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Original poster

To apply for night jobs?

59 replies

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 13:10

DS 14 is in a children's home, but his social worker is starting the process of him coming home. I'm looking for a second job because my current one can't give me anywhere near enough hours. I'm on Universal Credit, but they expect me to earn upwards of £952 a month. Would it be unreasonable for me to go for night jobs even though when he comes home I'd have to switch to days? I'm widowed and DS has ADHD and a history of not going to school and going missing. How long does the parenting assessment process take?

TIA.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:53

Birdsongisangry · 13/03/2026 22:39

Op if the social worker is assessing the suitability of your son coming home, applying for jobs that aren't compatible with childcare isn't going to look great. Is there a reason that you're looking at night shifts rather than something more family friendly?

I'm applying for every job I can right now. As I said, that's why I'm asking if I can apply for night jobs now along with all the other jobs I'm applying for, and then switch back to days when I know he's coming back. By my calculations, if I'm going to be home when he is I'll only be able to work a maximum of 20 hours, and if he doesn't get DLA Universal Credit will be pressurising me to work more hours when it will be impossible.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:46

tellmesomethingtrue · 13/03/2026 22:36

Earning £952 net per month is only working around 18 hours a week - why can’t you do this?

That's why I'm looking for other jobs. My present employer can't give me the hours. I'm on a zero hours contract.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:44

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:29

Sorry @TheLovelinessOfDemonsfor hi jacking your thread

It's fine.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:41

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 21:38

It’s 28hrs I think

don’t they say if a child is at school you need to work 30hrs - 9-3 x 5 days or something like that

but that’s def my amount and if I don’t earn it they still use that figure as if I had

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No, it's definitely 18 hours on NMW.

OP posts:
tellmesomethingtrue · 13/03/2026 22:41

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 16:41

£952 ?? That’s low to me and That seems easily achieved of 18hrs x nmw

I have to earn £1446 as a single parent of an 8yr

Gross or net?

Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:40

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:09

Weird / I wish it was only £952 I had to earn. Tho that’s £11.5k a year and def wouldn’t pay my bills

But then Universal Credit top it up. My rent alone is £1404 so they'd still pay that.

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:40

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:37

If you don't earn at least that you're asked to look for work and come in for appointments. I go in for appointments every 2 weeks and upload my job search. I understand that not all work coaches are strict about it.

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Sorry I got confused
I do earn over that some months so it must even itself out which is why they're ok with it.
Sorry I wasn't thinking enough and shouldn't have commented

Birdsongisangry · 13/03/2026 22:39

Op if the social worker is assessing the suitability of your son coming home, applying for jobs that aren't compatible with childcare isn't going to look great. Is there a reason that you're looking at night shifts rather than something more family friendly?

Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 22:37

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 19:51

That doesn't seem right
I've never earnt that much since being in universal credit and they've never said I had to earn more

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If you don't earn at least that you're asked to look for work and come in for appointments. I go in for appointments every 2 weeks and upload my job search. I understand that not all work coaches are strict about it.

OP posts:
tellmesomethingtrue · 13/03/2026 22:36

Earning £952 net per month is only working around 18 hours a week - why can’t you do this?

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:35

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:31

@Blondeshavemorefun although thinking about it every 3 months I get a bonus so actually I earn more than the amount you put in your post in that month. So that's probably why they're not bothered actually. Sorry was just looking at my last statement where I didn't get a bonus

Not thinking straight

Edited

Guess I will never know but to me it makes sense if babe child at school you need to work 30hrs

so not sure why @TheLovelinessOfDemons only had to work 18

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:31

@Blondeshavemorefun although thinking about it every 3 months I get a bonus so actually I earn more than the amount you put in your post in that month. So that's probably why they're not bothered actually. Sorry was just looking at my last statement where I didn't get a bonus

Not thinking straight

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:29

Sorry @TheLovelinessOfDemonsfor hi jacking your thread

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:28

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:26

No never been on tax credits. Only been on uc a couple of years

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Wonder if that's something to do with it? Don't know

I never realised it was like you said till now

I'm going to have to up my hours at some point...

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:26

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:18

Did you just go onto universal credit? Or did you used to be on tax credits?

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No never been on tax credits. Only been on uc a couple of years

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:18

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:15

I don’t don’t have a choice and as I said even if I don’t earn that, it’s still calculated that’s what I have earnt and what thy take off my uc £420 a month regardless

yes I’m grateful I get some uc as being a single parent doing it all myself is financially hard but the months I don’t earn it , it would be nice to get some of the £420 back I lose

Did you just go onto universal credit? Or did you used to be on tax credits?

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:15

I don’t don’t have a choice and as I said even if I don’t earn that, it’s still calculated that’s what I have earnt and what thy take off my uc £420 a month regardless

yes I’m grateful I get some uc as being a single parent doing it all myself is financially hard but the months I don’t earn it , it would be nice to get some of the £420 back I lose

moonstarsuns · 13/03/2026 22:13

Good luck

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:11

I mean I don't earn as little as £952 but I don't earn as much as you either

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 22:09

Weird / I wish it was only £952 I had to earn. Tho that’s £11.5k a year and def wouldn’t pay my bills

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:02

In fact on mine it doesn't have that bit above that says 'your expected earnings is,'

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 22:01

That's weird cos that's definitely not my experience
I don't earn that much and they've never queried it

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 21:38

purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 19:51

That doesn't seem right
I've never earnt that much since being in universal credit and they've never said I had to earn more

Show quote history

It’s 28hrs I think

don’t they say if a child is at school you need to work 30hrs - 9-3 x 5 days or something like that

but that’s def my amount and if I don’t earn it they still use that figure as if I had

Sensitive content
To apply for night jobs?
purpleme12 · 13/03/2026 19:51

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 16:41

£952 ?? That’s low to me and That seems easily achieved of 18hrs x nmw

I have to earn £1446 as a single parent of an 8yr

That doesn't seem right
I've never earnt that much since being in universal credit and they've never said I had to earn more

Original poster
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 13/03/2026 19:48

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/03/2026 16:41

£952 ?? That’s low to me and That seems easily achieved of 18hrs x nmw

I have to earn £1446 as a single parent of an 8yr

Well yes, but I can't get it at my present job which is zero hours, they don't have the hours for me. I don't want to leave as my store is like a family, so I'm looking for both full and part time, preferably part time so I can keep the job I'm in.

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