To ask why you go to work

[IamthepermedowlofVeronica]

Try to be brief but thorough....
Due back from 1 years maternity at the beginning of June. Hate job, don't want to go back. Have had offer of temporary ad hoc work between June and start of summer hols.
Wondered how much job seekers is whilst I apply and interview over summer hols. Did the online calculator tangy: If I work current hours and pay childcare I would earn £6 less than if I signed on job seekers.
So why should I go to work (no career, just a money earning job) and how does signing on work? Has anyone found it detrimental to confidence etc?
Hopefully I'll get another cash earning job in September or,something when ds will be 15 months

LittleMiss

Yes, it was directed at your post, but from pov that thread had become sahp v wohp, not at your comment, wasn't accusing you of anything.

GetAHaircut

So what do you think people should do then?
Work because others don't have the choice when you do?
Refuse the money you are entitled to?
Seriously, what do you expect people to do.

There are very few people who set out to have children expecting others to support them, but situations and circumstances change constantly.
I have had times of tax credit awards supporting, one, then two, then three, then two and now one again.
They weren't considered when we had our first and yet I've always been a sahm through choice.

If you're so fixated on the idea of claiming JSA still, hear my story:

I have high functioning autism, so finding work was always going to be more difficult to me. I left college in 2012 as a bright eyed and bushy tailed 19 year old eager to find a job. My parents told me I should sign on for JSA whilst I looked, so I did. Big mistake. It's been nothing but trouble ever since.

It's actually very difficult to claim. With my SNs I needed someone to help me at first, so my Dad was made a appointee. That proved to be a mistake, as when I decided I wanted to be able to handle my own claim we spent HOURS on the phone trying to fix it, just for it to somehow get added back on.

We used to have a job centre right in the town I lived in, which was closed a year before I began claiming, so that means a 20 minute bus journey to and from- I'm quite lucky that I even had a second closed job centre 5 miles from me as many don't.

Normally I go every 2 weeks, but my advisor has sometimes told me to attend once every week. That plus a trip up 2/3 times a week sometimes for Seetec- another of the job centre's oh so wonderful schemes they've put me on, but that's another story entirely- can mean £9 in bus fares every week which is quite a chunk of change from £56 every 2 weeks!!!!

They can and will move the goalposts on how much jobsearching you have to do and what and how you have to record. Slip up at your peril. They're not there to help you, they're there to dangle your benefits over your head and demonise you for daring to be unemployed.

And it takes a massive toll on your mental health too. I feel like mine's starting to go south after 2 years of unemployment, and who could blame me? Isolation, a feeling like nothing you do is ever right, a constant feeling of being powerless to change my situation no matter how hard I try- that's the JSA experience.

And I'm just barely skimming the surface. Still want to claim?

Thankyou soggy biscuit, sorry its shit for u. That's definitely made my pro staying in job list stronger!

Not sure if it's been mentioned but if your employer has paid for maternity leave and you don't return you will have to pay them back.

It may have been but I didn't reply, I've been on maternity allowance :)

It's my career love passion.

And it's 50.3% of our household income

It's funny how women USED to be criticised for working when they were "supposed" to be looking after their kids, and yet now we are looking at SAHM's being criticised because they aren't doing enough or are a burden to society for choosing to look after their own kids. I'm not saying I agree with either POV because different people have different circumstances. But if you're in the situation where you're going to be only very slightly better off financially from working, then why do it just so that someone else can look after your kids?! Obvs not talking about career mums here, or even those who like their jobs. I am a SAHM [cringes waiting for stones thrown] who chooses not to work. I don't claim jobseekers because I'm not seeking a job. I would have to give 75% of my earnings over to childcare and I'd rather be with my DD than in an office any day thanks very much even if it does mean that we haven't had a holiday in years

Not jealousy here either. We could afford for me to give up work but I don't want to. I've done both so I don't have an issue with either choice.
I think it's fair to say though that many woman would love to be able to sah with their young children but don't because either they need the extra income to put food on the table or they don't feel comfortable allowing others to pay for their lifestyle. There are regular posts from working women with 1 or 2 children who would dearly love a 3rd but don't because they cannot afford it.

I'd take the £6 shortfall any day over having to go to the JobCentre. The hassle itself isn't even worth £6.

They can, and will, sanction you over anything - missed appointments, not attending their courses, not doing the required amount of jobsearch, being late more than once (even if it's not your fault), the list can go on.
When I was on JSA I had an advisor try to sanction me because I had done the required amount of job searching, plus a tiny bit more, but she didn't deem it substantial enough.

