What do you do for a living and how many hours do you work?

[ShyBaby]

Because im having real trouble coping and im considering asking to reduce my hours, but im unsure if im being a bit unreasonable!

I am a childminder. I only take mindees on a temporary basis (up to three months at a time) and am currently working 36ish hrs a week.

But by the time you add in paperwork/shopping/cooking/cleaning etc then it is probably more like 50.

But it is all at home and I am my own boss, so it really doesn't seem like I am working these hours.

Oh shit, sorry. just realised that this is in the lone parents section.

Sorry!! Ignore me

I clean houses for 4hrs a week. Still get to keep all my IS, CTC and CHB payments. Wish I could work more, but can;t see how the money would work out. To pay more of my rent and council tax. So I just do what I do.

I have 1 dd who is 5 and am 15 weeks pregnant. I'm a nursery nurse and am contracted for 30 hours but normally work more.

Purpleone if you go to the job-center they will show you how much better off you would be with wages and tax credit.

It's crap being a lone parent sometimes.

I am a health visitor and work 30 hours over 5 days a week.

On papaer my hours are fab as they are 9.30am -4.00pm. I get to take DS to school every day and my sister picks him up so no childcare fees and I am home in time to cook dinner and spend time with him in the evening.

However, I miss all the assemblies and concerts which run during school time. Last week the class went into the local shopping centre and sang carols - loads of parents went to watch - by lunchtime the school had to ring my parents and ask them to collect DS as he was crying++. Turns out he was upset because I wasn't there to see him sing

Am seriously thinking about reducing my hours but my rent is nearly half my monthly salary and am scared that housing benefit won't offer anything or will take too long to come through.