Living costs in London - how do you do it as a SM?

[Caucasus]

Hi, I'm pregnant with my first baby. My partner seems to have decided he wants nothing to do with us anymore, so it looks like I'm going to be a single mum. I recently got offered a job which would start after my maternity leave - when my baby will be 1. The money is great, more than twice what I'm on now - £36,000 pa as opposed to £14,000. My first thought was elation at the huge pay rise and that I was going to be ok doing it all on my own.

HOWEVER looking at the details, it seems that rent (the job is in London, so I'd have to relocate) and full time nursery fees would be so high that those alone would eat up THE ENTIRETY of my (pretty large) take home salary.

WTF? How do any single working mothers survive? Are there any single MNetters living in London, and if you don't mind me asking, how much money do you need to get by?

I find it mind boggling that even with such a well paid job I wouldn't be able to make ends meet, and it seems CRAZY that I'd have to turn it down.

You need to look not help with child care costs thru tax credits. But yeh it's expensive

I live in London, I'm on a bit less than you but tax credits pay a big chunk of nursery fees (can you think about a childminder, slightly cheaper I think). I don't get housing benefit as I own but you can get housing benefit to put towards your rent.

Go to entitled.co.uk to work out what you'll be entitled to. Obviously your ex will also have to pay maintenance.

Is your job full time? Perhaps if you worked a day less you'd find yourself slightly better off for the first few years- less child care and because your salary will be slightly less you have a bit more help.

I'm part time and will go back full time as soon as my youngest is at school and childcare is less.

Also, if your job is in central London then you can find a cheaper place to live (although still expensive) in the outer zones.

Have they included London weighting in that salary amount, or is that the basic? I got £3600/year not sure if that's standard, and that helped quite a bit

Hi mustardtomango, it's not civil service, so I don't think London weighting applies.

Hi ya,
I'm on £39000 and with two boys it's definatly a struggle, and on anything above £35000 you don't get working families tax credits, housing benefit etc . So as far as I'm aware you get no help.
I had to pay £1200 a month nursery fees! It wasn't worth me working it felt like.
But once they reach school age obviously it gets easier but I still pay breakfast and afterschool clubs now which is £280 a month!!
I think I would think very carefully as you could be better off now as you could claim some help etc
Also if you don't know anyone in London- with a 1 year old in tow it could be very tough- sorry in sounding so negative but honest- I live on the edge of London and work in central and it's tough out there!!

Thanks Blakey3166 I appreciate your honesty! It seems so wrong that you should have to struggle on what should be a fantastic wage.

I pay 1500 mortgage and will be paying (currently on mat leave) 1500 childcare a month in london for 2 kids.... Am really looking at whether i can afford to go back!

Hi Caucasus I wrote my post (work and where to start) then saw yours, it looks like we're asking the same questions. I was in the same position as you re: partner last year and now have a 4 month old, and work at a similar salary level.

Without knowing your situation completely - if you have a well paying job / any significant savings you'll know you can't claim any benefits at all and that means you have to a) work or b) spend all your savings until they deplete to a level where you can claim.

Anyway and as you've figured out, living in London/SE is expensive even for couples and further out, travel costs rise.

If you have any interest in a flat/house 'share', I'm considering pairing up with another single parent :) and the board movethat has a single parent thread that covers this, could be useful to you.