You have to go every week. Yes, it's now weekly, to your appointment but they refund you your travel expenses every other week. Sometimes they might give you two appointments in one week. You have to go on every course they send you on, most are a week long and 9-5, they pay your travel expenses. You have to apply for every job you're capable and able to do, and if you don't start getting interviews within a certain time frame then they question you.

My friend recently signed on a few months ago and it's changed again. You now have to treat JSA as a full time job. My friend was told she'd have to spend 5-6 hours a day, EVERY day, job hunting and if she couldn't prove she'd spent that long searching then she could be sanctioned.

The advisors make you feel inferior and patronise you. It's very demoralising and their holier-than-thou attitude doesn't help. As I said the £6 shortfall isn't worth it.

There are very few people who set out to have children expecting others to support them, but situations and circumstances change constantly.

Yes, and if someone suddenly finds themselves ill or disabled or widowed or abandoned or a f/t cater then absolutely, the state needs to step up and support individuals and families at these times even if that support is needed long term.

But that's not what the op was about (despite later clarifications) The op was about making it a lifestyle choice to avoid using childcare and because she doesn't see the point due to hating her job and not being much better off.

I'm a stay at home mum and proud. I don't claim jsa because I don't intend on working outside of the home, but we do get a little help from tax credits - which I personally don't see as a handout I see it as me transferring the tax allowance (that I would be entitled to if I did work) to my husband.

Of course it's a handout, if you want to use that word. It's money you're getting from the state, based on your income rather than any contribution you've made or use you make of your allowances. I don't have any great issue with people doing as you do, as I said upthread it's a fallacy to think we as a society strictly require the wage labour of all our able bodied adults, but this is a ridiculous viewpoint.

You get a personal allowance regardless of whether you work or not, and you don't have to be working to use it: plenty of people without paid employment have income from other sources. For those who are working, the personal allowance covers some/all of the costs of it, things you don't have if you're not in employment. It's a shame that people who complain about not being able to use their personal allowance never seem to factor in that they don't have the working costs plenty of people in employment have. The personal allowance now is 11k, 20% of which (since the vast majority are not higher rate taxpayers) would be £2200 a year or £180 a month. Lots and lots of people have to spend that on commuting and/or suitable clothing, and more. The tax credits as transfer of the personal allowance you're entitled to argument completely ignores this fact.

Lastly OP, well done on your interview. Hope you get it, I reckon it'd probably be more worth your while than having to jump through loads of hoops for a few months JSA.

NewLife I fully expect people to take free money if it's available.

The availability of benefits to families deliberately keeping their work hours/income low is an un intended consequence of the initial intent.

Can't blame anyone for ting advantage. But can't blame anyone calling it a piss take either.

Mini

I didn't want to use childcare either, in fact never did.
outsourcing childcare isn't a necessary part of being a parent, it can be a necessary part of working if you have children though.
Working can cost you far more than sah if you factor in all associated costs.

?
I didn't want to at first. I knew I wouldn't so I put off parenthood for many years until I'd saved literally every penny I could. With no3, savings were low so I had a choice, sah and claim or go back to work. I went back to work. With no4, I really wanted to go back even though we were financially comfortable.

As I said, the system exists to support those who find themselves in difficult circumstances through many avenues. Not, as a viable alternative to working because you dislike your job.

And even NMW would cover a f/t childminder at what? £3.50 an hour? Yes there's travel costs but there's also gas and electricity costs associated with sah.

Sorry I've read the OP nad am getting the rage is this a wind up?

You want to give up a job you already have, voluntarily, so that you can sign on to jobseekers allowance?!?

Newlife do you ever intend on working?

outsourcing childcare isn't a necessary part of being a parent

It can be.

No. I have a job to return to, I also have an offer of temp work. I'm considering handing notice in on current job to do temp but then sign on while I look for other work. Jsa will give me more income comparatively as childcare is £6 an hour just for ds, then more in summer holidays for other kids.
As nmw is so poor compared to childcare (in our area) I genuinely interested to know if jsa is th worst thing ever of tolerable until September. And now I realise so.many people actually like thier jobs its given more push to move on.

there is no word used on MN that gets right on my nerves then outsourcing childcare

also mini, £3.50 an hr cost of childcare is covered my NMW but most people have to multiply that by 2 children or more, it isnt so good then

Why does "outsourcing" bother you, ssd.

I outsource lots of jobs that I either don't want to do, don't have the skills to do or don't have the time to do. "Outsourcing" is not a value judgement, merely a statement of fact.

because its describing looking after children, you know, real people....it doesn't compare to cleaning an over or doing the ironing, or its too high handed for me.

Because I love it

outsourcing childcare isn't a necessary part of being a parent

It can be plus that is quite a goady statement tbf.