To think I need a partner...

[Moxiechick]

Atm I'm a single mum on benefits. I've been making plans to go back to work and the job I will be doing will leave me with 1600 after tax etc. My rent is 1000pcm and from what I've looked up I won't be getting any working tax credit or housing benefit.
I just feel that if I had a partner I'd be with similar wage I'd be quite well off but on my own ill be in pretty much the same position as I am in now.
My job is going to be very full on working long hours and bringing work home.
Aibu to think this sucks?
Prepared to be told I am!

Are you sure you won't get help with rent?

So you will only have 600 a month?It does suck...what area are you in that it's 1000 a month for rent?

I checked on the entitled to website and it said all I will get is child benefit.

It's in London where I work. I did live further out before I had a child and the money I saved on rent I was paying on travel.

I sympathise. Life alone is more expensive - council tax is the one that enrages me.

I dislike paying for half a person who doesn't exist!

Totally forgot about adding council tax to the mix

What line of work is it? I can't think of anything to say to make it better :(

It's teaching, my dd will need to be in childcare so hopefully will get some help with that!

I just thought that it would be better to get back in to work and stop leeching off everyone who does but it's going to be really difficult.

You don't need a partner, you need your child's other parent to pay a fair share towards her upbringing.

Do you have much family there OP? Could you move It seems you're being done in by the rent!

That's assuming they can Osolea, but in general I agree with you.

Sorry for drip feeding, forgot to mention I will still get 150 a month from her dad.
Have no family closer than 5 hours away! Couldn't move back as teaching jobs are far and few between there. Plus all family work anyway.

Emigrate. Australia is much better for lone parents.

I realise it may not be possible, but can you find somewhere a bit cheaper than London? :)

Is teaching really so badly paid?i earned £900 pm as a trainee accountant in London in 1991 so that seems really low to me. But apart from that, I'd day you need to get out of London, it's too expensive.

The rents here in London are crazy

But I suppose if you moved out of London, you'd lose the London weighting anyway, wouldn't you?

Yeah unfortunately if I even moved to the next borough over I'd lose the inner London weighting.

I agree to an extent. I was a lone parent in London and couldn't afford to come off benefits until I had a partner who could support my retraining and offer another salary into the household. It's just too expensive with the costs of childcare, travel and housing (and I have a relatively low rent in a council flat). The sums just didn't add up for me, although I suppose childcare costs must be easier if you are in teaching and don't have to cover holidays.

Can you look into cheaper rents/keyworker housing? I have a few friends in teaching who have some lovely keyworker flats in fairly central areas.

I think £600 a month will be tough, especially if you have to pay for childcare out of that. Childcare in London is hugely expensive, and it's hard to get it (long waiting lists) even if you are able to pay!