How stupid are these benefit calculations for if you return to work

[juicychops]

I have been to see a job centre person to do benefit calculation as i want to go back to work.

This is taking into account all my benefit changes and shifts, travel to and from work and nursery fees...

Working 3 full days per week i would be £44 per week better off than i am now

Working 4 days = £52 better off

Working 5 full days (full time) = £58 better off!

How bloody stupid is that? ideally i want to work 3 full days per week. By working 2 extra days so that im working full time and sacrificing my time with ds i would get an extra £14!!

F**king joke

you need to take housing costs and council tax into account too. also you dont get free school meals anymore-its such a drag making packed lunch at the end of a working day!

Its still an extra £44 per week if you do 3 days.
I was only £50 per week better off when I went back to work full time, but its £200 per month extra.

juicychops was you told about the in work bonus of £40 per week for 1 year, im not sure if its available in all areas or not

OOOh Tinkerbel what is the criteria for that? thanks

Hi tinkerbell yes i was told about the £40 per week extra over 16hours per week so i would also get that too.

I really want to go back to work £80 per week better off it LOADS of money for me!!

Amazinwoman, These calculations also took into account housing benefit and council tax shifts. I would have to pay a percentage of both.

Have you considered childminding? There are lots of extra allowances for that. I am SO much better off but I've always worked in childcare so was a very easy path for me to take.

How old is your ds?

im only £30 per week better off, and that doesnt include the fact that i pay for packed lunches now so really it is less!
i dont get it!!

i considered childminding as a passing thought but im really not a kiddie person so dont think it would really suit me.

AMAZINWOMAN my calculations were based on 24 hours per week at £5.50 per hour. It took into account all benefits, council tax, nursery fees and travel to work

It worked out £44 per week better off than i am now not working plus on top of that i would be entitled to an extra £40 per week for a year.

In theory this is how it should all work but it depends on a lot of things especially the wages i will be paid

so maybe it wont work out as well as i have been told, but at least its still better