Part or full-time job... what's more beneficial?

[tammybear]

I'm being made redundant. I've got til 31st March in my current job, and still trying to find a new one. I am currently on 20hours a week, and earn £8000 roughly, p.a. Dd goes to nursery 4 days a week, although I would like her to go in for 5 when I get a new job.

But I was originally looking for a full time job, earning about £15,000 p.a. However, someone said to me that she found she was better off when she was just working 4 hours and receiving a lot of tax credit than some of the people she use to work with, so it might be an idea for me to work part time.

I was just wondering what peoples' experiences were, and if working part or full time as a single parent would be better? Thanks.

bump

a fellow mum at ds2's nusrery found she was better off P/T as the Nursery Education grant paid for half of the morning nursery sessions, whereas if she worked f/T she had to pay the whole cost of the afternoon session.

Our accountant said that it is better for me to earn a minimum wage and get all the benefits which is shocking but true!!

I heared that if you are on WFTC, the best hours to do as a single parent are 16 hrs pw.

Personally, I'm better off staying on IS, as I'm a childminder and work p/t. If I increase my hours I may have to go onto WFTC, but I don't think I will be any better off, which defeats the object really!

I went to see a lone parent advisor at the job centre to ask exactly that - I had been looking for a full time job at around £15,000. They can do all the sums regarding benefits and tax credits, and what she came up with was that I would only be about £15pw better off in full time work at that sort or wage than I would be working 16hrs pw at minimum wage. I'm now looking for part-time work! I found the advisor really heplful and would definately recommend seeing one.

i asked the jobcentre to do me a calculation and for working full time i would only be £20 better off than working part time. (which was not much more than being on income support anyway), that to me says its not worth it. part time yes. but to work full time, do all the extra hours, the stress involved and not seeing my children...part time is my choice (a bad one, because there's no sodding part time jobs around here at the mo). for me though, it really is by far the best option.

so, to cut the ramble...i would say part time is best!

I would agree that if you see a new deal lone parent advisor at job centre they can do what they call a "better off calculation" for you to see which would be more beneficial. Good luck

ignoring the financial side of things (can't comment - don't know the figures) - I would always pick part time over full time if you have kids - gives you more time and space to spend with them, and makes it easier to fit in with the school day/term time.

Deff a part time job is better. i will earn more in my part time job on £6.90 an hour working 20 hrs than i did on £22,000 a yr full time :-)