To go off work sick

[Tiredsinglemamma]

I am a single parent to 12 year old twins. I work in a stressful call centre job. I just cannot do it anymore. I have gone off sick today as I’m suffering with chronic sinus post covid (but also work stress - my brain just freezes when I get there lately but I haven’t mentioned that to anyone).
what can I do? If I quit will my UC top up stop? If I’m signed off I only get SSP how would that work with UC? I’ve been job hunting for 6 months now and only had one interview. I have a degree in maths, a bit of accounts experience, but working in a call centre the last year after being made redundant from part time accounts told. I work 9-3, struggle with child sickness, school holidays the twins basically stay home alone on devices with a pile of snacks for 7 hours. I feel sad for them in the holidays. My manager is incompetent. I’m unwell, stressed, I need a way out. Any advice welcome.

Oh man, boy if you have a degree in maths is there a secondary school near you in need of a teacher! There are now teaching apprenticeships you know.

Don’t quit. Book in some holiday time. Your twins need to help you around the house. 🌷 keep job hunting.

I’ve got no holiday left! I used it all up taking days off in school holidays. 20 days a year doesn’t go far 😩

I have actually been looking into teaching this afternoon! But I have heard it’s very stressful. But working in a call centre I am hating it, I had to take the first job available after being made redundant from my account role.

If your 12 year olds can be home alone, could you work longer hours? That might open up more options than 9-3 or part time.

I think lots of jobs are stressful but if you love it, it’s bearable. It’s only when you hate it that it damages your mental health!

I would persevere with your job and throw everything at finding a new one to try and keep financial stability for your family.

You have a degree in Maths! You are way overqualified and surely that is adding to your stress! Not an immediate solution but you need to be working towards a job that makes better use of your brains. Your kids are about to hit teenage and won’t have the same need for your day to day attention. It will free up space for you to invest in your career. Hang in there.

Teaching can be stressful, but also very rewarding. Both my teacher friends ( in primary) love their jobs. Or how about doing an accountancy course?

Yes I’m more qualified than most of the managers! It’s all I’ve been able to find at present. It’s literally an every level job on minimum wage.

I have bookkeeping and payroll qualifications (and experience) but it just seems so competitive out there at the moment.

the twins argue constantly so am reluctant to leave them too much and I suspect one of them has adhd

I’ve even thought of signing up for a masters degree and taking out a postgraduate loan, but I think I might lose out on UC then as I’m thinking I would be intentionally making myself unemployed. But just to get away from this awful call centre with the bright lights, noise, stress, backstabbing etc

You should do maths tutoring. There is a lack of qualified people for that. Gen up on the various syllabuses. They charge £20-80 and hour round here (London) with the low end being current a level or degree students.
Deffo get out of the call centre & go sick for a bit while you transition.

If 9-3 in a call centre is stressful and means you can't think straight, I wouldn't consider teaching.

Can you afford to live on SSP? If not, then dig in and stick it out until you find something else. As others have said 3 full days a week is easier to find than a 9-3pm role.
If you quit then why would you get benefits? I thought they were only payable when you are unintentionally unemployed.

I have A Levels in Business Studies, Economics and Maths. Tutoring could be a great idea. I will look it up! I’m so scared of going if sick but I’m just feeling so unwell and can’t seem to get better at the moment. Part of me wonders if it’s stress. I’ve been a single parent since the twins were babies, and a few years ago there father died so literally all the finances depend on me. I would love to one day earn enough not to need UC. I was fresh out of uni when I had the twins so just have part time bookkeeping and payroll experience which I actually like but just can’t find any local or remote roles at the moment. The call centre is slowly killing me!

I worked through having covid and since then I’m really struggling.

My son’s maths tutor charged £50 ph in London. She didn’t have a maths degree, was a biological engineering student . ( I don’t regret it one bit, he got grade A in A level).

This!

Teaching is extremely stressful, yes (speaking as an ex-teacher) but, it might light you up in ways that call centre work doesn’t. If you enjoy it, you might feel refreshed. A change is as good as a rest!

I feel for you. Don’t give up on looking for a new job 💐

I think you should teach A level maths. At least the young people want to be there.

You have good qualifications so go off sick and take the time to work out what you want to do and train in something new.
teaching or tutoring are good suggestions.
if teaching doesn’t appeal, do tutoring to earn some money to support you while you train for something else.

You could be sanctioned by UC for giving up paid work. It’s best to exhaust your company’s sickness first. If you get SSP that will be counted as wages and deductions made. You’ll have more UC as you’ll have less deductions but it won’t match wages lost. If you are not earning more than £952 a month you have regular work search appointments with work coach and made to work search 30 hours

I second tutoring. There are loads of websites you can sign up to, and start immediately. Then when you have a solid client base you can go direct. You can work from home and chose your own hours.

I have also worked in a call centre. I’d rather be a teacher (going to do so once I finish the science degree). Far more fun.

definitely try advertising as a maths tutor. You could do this as a sideline. Maths is really in demand.

Can you drop any hours with the call centre job and still get UC? I believe there is a minimum income floor before it’s affected not sure what work commitment they expect though with older children.