Income support back to work

[Smashleamai]

Hi all, basically i am a single parent and have been claiming income support since january, through all of which i have had a part time job. I have a one year old who doesnt get free childcare until january so i cannot work anymore hours as i cant afford the childcare until then. However i have just received a letter saying i have to attend a back to work meeting at the end of the month, i just wondered if this was normal?
Thanks in advance :) x

bare in mind that tax credits pay 70% of your childcare bill as a lone parent (depending on hours and wages obviously) so it is possible to work

• not that I'm tutting at you for not doing so x

Yes, it's normal, but if you're claiming IS you don't have to be job hunting. When I claimed IS they just talked about possible training opportunities that I was in no obligation to follow up and talked about how much better off I would be working. They didn't make me apply for any jobs if I didn't want to.

If you could wor just 16 hours you would get 70% of your childcrare bill paid and would be able to claim working tax credit which would make youbetter off. The letter is just routie to help y think about returning to workfor more hours. They currently do not switch you to JSA until your child turns 5.

Part of your income support deal. They just update your preferences and availability, talk you through any training possibilities that have come up and work out for you how working could be financially viable. There's no pressure to job hunt though.

Yep totally normal. I actually found them really helpful because it was a chance to ask any questions and keep updated on any changes to the benefits system and get advice on training schemes and education etc.

I know you can claim income support till your youngest only child is 5 then they move you on to J.S.A, so at the moment you are not obliged to work.
I have a problem though with forcing mums out to work as everyone has different circumstances don't they and not everyone's life suits work. I was lucky I have a very supportive family but not everyone has that, so I've always worked, but I'd never slate someone for not working. I've no right to plus being a mum is job in itseld isn't it Also I do actually know someone who purposely went out and got pregnant just to stay on income support, and I very much doubt she's the only one so I don't think the government have thought this through. Also married/partnered mums aren't forced to work are they and why are they called sahm but single mums who don't work are refered to as unemployed. Gets me mad. Sorry to take things a bit off topic there but I do have a tendency to go on and I am a stickler for fairness.

I would imagine that the married/partnered mums can stay at home because one of the partnership has an income and are not claiming benefits. Would also point out that although childcare is a huge problem for single mums (and where are the dads who should be helping out in all these situations even if they aren't living together - but that's another enormous issue) most mums these days have to go back to work at least when the children are at school to make things work financially, especially in the South East!

And many families (obviously not all) are able have a sahp because the family is heavily topped up with tax credits which are a benefit, just the same as lone parents claim benefits to stay home. However lone parents are forced back to work when their youngest child turns 5 wheras in a couple they can contine to claim tax credit top ups ( possibly facilitating one parent to stay home )until the youngest child turns 18 !

(and where are the dads who should be helping out in all these situations even if they aren't living together - but that's another enormous issue)

agree. I've been providing free 24/7 childcare for my EXp for 9 years now. for 3 of those years he paid no child support and when I asked him to he told me to increase my hours at work if I needed money. he has 3 jobs- enabled by me providing his childcare which prevents me from doing anything more than part-time. he only declares one of his jobs so pays the minimum amount of child support. if I went to CSA to tell them about his other jobs I can prove nothing as he isn't on the books for the 2 extra jobs. and yet I am the one getting stick for having my income topped up with benefits.

Its to punish women for having the temerity to not stay with their partner

Dia that's ridiculous. He is taking the piss.

Yes I guess it is, Darkest. How dare a poor women be widowed or suffer domestic violence and have the strength and bravery to leave her partner or indeed be raped become pregnant and have her baby! or have a partner who just walks away. I don't see the government punishing the men who walk away. Too busy picking on and persecuting defencless women.
Sorry rant over, promise.

Thankyou for all your replies they have been very helpful! I would go upto 16 hours if they were available, but they sadly arn't yet. I was just afraid they were going to push me to find another job! I wont worry all month now haha
Thanks again! X

Dia that's ridiculous. He is taking the piss.

yep, and he knows it. and he knows that I know it and can do nothing about it.

no they wont push you smash. in mine they did ask if there were any obstacles to me looking for work which there weren't and I was retraining and they were totally happy with that. your obstacle of course is that you cant increase your hours.

I am a lone parent and I work! Out of necessity. I think its great you can stay home til your youngest is 5 but after 5 you still only need to work 16 hours.
Why should you languish at home once your child is in school? Its not easy. I don't get much support from family and zero from their father. Holidays are a bloody nightmare and even though you get 70% childcare paid that 30% you do pay really eats into an already tight budget.
But to work I go because its not right to get something for nothing and its a good example to set your children.
I don't see it as being 'forced' into work.

good for you frog. it's good that you have found what works for your circumstances. others, I'm sure, will do what is best for their families according to their own circumstances. what they choose to do mightn't be what you think is right. but thankfully they don't have to worry about that.

No diaduit.. you have to go to work when they are 5. Simple as. Except its not simple. . I think I acknowledged that. It doesn't always work for me and its bloody hard.
I am sure it would be best for my family if I were the one to pick them up from school. But hey ho. No one said life was fair.

not really sure what point you are making now. just ranting maybe?

No its in a kind of 'matter of fact' tone.
I thought you were being a bit 'arsey' with your post. . That's the trouble with text isnt it? Anyway, better do some laundry. .gosh life would be so much easier if we didn't have to fit in work!