Ideas please ?

[Solutionssought2026]

Income - 600 universal credits
710 child support
104 child benefit
Outgoings - Mortgage 663
Gas/electric/water £130
Petrol to school £40pw 240pm
Insurance £47
Internet £40
Mobiles x 2 £40
Life insurance £100
any ideas how we stay alive on £204 a week or how to make some super fast money please? I’ve got everything I can think of on Vinted if it’s not nailed down.
I have sciatica and a broken great toe which limits my mobility
I’ve had corporate roles HR/Finance for the last 30 years and I can’t even get an interview.

What has your work coach offered

Nothing, took one look at my CV and basically wished me luck. I had to sit there with a smile on my face whilst she suggested that I joined Linkedin. I have 70,000 followers on LinkedIn. Nearly 30,000 connections I used to do live webinars every week that attracted hundreds of viewers.
Every post that I put up gets around 250,000 views and there I am in the job centre in front of the coach like she’s just had some revolutionary light bulb moment.

I’d be applying for literally anything!!!!!
it’s very hard at the moment as lots of employers are cutting back but hopefully you could get something even less senior than what you had (£80k jobs are in the minority!) and just build yourself up again.

But I’m not trying to be sarcastic, but yes, obviously I did say that I am doing that.

Wild one OP but have you been to uni before? I am wondering whether it might be time to become a student if not...

I know it sounds like I’ve got a problem for every solution, but yes, I have
I’ve got 2 degrees and a masters 😂

It was worth a shot haha

Any crafting skills OP? There’s a big market for handcrafted items.

Alternatively, what about self-employment? I’m a freelance copywriter but the industry has been killed by AI. Lots of us are working for agencies that train AI. It’s really not rocket science; if you have a decent level of literacy (which I assume you do) it’s easy money.

Can you try and set yourself up freelance? You have a good LinkedIn following, and even if you are still applying for jobs at the same time you lose nothing from giving it a shot.

im sorry things are so hard right now - we went from having a really good life to cancer diagnosis and now after my treatment we are about £45k in debt and struggling. Its crazy how quickly things can change x

What about that warehouse agency up the road? Not ideal but needs must. Sciatica can be managed. Good luck.

2 degrees and a masters, you’re able to write. You’re able to reach large audiences. Look at KDP and how to make a passive income self publishing.

Although it sounds like your home is unliveable. Did insurance not help with the bath in the kitchen situation?

Mobile phones can be done much cheaper surely...I pay a fiver a month for mine.

In terms of work op...u never know...I was a sahm who hadn't worked for years...my CV was terrible, I am mid forties and had only worked for about five years in my entire life....I randomly applied for a job one day when i was bored watching telly! I got called for an interview and they asked me to start the next day so don't lose hope!

First I would advise you to Google the number for your local Citizens Advice and ask for an appointment for a benefits check. They are well trained volunteers and are usually really helpful. They will help make sure you’re receiving all you’re entitled to. If PIP is a possibility they can advise you on how to fill in the form. They can also sometimes help with energy bills, and signpost you to cheap broadband deals.

Mention the debt to the advisor as it’s part of the picture, and it is never good to ignore it. They are likely to be able to help with debt advice, but if they can’t, Step Change will be able to.

You don’t mention council tax - if you’re a single adult household you should be able to get the single occupant discount. Do check out your local council website for other help with the cost of living.

Also please check this grant fund finder https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/
Make sure that you include all of your previous occupations, as some professions have benevolent funds you can apply to.

If you’re 50 with HR experience and qualifications, and a big Linked In following, do consider setting yourself up as an HR consultant. Small businesses often prefer to have someone on hand rather than their own internal person. You will need professional indemnity insurance but this usually isn’t too expensive.

OP you don't need an £80k job with those outgoings and £700 pm child support.

Even the £1700 pm you'd bring in earning NMW would do it. £3k pm from £50k and you'd be laughing.

Have you looked at the NHS and Civil Service? Many specialist roles are hard to fill because the pay is relatively low.

How much equity do you have in your house and is down sizing to be mortgage free an option?

Alternative thats likely not palatable at your age but do you have parents or other older relatives still in a family sized house you could move into for a few years?

Oh the HR consultant to small businesses is a good idea.

That all sounds shit op. I'm sorry. Sometimes life just throws you one load of crap after another.

I hope you can keep going and get back on track.

The last role that I had was a fixed term contract with the council I got a bottle thrown at my head and that wasn’t even the worst of it was the lack of support and they’re just outright denial that we were in any kind of physical or emotional danger just makes me so reluctant to work with those organisations again. It’s like you are paying a penalty anyway in the reduced pay.
For what? To be gaslighting you might as well take the cash in private enterprise. At least you know they’re gonna treat you like shit upfront.

I’m gonna pick that up again today. I did throw myself into it a couple of weeks and then had a few disappointments that sent me back. I was due to sign a contract on Tuesday which got pulled on Sunday afternoon.
I know I don’t need an 80 K job to survive but I do need an 80 K job to have any kind of life and I’m sure they’ll be many that will disagree with that but I don’t care. I do.

They did. They paid out £3500 to do a kitchen in a bathroom in 2023/4 didn’t touch the sides then and it didn’t touch the sides now but because obviously I was expecting to be earning. I got spent on other things whilst I reconfigured.
I’m gonna have to cancel home contents insurance soon though that’s another 20 quid I’ve forgotten about

I don't really understand this....at the moment your income is so low, surely anything that is more than what you have now would be life enhancing...?

The problem is and I am an expert on this matter, Is that you never climb back up again.
People take something rather than nothing and then that’s what is the last role on your CV and it’s the only thing that then gets picked up on when you continue to apply for new roles and it started during the pandemic when people were having to accept jobs as delivery drivers etc
Your experience gets more and more irrelevant in the marketplace and therefore in less demand and you just never recover from it.

Equally employers won’t offer you roles that they consider beneath your skill set
So you’re just stuck

The problem is and I am an expert on this matter, Is that you never climb back up again

Not true. We have a lot of new staff who are career changers who took a step back and several of them have been promoted up 2 or 3 grades in the last couple of years.

None of them have had bottles thrown at them either.

Well, that’s nice for them.
That wasnt my experience
So whilst I’m not going to say you’re a liar, you’ve got no right to imply that I am
Have a lovely day

Also, what does gone up a couple of grades look like?
If they’ve gone in at 30 grand and they’ve climbed to the dizzy Heights of 40 over 2-3 years having previously been on 80 that makes my point entirely. They’ve just kept up with inflation.
They haven’t recovered, and they probably never will