Everything is falling apart - please no judgement!

1. Speak to the local housing team
2. Why worry about the 5 week wait on UC - you've already said you have a bit of money to tide you over. If it's not enough you can get an advance payment from UC.
3. You won't get help with childcare costs from UC unless you're both working.
4. Your DH will need to take some time off work to do the interview. This is normal.

Does care work pay an enhanced rate for overnights and weekends? Interested for myself.

OP, just to come back to this, you mentioned applying for TA jobs, but as this PP suggests, look for temp agencies supplying TAs. My friend does this and can choose when she works, and if pays better. She had no experience at all with schools, having previously worked in a supermarket. She just had to have decent character references and obviously pass the safety checks.

Edit: sorry, just seen another of your posts and think you maybe have applied for similar? Good luck with it all :)

Cleaners, dog walkers, the market is saturated. Do you have a dog? like dogs, you need insurance too.

Not just as easy as be a dog walker lol.

The best advice ive seen is care home work if you think thats you. Care homes always need staff.

Dont worry about being homeless. If your good tenants also and always pay your rent, your landlord maybe a bit flexible.

Landlords value good tenants.

Happy to be roasted but this is just wild... Partner is SE so surely he can do the pick up/drop offs some days? The child is at nursery (fully funded) for 30 hours... Get a job within those hours, cleaning, shop work etc... get a job to work round your partners... Its hard when you have young children (I had two within 14m) but you do what you have to do to make it work... Dog walking? Weekend work? When you have a family to provide for, you do what needs to be done. Id of personally took the job 1 hour away and got DP to pick the child up from nursery when needed.. that way you had a foot in the door if the other applicant in the local area didnt work out etc...

Whole situation seems absolutely wild

Came here to say this as a former bank HCA. You could apply as bank staff to an agency, theyll snap your hand off. You have a car, so you're can travel and cos your bank staff you can pretty much offer what your availability and they'll find you work. Even if you have to work nights for a while and leave your husband with the baby. You've got a DBS, that's all they'll want. They mostly offer free training. Moneys not great but it's a job. Fingers crossed for you.

your landlord might give you a rent holiday or reduction for a month or two. We did this for a flat we rent when the couple asked us.

How long has your DP been self employed for? If he has proof of good, reliable income then you don't always need a guarantor.

The work you are looking into is quite low paid so may not satisfy a letting agency.
Financially I don't think it makes sense for you to work and put your child in nursery. You'd be spending more than you earn on nursery fees. If I understand correctly, you've already paid for Jan (and Feb?) nursery fees? If you then didn't use nursery from March could you save like mad in order to have a larger deposit for a rental property?

Sorry, if I haven't understood your situation properly.

My mums cleaner set herself up with her own business because she wanted to fit around her daughters school times ( daughter is now 22 but where we are there was no before and after school provision years ago). She has clients for 5 days a week because she is free to do that ( 2 in the morning, lunch hour, 2 in the afternoon ). She gets clients by word of mouth because she's fantastic and has a waiting list. All her clients are older couples/ widows/ widowers like my mum. She loves the job, is fantastic at it. Could you fo something like that Op. She uses the clients equipment and cleaning products so there's no outlay

"Has anyone been in a situation where they had to voluntarily become ‘homeless’ - does this mean me and DS will be placed in a hotel/hostel without DP?"

Whatever you do, do NOT voluntarily make yourself homeless. If you do, your Council is under no obligation to rehouse you. A lot will depend on the area you live in, and the availability of social housing. Even the housing department will advise you not to leave until the bailiffs are at the door with a court order to evict you. It is not a nice route have to go but at a guess you at least 12 months away from that happening, even if you do fall into arrears. Shelter are very good with advice. Even a read on their website will show you how long these processes take.

Would it not work out better to go back full time and up nursery hours? If not that nursery, another?

I had to pay for my own DBS for a teaching supply agency. Think this is the norm

Care work (particularly nursing home nightshifts).
Supermarket shelf stacking (late shift when your husband is at home)
Hotel cleaning.
Housing support worker (you'd need your car).

Even applying as bank staff to a number of different companies/ organisations, you'll likely get offered loads of shifts.

Good luck OP. 💐

Have a serious think on mobile care work(you need a car) the hours are very flexible, I fitted in around my family life( the money was okay as well) you also make such a difference to peoples lives. Pretty much what you can offer to work they will snatch you up on it, or even a bank position. It’s honestly so flexible, maybe a care home too I just know for me it was more flexible mobile. Also job career progression as well for future. Good luck try not to worry xx

You should speak to the housing advice team at your local council, they can give you advice even if you have not yet been served with notice but you’re worried that you might not be able to cover your rent. It’s known as early intervention and prevention and there should be good advice and support to prevent a family from becoming homeless. They would rather you contacted them now than when it’s at the crisis stage.

Try joining local Facebook groups and advertising PA work for SEN children. Plenty of parents are looking for childcare or school runs. I’m sure you would find something quite quickly.

Nightshift care work? I had to do this when dc were young. I got in touch with all local homes and said what nights I would be available. I thought they would have just put me on bank shifts but they bit my hand off to have me working the same three nights every week as they were so short staffed. It may only be minimum wage but three nights a week would give you around £1500 a month.

do you have a street what’s app? There is always someone who is stuck and wanting a helping hand and willing to pay. E.g shopping for elderly, mothers help, picking up kids from school. You could try and add another child when you have just yours with you. Baby sitting, dog walking, cat pop ins

My cleaner is £18.50 per hr that’s the going rate not even the top rate.

Where do you live? There is so many people desperate for help and willing to pay. I personally wouldn’t go into a sen TA role unless you totally enjoy it paid peanuts (people do it for the love of it you will get more money being a cleaner).

Lidl/ Aldi look up those too

Do you think you would enjoy care work? You could easily get a 30 hour contract in a care home and do 3 x 12 hour nights one week and 2 x 12 hour nights the next. That way you can do nursery drop off and pick up if DP can’t, and then sleep while DC is in nursery. Or you could do 12 hour day shifts on the weekends while DP looks after DC and a twilight or morning shift in the week if DP can do some drop offs or pick ups.

You're ignoring questions about your DP. Most self employed people can flex their hours if needed. Why is he leaving this all on you when you could end up in a position where you can't pay your bills? If he isn't willing to help you are probably best leaving him and going on UC until you find a job that is within childcare hours.

This is what I was wondering. Why does all childcare fall to you OP? Could one drop off and the other pick up? Is him being self employed really working for your family?