer.
Nice.
I went back to work when youngest was 1 and eldest 3. That was hard. Finding a Job and a nursery able to take them.
I was lucky enough to be married, have healthy kids and a supportive husband. Whenever I think back on my hardest times I can still do so through a lens of a supportive husband.
Just check your privilege as they say

@NerrSnerr No idea, but clearly can't be expected to apply for non existent jobs, therefore would be expected to apply for ALL suitable ones, whether it be 1 or 10

@MarieG10 the point is that working and doing 'the right thing' nets you £10 a week for the hassle of 37 hour week. Yes £10 a week was earned and there is pride in that but it's not enough to sustain weekly food and bills?

@notgettinganyyounger and how many 10 hour per week jobs do you think are out there to apply for?

I don't blame OP. I am in a joint claim and work very part time. I probably will do so until they start school. I like mid day supervisor roles but then would have to pay for five days nursery. No thanks!

@pickledpoppetpickle

Bigot??

The OP has not suggested any other reason for working 10 hours, no more than 20 minutes away.

Just how many jobs she should be applying for! That in itself tells me all I need to know. One would expect her to apply for ALL suitable jobs.

I didn't say it was 16 hours but that she has to earn to AET. Sounds like OP is lucky and has an understanding work coach who is being lenient.

you're aware of the OP's exact circumstances?

No, thought not.

Please ignore the idiots, OP. Any thread on benefits brings out the bigots.

Better than being £10 short!

Thats about £10 more than we had left with us both working and paying for childcare, it’s just life with young children. It never entered our heads that it wasn’t “worth it”. Now we’ll at the other side of it and both have healthy pensions

It wasn't; you were being judgemental with a but maybe at the end.

But never mind.

If thsts what the work coach has suggested stick to that at first and increase when you can

@Bromptotoo exactly my point if you read the rest of my post!

They had, but it didn't help their household budget at all, and the nursery fees then increased meaning they were worse off than before.
I'm not saying don't work, but sometimes the fees that enable people to work don't make it financially beneficial for them to do so.