would I be better off working..

[Debra1981]

20 or 25 hours per week? I get the impression that by the time wtc goes on and hb and ctb comes off it'd be about the same so just as well go for fewer hours.. Am I near the mark?

I am not completely sure, but think that 16 is the magic number for a lone parent.

www.entitledto.co.uk will give you a pretty good estimate.

For 52 weeks you get an 'in work
' credit of £40 (in most areas), or £50 in London, this will bump your money up but you do eventually lose it and it will be hard if you rely on it, I think its only payable though if you have been on benefits for a certain amount of time.

debra - i have recently gone through this and tbh I was only better off working if I was childminding on account of the special 2/3rds rule. if i went back to any other job the difference was minimal - say £20 per week - add to that of course losing DS1s free school meals and our Healthy start vouchers.... ask your lone parent advisor to do a "better off calculation" - mine was great - she did a whole load of different scenarios for me so that I made sure I did what was best for me and DCs....

good luck