35 hours a week looking fo work

[Ludos]

I'm separating from my husband and have been trying to get my finances in order. We had a joint claim for tax credits which I tried to amend to a single claim, however they have cancelled the claim and told me I need to apply for universal credit instead.

I've gone through the online process and its telling me I should be able to work 25 hours a week, with a commute of up to 90 mins. Or, I should be spending 35 hours a week actively looking for work.

I have 3 DC, all at different schools. One is a 40 min drive. I'm currently retaking my GCSE's to allow me to go on to do an access course. Am I going to have to stop studying?

When you have a face to face appt you can agree your commitments regarding how much time you can spending looking for work, commuting, etc. It should be a negotiation based on your family's needs and what you can do.

Ihatesandwiches time after school runs, running the house and studying/classes is not very much at all. I'm really worried about this. Even with ny husband sharing some of the load my time was still stretched

It will be fine.
How old are your DCs?
At the moment you are studying in order to make yourself more employable. That's work preparation.
I assume you've been a SAHM now?
You will just need to explain your circumstances to the work coach and they will help you to come up with a suitable "claimant commitment".

I hope your STBXH will be paying child maintenance?

Any marital assets (property, savings, pension)?

until now

Will I have to go regularly to the jobcentre do you know? The whole situation is shit and having to sit in a jobcentre is just the icing on the cake.

I assume he will pay maintenance eventually, but he will need to get himself set up first. No assets.

And sorry, yes, SAHM.

I was hoping to get some voluntary work to bolster my eventual application to uni. After years of waiting to realise my dream it feels like it's going to be snatched back

Get himself set up? He works doesn't he? So he can pay child maintenance.

I suppose you mean that he needs to find his own place, but he still needs to pay child maintenance while he's doing that.

The Jobcentre is generally keen on people doing voluntary work as it improves employability. I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Info here: www.gov.uk/guidance/volunteering-and-claiming-benefits

Thank you wrongkindofface - that's good to know.

Anotheremma - he just wont have it at first. He has to pay fees, deposit and funish.

If you were already claiming tax credits they should not have cancelled your claim and moved you over?!? You should have had the option to stay on or switch!
Not much use to you now but people need to check before agreeing to anything especially as you won't get your income protection now.

sunshineinewinter it doesn’t work like that, it will be seen as a change of circumstance and a new claim therefore moving to UC. In my case all departments were notified when my husband died and my TC were automatically stopped

How old are your kids?

Sunshine
A change from a joint to single claim or vice versa will trigger a change to Universal Credit. There is no option to stay on tax credits.
By "income protection" I suppose you mean transitional protection? It's not relevant - only for people who would be worse off under UC which (contrary to popular belief) is only a minority.

Are you able to work/look for work when DC are with DH? You might find that work is much easier to manage if the DC spend a decent chunk of time with him, and not just EOW. Don't be the one taking on all the burden. Can he do any of the school runs, even if they're living with you?

Don't forget you can use childcare too, if you are on a low income, most of the cost will be paid as part of your UC claim.

He works 8-6 Monday to Saturday so unable to help with school runs.

I don't have many options for work as I am, hence why I'm in the process of obtaining qualifications. I will be gutted if I have to give that up.

Kids are 13, 10 and 8

"If you have a child aged under 13, you should talk to your personal adviser about what activities are realistic for you. You can ask for reasonable adjustments including to your expected number of work hours, for example, limiting the hours you are available to work so you can drop off and pick your child up from childcare or school. The expectation is that 25 hours should be appropriate if you have children of compulsory school age and 16 hours should be appropriate if you have children below compulsory school age, though this can vary depending upon your caring responsibilities. If you have an older child adjustments may still be approved."

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Claimant-commitment-Universal-Credit

Thank you AnotherEmma.

Will they consider my study time? I have 6 hours of classes per week and am expected to do at least 12 hours home study, which I obviously do whilst DC are at school.

I expect they will but you need to discuss it with the work coach.

they really don't care. I was unemployed a while ago and claimed contribution based JSA and I had to apply for full time jobs up to 90 mins away even though one of my children is severely disabled (special school, getting DLA) and I cannot access wrap around childcare and have no support network.

I had to document my job search in an online account where they checked every 2 weeks if I had applied enough to keep receiving my JSA.

they don't care about people's caring responsibilities. at least you have childcare option with your children.

(I couldn't claim carers allowance because of a stupid rule relating to redundancy pay otherwise I would have done that in case someone wonders).

I'm sorry that happened to you mocca but it won't be the same for everyone and you do have the option to challenge the decision if you disagree with it.

it's just my experience. my coach said they don't really take caring responsibilities into account unless you have very young children (my youngest was 4 at that point plus a disabled older child).

I found a job pretty quickly so didn't have to deal with them too long but they are hawks. out to get you, not to support you.

Challenging decisions takes time and isn't straight forward either.

No work related requirements:
Carers with regular and substantial caring responsibilities, ie 35 hours or more a week, for a severely disabled person

Another, DD gets high rate DLA. They did not care. they told me to claim carers allowance instead (I couldn't because got a small redundancy package and was disallowed from claiming CA). If I want JSA (which was my only income at that point), it was to look for full time work. they made me sign the agreement to that effect.

I am just telling what happened to me. not sure what your point is?

Another Emma - sounds as though Moccaicecream cannot claim UC (savings over 16000 possibly) so is claiming new style JSA and would have to be looking for work to qualify.