Moving to London

[Italwayshappenstome]

I have copied this thread from the Lone parenting section, thought it would make sense to post in multiple areas:

Hi, I had no idea where else to post this topic so thought here would do.

I am a lone parent, have ds who has just turned one. I currently live in the north of England and work here. My salary is ok and I receive tax credits due to being SP.

I don't really enjoy my job and it feels like a daily grind and I can't see me wanting to stick it out any longer than I have to. There are no prospects for me at all.

I have seen a job advertised but it is in London. I need to find out what the salary would be (waiting on a call back plus loads of other Questions I'd like to ask them about the position).

My question is has anyone moved to a completely new area miles and miles away from friends and family as a lone parent and succeeded? Is the cost of living in London expensive and would it be worth my while since I am on my own with a baby. I am anxious about the cost of living and childcare more than anything else, plus being miles away from my family and friends.

Anyone have any advice?

What do you mean don't live in Streatham?

I live here in a bloody lovely road which is quiet and I have lovely neighbours!

We've just had a new leisure centre and Tesco built and Streatham and Tooting have some nice coffee shops and some lovely pubs. House prices are rocketing.

Try living here before you knock it thanks.

OP i would think very hard about leaving friends, family and support.
But no problem about living in London and living in a not the best area. Not everybody lives in a leafy street.

London is very very expensive, I wouldn't personally make the move unless the salary was at least double or triple of what you are getting in the north.

To give you an idea, rent in affordable areas of London, for a 2 bed flat are between £1300 to £1500 PCM. Add to that paying for parking etc. in the north you could get a 2-3 bed house for £500 PCM.

Mrs Yes, see what you mean and I did move here to a quite rough area where I knew not a soul back in the day and on quite a low salary but I didn't have kids. I think the OP would be crazy to leave all that support.

Some of Streatham is fine and actually quite desirable to live these days. As precious says, property prices are rocketing.

Moved down from the north west in the early 80's as a singleton. Got myself a grotty studio beforehand in a grotty area then got on a coach with all my wordily goods packed into 1 suitcase and a back pack and enough money to pay the rent for 4 months.

Best decision I ever made.

Moved out with dp because of his job 5 years later. Worse decision ever made. Moved back again 8 years later. With careful planning it is doable and once you are down here applying for better paid jobs will be much easier.

Having lived outside of London I knew having children would be a lot easier in London than out. Lots more for children to do that is free.

We live in CP and there is an amazing community here - loads if support from other mums - have a look at the crystal palace mums group on Facebook. To be honest, 18K might be hard - our nursery is £57 a day, and by no means the most expensive feel free to ask any specific questions!

No one's saying don't move to Streatham because it's not got great bits. They're saying the OP can't afford to live Iain those bits and they're right. Read the post before knocking the person who isn't knocking Streatham, just being realistic!

in, not Iain. Dunno who he is.

Actually, thinking about it I'm not sure it even is possible on 18K? Say child care is a grand a month, and rent will be about a grand, you're already over without food and bills? Between us DH and I earn 70K and whilst of course we're not poor, we DO have to think about money. I don't say this to be unhelpful, but I think you need to be realistic.

I think living as a LP in Crystal Palace on £18k would be really really hard. Crystal Palace is nice. We thought about moving there on two £25k ish salaries but decided it was to expensive and went further out!

Honestly, there is no way I would do that.

18K is fine if you're a new graduate and happy living in a crummy flatshare. Even with benefits I just don't see how a LP could do that in London. Even if the salary will double over the next few years (unlikely I'd wager) money would still be tight.

Also, benefit income is now hugely unreliable thanks to our blessed government. I think you'd have to be very naive to factor it into any long-term plans. Particularly given that London has suffered most from LHA cuts.

With London you have to take on board that the grotty roads are next to the really lovely places. On the one hand you can have £1million pound houses yet 200 yards down the road you can have a rough tower block.

I suppose if you don't do it, you will always think what if?

Friend lives in Peckham, the nice bit, but talks of an area down the road which is like the Alamo.

OP, I'm struggling a bit to understand how you are even contemplating moving to one of the most expensive cities in the world on a salary similar to your current one when you'd also lose any free emergency childcare and family support.

Unless you are currently saving a large proportion of your salary it just isn't feasible as your salary won't go anywhere near as far in London.

Have you looked in other big cities outside of London?

OP don't even think about it especially not on 18k. We found living in London hard on 3x that salary.

Streatham, the nice bits are lovely-right by the common, houses are 700k plus.

I am amused by the comment about CP not really moving to London. I lived 5 mins from there and we were 15 mins on the train to Charring Cross-so I wonder where it is if not London?

I think child care alone would be your biggest issue tbh.

Some roads are lovely in Peckham, but sometimes it's like Grand Theft Auto there

We live off net twice that and there are 4 of us ( 2 teenagers and a cat) and eldest goes to private school. It is just a matter of balancingthe books, being queen of Ebay, queen of vouchers and knowing where to shop.

It's really not a matter of just balancing books if rent+food+childcare > income.

Only if you have disposable income is it just a matter of balancing books.

Wow OP, £18k is really not a lot in London. New grads at work get more than that and they have to live in shared houses in cheap areas and they haven't got child are to pay for!

I wouldn't leave the north and family support for a job on £18k in london. No way.

Well done annie get you and your budgeting! Luckily you'll find that rents for a two or three bed are not two or three time the price of a one bed, heat and light aren't much more expensive, and net 2x£18k is a lot more then a salary of. £18k!

New grads at my work that is.

So how do single working parents on £18k living in London manage then?
Give up work altogether and go on benefits?

I'm not saying I know how to manage this, but presumably the welfare system is there to enable people like the OP to take a paid job that will start her on the ladder of good jobs?

Annie if you bought your home when your DCs where a teenager then your housing costs are probably far lower than anything the OP could hope to find.