Full time or part time and benefits?

[DancingintheDark17]

I'm currently a working full time single mum, thinking about positively of changing to part time.

I love my work, decent salary, good hours = no paid child care needed, lots of paper work done at home when DS in bed. Being committed 5 days is really taking its toll on priorities, my son and work are always sorted, which leaves me running around with every spare minute trying to clean. Having the extra days at home would creat a perfect balance, but knowing the drop in wages it was only ever a dream.

However my friend recently explained how she's retuning part time after maternity leave, as she will be entitled to x, y, z and when added together is nearly a full time wage.

If I made the change it would permanent, and to move back I would need to reapply.

Any advice? Experience?

Sour grapes or the cold hard reality?

Get over yourself. There's plenty of part time people that will earn more than a full time worker.

Not at my work they don't. Full time is 37 hours and a lunchtime finish on Fridays.

The taxpayer would be funding me either way. If I worked more hours the taxpayer would have to pay for more childcare for me. Wouldn't make any difference to the amount I receive. I work 28 hours anyway so not that far off full time.

I have no problem with part time whatsoever. It’s the choice of many people and quite rightly so. It is when there is an expectation that other people working full time should fund it that it is unfair and entitled.

I don't know what reality you are speaking upon but you sound extremely bitter about others choices.. someone has pointed out its ONE day. Why are you behaviour as though OP wants to do 16 hours? We don't know what she earns or what she would if she reduced her hours.... WE are not affected so I can't fathom why you are other peoples business to this extent. You have assumed you are picking up the tax bill. Well no actually because if OP earns we'll she won't get UC anyway. Your getting worked up for no good reason.

You are bitter and it's not a good luck .... People like you a jealous of the part timers... perhaps you need to go part time to unwind?

I would agree that in a job where you have an underpaid manager cracking the whip whilst you work for minimum wage doing something physical, you work harder the more hours you do.

in many other roles though, your productivity is very little to do with the hours, and everything to do with your personal effectiveness.

there’s a reason I work three days per week, and still get paid very well. Indeed, my personal effectiveness drops off a cliff if I was working more. I’d likely be less productive if I worked full time and didn’t have the downtime to sort out other aspects of life.

But they ARE entitled to do that if they want to. If you've got a problem with it, take it up with the government, they have set the guidelines.

Goodness
that must be quite a salary that you pull in for just two days work

Presumably everyone telling OP to do this because she’s legally entitled so fuck it, doesn’t have an issue with Rishi Sunak’s wife or anyone else legally using the system for their own personal gain?

Yes I do. Because one is a single mum trying to get by, the other is extremely rich and trying to dodge paying their way.

OP is not suggesting quitting work and doing nothing. She is suggesting dropping ONE DAY of work, she won't get much in the way of UC by dropping one day, I'd guess around £50pw. It is not the same.

Perhaps she's worked full time and contributed in taxes and ni for decades, so that others could have an easier existence and now its her turn?

You sound jealous tbh.

I chose to work parttime to facilitate being there for my child when school activities arise etc, they also have additional needs, and have countless appointments.

My choice.

Do I resent the op getting topped up by the system? Like hell I do.

Do I resent the furlough payments, oh yes I do! The benefits system wasn't good enough then was it? So when it came to supporting employees and voters, a different system was needed, yet when some "scroat" needs assistance they get to survive on pittance! Direct your anger where it should be.

That would depend on how much she reduced her days by and salary. If at 2 - 2.5 days she earns 1k,then that figures about right. Obviously it will drop if more than that. And there will be a fine balance between income overall, versus benefits and income. She need to be at the income floor to maximise benefits, but the flaw with that is that as soon as the toddler is in school she'll have to increase her hours as per the work commitment and hours expectations at NMW. So swings and roundabouts, but longterm perspective is also needed.

Why would you resent the furlough system? Do you really think mass unemployment would have been better?

In my case, you would be correct. I don’t have a problem with it. Again, if the system allows it - don’t be surprised if people do it.

The only thing I have a problem with is people being so myopic that his constituents voted him in in the first place. That pretty much applies to every politician though.

The key aspect of the furlough system that was grotesque was … the treatment of key workers on minimum wage.

did they get their wages topped up to £2500 whilst they were out there working in, for instance, supermarkets?

did they f**k, unless they too had circumstances that allowed them to claim benefits (which is entirely different anyway).

Rules and guidelines made up by corrupt idiots. Ok then, we should all play by them.

A family member works part time and is on UC with children (secondary age). She is being pushed into working full time by the job centre.

UC is not a permanent solution. You can’t work part time forever and claim benefits.

And if you can work full time, then why on earth would you want to claim benefits? You may not even get them immediately if you have been seen to deliberately reduce your earnings.

I’m all for part time working when you have children; I only work 14 hours myself. I’m married though so don’t claim anything.

Anyway back to @DancingintheDark17 ‘s query.

on reflection, if I was on about 30k for 5 days, that gives you 10k to play with before you hit the minimum income floor.

dripping a day takes you down to 24k, but then that 4K is still has an effective marginal rate of 73% + plus on UC/TC

so I’d bung that bit in the pension too. Actually up the amount you’re putting in there at a very cheap rate. Makes sense - especially as you can then throw back to the naysayers that you’re ‘planning for retirement’ too 😁

maths definitely stacks up. You’re only going to be 1k better off annually in the pocket if you take the 4K as PAYE. But you can lump the whole lot in the pension if you can Salary sacrifice.

We’ve been through this. It’s not about hours!!!

@Waxonwaxoff0

but the arguments presented on this thread like “she has paid her fair share of tax” and “it’s not her fault the govt let her” also apply to Rishi’s wife. I think the principle is exactly the same.

Some of the arguments are like that. Mine aren’t. I’m supportive of both the OP and Rishi’s wife. No way should she have backed down. She’d done absolutely nothing illegal.

So yes, the principle is the exact same. Except I’d far rather see the rules changed from the top when it comes to making types of tax avoidance into evasion.

But that’s not going to happen, so don’t be surprised when people on PAYE make decisions to benefit their lives within it either.

@SwanBuster

i agree with you in that I think you either have loopholes at both ends and people don’t attack either for using, or neither get to do it. But then I don’t subscribe to the “poor = virtuous and good/ rich = immoral and mean” Robin Hood trope so popular on MN!

Not sure what additional grants and payments your friend is referring too ???

Op I haven't read the whole thread but do know a bit about Universal credit. Please do not compare yourself to your friends situation because the amount of UC each person receives is dependent on their individual situation. Also do not compare to people on tax credits as Uc is an entirely different benefit.