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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think being forced to get a job when a student is ridiculous?

615 replies

onedaybabywelbeold · 07/06/2021 20:01

I am a 29 year old single mum, I have just finished my 3rd year at uni and going into my honours year. I worked for 10 years full time before going back to education. During the term year I receive student loan which is topped up by universal credit. I have about 1100 pounds to do me for the month so it's doable but tight.

Now that uni is finished for the summer I am obviously getting more universal credit to see me through. However, today I had to meet with my work coach and he told me I should be job hunting for a job over the summer and should treat job hunting as a full time job.

I told him that I might struggle to get a job as I can only work during the hours my daughter is in school, I have no one to help me and she finished school for the summer end of June. Also I told him it would be hard to get a job as I would be leaving again in September, to which he suggested I stay in a job whilst at uni as 'you don't really have to do much work until the end of the year'.

To be honest I don't really want to work when at uni, I mean I wouldn't be any better off than I would be on universal credit yet running with a substantial decrease in time so why would I? Honesty I don't understand the point in this, surely it's just wasting employers time as I'm not very serious about getting a job as I don't have the childcare. However, I'm worried that if I don't get a job they'll start reducing my payment.

AIBU to think the system is absolutely fucked?

OP posts:

SerendipitousMe · 07/06/2021 21:15

So many sanctimonious and rude posters in this thread! Great big slow clap for you getting those perfect jobs within school hours, and never needing time off with your kids.

No, university is not "just watching recorded lectures", and most working mums with small kids struggle even without being students.

OP, well done for going to University as a lone parent, and good luck with your honours year!

LH1987 · 07/06/2021 21:15

I worked while at university, I have never expected anyone else to pay for my ambition. Where does this sense of entitlement some from?

XingMing · 07/06/2021 21:15

@Loobylou.... at the moment, in the hospitality industry you only need to be willing and able to walk and talk simultaneously to be hired.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 07/06/2021 21:15

@Fairyliz

Don’t worry the rest of the single mums will go out to work and pay tax so you don’t have to work

And those who can't afford to have children, and those who have already had them and raised them, etc etc

CandyLeBonBon · 07/06/2021 21:18

I did a degree, worked, and looked after 3 kids as a single parent. I got a first. Only last year.

I was getting tax credits and an expectation of me receiving tax credits, was that I worked. So I did,

Is there a reason you don't feel able to do that?

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/06/2021 21:18

I don't believe for a second that someone is at this point in a SW degree and doesn't understand the ethical implications of this.

Do people really want SWs who scam the system, lie to get what they want, cut corners to gain money, think it's OK to pretend to get a job to get time off?

Part of being a good SW is working within a flawed system, telling the truth, taking responsibility, owning up if there are mistakes.

I think this is made up. But posters encouraging the OP to lie better not complain next time there is an ethics issue with a SW department. Some jobs require a higher ethical standard and SW is one of these. My mate assesses placements and someone with an attitude like this wouldn't pass. Thank goodness.

Nancylovesthecock · 07/06/2021 21:20

[quote onedaybabywelbeold]@VettiyaIruken no I can't just say no, I have to prove in my journal what I'm applying for and so I will apply and attend interviews all the whilst hoping I'm not successful. [/quote]
Yeah so, little tip. When I was on jobseekers for a short while I applied for jobs I was actually interested in whilst padding out the journal with jobs advertised that i did not even give a second glance beyond padding out the journal. Nobody once followed it up to check that I HAD actually applied.

SerendipitousMe · 07/06/2021 21:20

Yes, all the taxpayers (yuck) need to finally revolt against those pesky, entitled single mother students that have wrecked our fair country

(get over yourselves and put the daily mail down)

Regularsizedrudy · 07/06/2021 21:21

Your attitude stinks. You think you shouldn’t have to stack shelves or do bar work because you won’t enjoy it? Get over yourself. You have a child to support, that is YOUR responsibility. Plenty of people work throughout uni and you can’t even be arsed to work over summer.

united4ever · 07/06/2021 21:21

Don't work if you will be no better off financially. Why would you? Focus on your priorities - child and degree. It's not like you are unemployed with no effort to improve yourself and you will have decades of work ahead.

Hairbrush123 · 07/06/2021 21:22

I understand it’s not always possible to get childcare that fits your life at university so a job might not be viable. I worked while I was at university in a supermarket however I lived at home and had no real responsibilities! What are you studying? Well done for going back to university as a single parent - it’s not easy. I just wonder what you’ll do when you graduate if childcare is a problem now?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 07/06/2021 21:24

@SerendipitousMe

Yes, all the taxpayers (yuck) need to finally revolt against those pesky, entitled single mother students that have wrecked our fair country

(get over yourselves and put the daily mail down)

I actually don't care who works and who doesn't. But just own it if you don't want to, no need to come up with every excuse under the sun because there is always a way if you really want it. Just say "I don't want to work right now."

