How many jobs per week am I expected to apply for on universal credit

[jisak]

My youngest has turned 3 so I am now looking for work. It's my first meeting tomorrow to check im doing my commitments.

I can only work 10 hours per week. I've applied for 15 jobs so far

How many should I be applying for?

It is hard to find many 10 hour jobs in my local area and within school hours. I can also only travel 20 mins agreed with my work coach

I'm so scared I get sanctioned

@maddening my appointment just finished they want to fund my studies and stop applying for jobs and focus on that. He was saying he can tell I am driven and know how to focus on achieving and wants me to purely focus on studies instead of part time work

Hopefully I can do both a little part time job for myself and uni at nights when the kids sleep online.

Good luck in your studies! Are you going to do open uni? If so they have a job board that often lists wfh and flexible part time hour jobs

What about lunchtime assistant at a local school?

I don’t see how if you have a small child and no job you can commit to spending 30 hours per week looking for work. Unless UC pay for childcare

I am amazed you found 15 jobs to apply for that are only 10 hours !
what was that 2 hours a day for 5 days ? or 5 hours a day for 2 days ? or what ?
esp as these jobs would have to fit around the hours that your child is actually in nursery.

and all 15 jobs were within the 20 min max commute ?

I would be very very very surprised if sanctioning ever crosses your work coaches mind, s/he is more likely to applaud your level of commitment in having achieved 15 applications.

While I was waiting for my dd dla award I was hounded relentlessly to work. So I sent off my CV and applied for many jobs but I was totally truthful at that point about how unreliable id be due to my dd medical issues and appts and put in my CV how I need an understanding workplace due to needing time off at short notice. I met the requirements for work search but never got any interviews so I was still able to look after my dd till I was able to claim carers and have no work commitments

ON NMW that cost can easily be far greater than earning power. Not everyone has a suitable education/qualifications/past work experience relevant to open the door to a higher paid job.

I stopped reading at page 3.
Nasty, nasty replies. So much assumption and judgement.
Sorry you have had this OP. I hope you don’t take any of it to heart.

The jealousy on here - its always a choice - albeit DWP do drive you forward. OP I hope you find something that suits soon, care work or cleaning is always flexible, after school care work ie childminder can also be good. SMaller cafes and food places often happy with shorter working hrs. for busy times of the week rather than each and every day etc.

Eventually they will expect you to send of x no of applications and for wider and wider opportunities - all a bit pointless to me as if you don't fit the criteria you are not going to get anywhere - just use standard email and cv and gear it to the type of work you want.

Use the system as you need, do what you can and good luck in job hunting and study.

You don't have experience of being on benefits, though? As you claim you worked FT as a single parent. So you have absolutely no experience of what it's like. I suspect you have been consuming too much garbage from the likes of the Daily Mail and other such craprags.

you can work full time and still receive benefits - particularly for rent and childcare - depends how much you earn.

No, my experience relates to those I know who claim benefits as single parents. Furthermore, some of those claiming as single parents actually aren't.
These are the uncomfortable facts. Benefits should be an interim support system and not a life choice/ long term

It’s amazing that someone always ‘knows’ someone not fully declaring circumstances and therefore believes that life on UC for the majority isn’t that bad/not a motivation to return to work. You don’t actually know someone who’s better off on benefits, you allegedly know someone who claims benefits and doesn’t declare any additional income that may be coming into the household. There is a distinct difference.

@Praying4Peace was talking about people who "live on benefits" having "comfortable lives". Other posters who were 'living on benefits' have disputed this, having personal experience of it. @Praying4Peace then said that wasn't her experience... But she has had no experience of it, apparently...

Also, if @Praying4Peace was entitled to the housing benefit and childcare entitlement when she was working full time as a single parent and she DIDN'T use it, she is an absolute fool and chose her pride over her children's living conditions. Classic bootlicker.

Good news op, I hope that's taken some of the stress off your whole situation. I hope you are safe given your circumstances. The best of luck with your studies and I hope you find a fulfilling career at the end of them.

Because that’s only what us mugs do 😆😆

How can it be considered a 'life choice' or a long term plan when there's a 2 child benefit cap and the DWP requires parents with children over the age of 3 to be looking for/available to work for 30 hours a week?

You are full of hot Daily Mail garbage juice. Stop spouting it about round here, please.

They expect you to utilise the funded hours, but generally at 3, it's 18 hours a week at NMW that you have to work. They'll pay up to 85% of any childcare above the funded hours, so you can work more.

Well, there is if you're expecting other people to pay for that choice. Sorry, but that's the reality.

But paying 85% of childcare costs costs the taxpayer a lot more ? But that’s ok ?

Can you give us a breakdown then of income, rent etc?

Thank you

Perfect! You totally deserve the opportunity - best of luck for your studies!

Technically they are doing nothing wrong as even UC give you no work commitments for under three's.

It’s low touch work commitments for under 3. No work commitments under one.

Under one you don’t have to meet with a work coach at all. At around one, you have to have a “preparing for work” meeting. Between one and three, you usually have a monthly meeting. After three you have to go and meet them weekly until you’re working enough hours.