Am I being too unrealistic wanting to work? Single parent with no help and other issues

[WantToWork]

I’m early 30s, have 1 DC who I get DLA for and who has an EHCP. I get carers allowance, UC with carers element and CM from DCs dad.

DC is 9.

I want to work. I don’t have to, my UC cannot be sanctioned due to the DLA and I do not have work due to carers allowance. I really want to though.

But I’m struggling to find anything.

During covid I wfh for an admin agency who closed down in January 2021.

I took on another wfh job which was 0 hours admin job but for a company this time not an agency (I replied to emails, took inbound calls and entered data onto a database, I flagged up issues with colleagues, I loved this job). It was going perfectly, my performance was fantastic, my colleagues loved me, but at probation end meeting they said they were letting me go because they wanted me to commit to 18 hours a week every week but stay on a 0 hours contract, which I couldn’t do because of my DC needing me.

I’ve struggled since then.

I applied for shops, did a few shifts in Aldi and Sainburys but was told I didn’t have the flexibility they needed, they wanted me to be able to cover for other staff and commit to more than the 8 hours a week contract they were offering. The other supermarkets I’ve applied for didn’t even offer me a trial due to lack of flexibility.

I have applied for civil service roles but can’t get beyond interview stage, I’ve tried about 10 times but will keep trying.

I have no childcare help, DC can cope with breakfast club but not after school and they can’t cope with last minute changes so I can't just cover others. My parents won’t help. ExH won’t have DC in the week or before 2pm Saturday or after 12noon Sunday of EOWend so weekend work is also out really.

I am hesitant to take another wfh 0 hours due to the issues before.

I signed up for the waiting list for local voluntary roles but some will only offer 1 hour a fortnight due to the length of waiting so I’d still want something else alongside it if I ever get to the top of the list. I signed up to 6 of these.

For context I have 12 GCSEs, 3 ALevels and a HND. I can’t go back to Uni as I did my final year but failed it so I’d have to self fund, which I can’t do.

I want to work, even 1 day a week or fortnight.

The area I live in is very middle class, I don’t mean that in a classist way at all, I love where I live and the people, but it does mean there’s quite a lot of SAHP so voluntary roles are covered by them. The school don’t even have volunteer reader places or TA type roles as they’re filled and don’t come up often.

Have I missed anything I might be able to do?

What about being a PA? It sounds like you’ve got similar experience and often these days the roles can be done remotely or there might be some near you.

I think there are agencies like joss search and office angels which might have roles and can place you.

@Bonniethewestie Love the name! I will look into that thank you thats right up my skillset

Bump in case others have any ideas as well

I was going to suggest TA but it seems you're struggling finding them.

I think PA above is excellent suggestion.

Also look at admin roles at GP surgery. A few near me offer term time only and offer 10-2 shifts which would be perfect times.

If you only failed your final year you can ask another university whether you can transfer your credits to them and just redo the final year, you should have had funding for the length of your degree plus one year

@hnk123 I've already spoken to Student Finance and they said that I'm not entitled to any further funding because my original degree was a 4 year because there was a placement year between 2nd and 3rd which was funded.

Will look at PA type jobs and GP type jobs as well.

I work for a local carers centre, supporting unpaid carers. I know it’s not paid work but we are always looking for volunteers with lived experience of being a carer to a family member. If that appeals you could contact your local centre. We then sometimes are able to employ people to work on projects with us.