CandyLeBonBon · 07/06/2021 21:25

@united4ever

If you're getting universal credit and are deemed fit for work, you can't just 'opt out'.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 07/06/2021 21:26

@MrsTerryPratchett

I don't believe for a second that someone is at this point in a SW degree and doesn't understand the ethical implications of this.

Do people really want SWs who scam the system, lie to get what they want, cut corners to gain money, think it's OK to pretend to get a job to get time off?

Part of being a good SW is working within a flawed system, telling the truth, taking responsibility, owning up if there are mistakes.

Don't worry. I am sure you are right.

But it's a sad sight to see what would people encourage even imaginary SWs to do.

OverTheRubicon · 07/06/2021 21:26

All the people smugly pointing out how they worked in a factory as a student, were you also a single parent? Because I had crap jobs as a student too, but still had leisure time when I wasn't studying and working, and also wouldn't have had any cash left after my crap jobs if I'd also had to pay for childcare - not to mention that the employers for those types of jobs tend to be inflexible and unpredictable, and highly liable to terminate people who are limited in shifts or have to take days off for sick kids.

It's easy to be smug if you're not in the situation. I still think that OP should at least look into some work - for example as a trainee SW and depending on her child's age and her own experience, she might be able to do some nannying/babysitting and take her child there too, or she if her child is older and more amenable she might be able to swap days off with a friend so that one day eg.she looks after their child also and the next they swap, so they both have a chance to work. But really, it's not easy and I personally don't begrudge someone trying to get a better job while raising a child alone.

Scrambledcustard · 07/06/2021 21:26

Universal Credit is a way of life. You can even get a mortgage with your UC factored in for income.

I honestly don't know who's at fault. Low wages or the entitlement not to have to work. The threshold for UC is quite high.

A colleague of mine dropped from full time to two days a week because she could live off the UC top up.

Genius or cheekyfuckery I still can't decide tbh. She will up her hours when her dc leave full time education. Im in work sweating my back out and she's sat in her garden getting a tan - she isn't legally doing anything wrong. If I didn't have my financial commitments maybe I'd do the same.

PaulGallico · 07/06/2021 21:28

I also think this thread is made up.

Sootybear · 07/06/2021 21:28

@Babyroobs, 85% of child care costs are paid? It sounds that society then pays more for OP to work and have someone look after her child, than if she stayed and looked after her child herself. Someone said that looking after children isn't a job, well if you can be paid by the state for it then it is a job. Seriously the whole system doesn't make sense. I will say again that women always have these difficult choices and are critisized for their choices. I am in awe of anyone that chooses to go into Social Work as it's not a profession that gets much appreciation.

3cats2kids · 07/06/2021 21:28

This is the most sanctimonious thread I have read in a long time.

OP do what you need to do and ignore the crap on here!

SmokeyDevil · 07/06/2021 21:30

I worked through summer during uni, but didn't have a child to look after either. Seems kind of redundant to get a job that you will just be using to pay for childcare and then leave in a few months anyway. But if you can get most of the childcare costs covered, you should work. Call centres are good places to try, they know they don't tend to get long term people.

Although I did struggle one summer to get any work at all. No one would hire me. That was a crappy summer.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 07/06/2021 21:30

@Scrambledcustard

Universal Credit is a way of life. You can even get a mortgage with your UC factored in for income.

I honestly don't know who's at fault. Low wages or the entitlement not to have to work. The threshold for UC is quite high.

A colleague of mine dropped from full time to two days a week because she could live off the UC top up.

I don't think you can. Under new UC rules you can't have savings, certainly not enough to get a mortgage. You could on the old style working tax credits as I did but I don't think you can on UC.

NannyAndJohn · 07/06/2021 21:31

Also OP, without a part time job on your CV, your chances of finding something you'd want after graduation will be close to zero (hiring manager here).

SchrodingersImmigrant · 07/06/2021 21:31

Under new UC rules you can't have savings, certainly not enough to get a mortgage
Depends where... If it's still 16k saving then you are ok in MANY places. With few grand still left over

Happyorchidlady · 07/06/2021 21:31

It is possible to work whilst doing your social work degree and is good evidence for future employers that you can juggle a busy workday. I say this as a social worker. It’s not easy but it’s doable.

CandyLeBonBon · 07/06/2021 21:33

What I know of UC through helping my son manage it is that they want to see a level of effort shown.

I think there's an element of goadiness on this thread designed for maximum froth!

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