Benn offered a PT job. debating whether to take it or not...

[meltedchocolate]

Hello. I have been offered a 16 hour job after the summer and basically am deciding whether or not it is worth my while.

ATM I live on benifits (I dont get nor want matanence though) in a rented house and am affording it fine with the money I get but I am bored of not working. The thing is, to accept this job I would need to pay a childminder and realistically need to be able to run a car. Would I be able to do this? Anyone doing part time work with a child and affording it all? I am a master at budgeting but am trying to decide whether I would be any better off and if it is worth my while missing the time with my young son (20 month)

TIA

Does it make economic sense?

What would you be paid?

What would your childminder and car costs be - roughly?

Is the job something you'd like to do for self esteem/confidence/keeping occupied?

OK I have just realised how much I get already and checked on tax credit websites and it looks as if I would be far worse off if I took the job. Boo

Well - maybe you are giving up too easily, and some resourcefulness could help.

For instance -

Could you babysit for someone else on a regular basis in exchange for them looking after your ds? Or could you barter a service with a childminder (ironing or something else)?

Could you ride-share with someone rather than having the expense of running your own car? Or contribute to petrol money for a person who could regularly take you/pick you up at work?

There may be a way to do it that makes sense...

If you use a registered childminder you might be eligible for up to 80% of the childcare costs

I have included childcare costs in my calculations. Problem is my location aswell. Lift sharing and all that wont work because of how rural we are and everyoone that is working goes in the opposite direction to work than I would need to go to the childminder. The childminder uses her daughter for housework as a kind of rent thing they have going so (as great as an idea as that was- would never think of such a thing myself) that's not really an option.

What kind of stupid system do we live in that means I would be worse of by working?!

I am studying but I do that in the evenings and daytime can be very repetitive and dull. Will keep thinking. Surely there is some way I can make it work?

I'd just do it
if you have a job you are in a better position to move forwards in the future

Are you sure you'd be worse off? Only reason I ask is I work part time and recently looked into whether I'd be better off not working - I wouldn't. I'd be a couple of hundred a month worse off if I didn't work. Don't forget you can apply for tax credits to help pay your childcare, and look around for the cheapest childcare - a childminder might be more expensive than a nursery so look into it. Also, as soon as your child is 3 they'll get 15 hours free childcare per week - it's only a year or so away, so think about whether you could cope financially that long, bearing in mind it will improve then.

In addition you'll probably still get some housing benefit, free prescriptions and perhaps even help with your council tax. I get some HB and free prescriptions (no CT help though), and I don't get maintenance either.

Go and speak to your lone parent adviser at the job centre. They will crunch the numbers for you and tell you exactly what the situation will be.

I work part time, run a car and have to pay child care in the holidays.
Remember you will probably still get some CB & HB and they do take into account your child crae costs when calculating that.

You also get an extra boost when you first go back if you have been out of work for a while so you still get your benefits for a few weeks to tide you over till first pay day. It does depend on how long it has been since you last had a job though.

How are the hours worked out? Is 16 hours over 4 days? 3 days? 2 days? If it's 4 days of 4 hours see if you can do it over 3 or even 2 days instead as your travel and childcare costs will be less, plus you get the extra day with your ds.

Also don't forget to take into account any parking costs ( I didn't realise how expensive this would be and and grossly under estimated in my budget!)

The new government are shaking things up and are meant to be making it that you are definitely better off working than not. And with the squeeze on benefits coming along etc you should really look at this oportunity seriously as it will only be another 3 years before you have to take a job or go on JSA.

Phone the job centre and get an appointment with the lone parent advisor. Mine was fantastically helpful and even got me a grant to get some work clothes and a haircut!