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?

It was Ok for the state to fund me to be SAHM when I had a husband, now I don't it's not OK?

Why did you say this then?

You'll still see your children.

You don't realise what a privelidged position you've been in to be at home with them. For most families with children, both parents have to work.

'privelidged position' you don't know me. You know nothing about me. You dont know that I manage our weekly shopping on a budget of £35. That we dont go on holiday. That a 'treat' is going to the library. We just made different sacrifices to suit our family. Yes, I feel privileged that I don't have to leave my children at childcare, but I certainly don't have it easy.

you dont know that I manage our weekly shopping on a budget of £35

that is because you refuse to work. If I would not work, I wouldn't have money to spend at all.

If is your choice. I don't understand why you moan about the choices you make. Odd

You chose to manage on £35 per week by not working.

You made the choice.

You called it a privileged position, which I disagree with. Yes, it was a choice.

It is a privelidged position. For many families there isn't that choice available.

Scenario one: I give up studying and take a minimum wage job at a supermarket or such like. The state funds school transport and childcare for my DC, along with a top up for me to meet living costs. This will continue for at least 8 years until youngest is through school. At that point my career options will be very slim. Not to mention potential impact on the dc. I will have little to no pension, so the state will pick that up too when the time comes.

Scenario 2: I continue studying, the state helps with living costs, I continue to care for my dc myself. When I go to uni I will get a student loan so the state help less. I become a qualified midwife and work within the nhs, earning a pension and giving back to the state through taxes and also through working for the nhs.

I know which makes the most sense. Neither is about being lazy - in fact, I'd argue scenario one would be the lazy option, an easy job and someone else to look after my DC?!

I become a qualified midwife and work within the nhs, earning a pension and giving back to the state through taxes and also through working for the nhs

how old are you? how old will you be when you will have qualified?

if you cannot work now because of school runs for a non disabled teen and because of childcare during school hols, how do you think will you work shifts and sort childcare at the same time once qualified? midwifery is one of the jobs where it is most difficult to raise children alone because of the working pattern... I really don't get your reasoning....

it's also not that easy to get onto a midwifery course and then a job.

you seem to look down at people working minimum wage. why is this below you,?

also you often only start at NMW, in the years spend studying and training, you will have probably worked your way up and won't be doing the same role anymore.

Is moving house an option? Somewhere that will be more practical for transport to school?
Obviously moving is expensive so it might not be an option immediately or even at all. Just thought I'd mention it.
You could register for social housing although you will be low priority as already housed.

I have considered that AnotherEmma but I'm in a rented house that hasn't had a increase in the 15 years we've been here. I'm priced out of any houses in better locations

You could do an apprenticeship where you start on minimum wage and get training and can work your way up.

Midwifery is almost impossible to get into without first doing general nursing and then applying to train in-house as a midwife or neonatal nurse. My sister has recently gone through the application process.

My suggestion would be to do nursing rather than midwifery (as you're unlikely to get on a midwifery course) and take on bank or part-time as a care assistant.

You'll gain valuable experience which will help you in your nursing career and look good on your uni application and you'll keep the UC off your back, plus with care being 24/7 and incredibly short staffed, you can pick hours that suit for the most part.

Study and work is hard, believe me when I say I understand, but it is possible. Full Time work might not possible but 1 or 2 shifts a week in a care home should be manageable. Once you start your nursing course you'll be expected to work a fulltime placement while studying so you might as well dip your toe in now to get used to it while the work is easier.

This is what I love about mumsnet, there is almost always someone knowledgable with helpful advice and suggestions
Makes me feel better about all the harsh judgemental crap I read on here a lot of the time!

@WitchesGlove there’s only 3 universities that offer the midwifery apprenticeship degree.

The issue is that tax credits don't exist anymore - all new claims are directly for UC. If you hadn't put in a new claim as a single person now they would have got around to reviewing it and moving you onto UC at some point anyway.

I don't understand how 3 kids can be at 3 different schools unless they're 'special' schools or private? Otherwise there's just primary and secondary isn't there?

Some areas have middle schools Jiggles so you start secondary school in year 9. It makes quite good sense if the secondary goes on to A levels.

I don't understand how 3 kids can be at 3 different schools unless they're 'special' schools or private? Otherwise there's just primary and secondary isn't there?

No, some areas have middle schools. I went to a middle school aged 10-13, I wish we had one where I lived now as I feel it helps with the transition to high school.

@Frequency going the nursing degree route then into midwifery is adding an extra 2/3 years study on top of the 3 years to do the nursing degree.

It’s also not easy to work alongside doing a nursing or midwifery degree as both these degrees involve going on placement. Midwifery is 600 hours of placement a year which involves shift work (nights/bank holidays/weekends) on top of needing to sit exams and submit academic work. They are very demanding courses even for people with no childcare commitments.

I know all this btw because I’m a student

I didn’t say do an apprenticeship in midwifery, but she could do something else, like business admin, she doesn’t necessarily have to be stuck in a dead end job like at a supermarket checkout

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant for OP to consider care work for while she is studying her GCSE and access course.

Once she's doing her nursing degree she will get a bursary and the UC should back off a bit.

I'm aware of the extra time needed to go from general nursing to midwifery but I'm also aware of the high competition for midwifery courses vs the l limited spaces available.

OP may need to consider something else. Generally, only one of two students per access course will make it onto the midwifery course. Plus, care work wouldn't hurt an application to midwifery. It would show OP would be able to manage placements and coursework and is capable of the long shifts required and some of the skills learned in care work are transferable to nursing and midwifery.

What are the chances realistically of becoming a midwife though. If you have to do GCSEs, access course, uni an on job training yet can’t manage a school run and a job?

but I certainly don't have it easy

If you think not working and having someone else pay the bills is hard then you’re in for a huge shock when you actually have to work and support your family.

Once she's doing her nursing degree she will get a bursary and the UC should back off a bit

There’s no longer any NHS student bursary available for nursing and midwifery degrees, students have to take out a loan to pay the course fees from student finance England and have the option of taking out a maintenance loan to help pay their rent etc. The fees loan and maintenance loan are counted as income and deducted from the total UC eligibility amount, however about £100 of the student income each month is disregarded as income when UC calculate the payments, and they also disregard any childcare that is paid as part as part of the loan.

Parent students are worse off on UC as they count student loans etc as income, whereas tax credits didn’t..

Re midwifery degrees, yes it can be difficult to get into courses, however there’s a shortage of midwives also so the government needs to do something to plug the gap.