Universal Credit implications for long-term SAHMs??? Help please!

[CSLewis]

Hi, I've just read the Mumsnet summary about Universal Credit, and read that parents of children aged 5-13 will be required to seek work during school hours, though I think those with a baby under one may be exempt.

Does anyone have any further details about this? It feels to me that a parent of young (primary-aged) children is being forced to return to the job market, regardless of whether they judge it to be in the best interests of their family

MummyToKatie and others who have made similar points on the thread - do you understand the concept of a vocation? Or is that something that only the rich are allowed to have?

No I don't get it. But I'm tired. A financial sacrifice made by the SAHM. No I don't get it at all.

P!!!!! Please, stop assuming every stay at home parent is a bloody woman!!

Sometimes things are about more than money.

In the case of morethans situation, they have decided to do things that make them happy first.

If her DH is eligible for TCs then they will claim them. And if they aremt they wont.

Whats the issue?

Viviennemary.

I don't think many people want to stay at home and live off the tax payer. That is not how it works. Gaelic explains this so well.
One parent should have a right to stay at home if they so wish. I didn't have children to expect others than me or dh to raise them and care for them.
As you can see from my last post my choice to be a sahm came many years before Family Credit emerged.

wannabe - I don't think the cliche about knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing was ever more apt than on this thread.

No you're right Viviennemary - it was of course about supporting parents to do what they believed was best for them and their children. How times have changed.

Sorry. Yes I should have written SAHP. I realised once I had posted. I apologise.

I cant believe some people dont remember the tax credit ads.

They were on all the bloody time as recently as 2010 I think. Especially around July.

Are they the same ones? With the families and money waiving about the screen urging people to claim and not miss out?

Ah sorry. Just watched the video!

I really don't believe I can be the only one who couldn't keep their job if they had to drop everything on a regular basis to look after sick children, deal with school snow days, the childminder taking holiday or going off sick, etc. I couldn't expect a working DH to do this all the time, or he'd lose his job.

I have trips away planned in several weeks in advance. I am in a client facing role where there simply must be at least one member of the team in the office. If I started taking unplanned days off/working from home I would be pretty soon given my marching orders. I can't bear to imagine the stress of trying to juggle my job with those kinds of things. Those of you who manage it I take my hat off to you, but you must have very flexible and understanding employers/colleagues. Or you have family close by to help out - lucky you, but not everyone does..

MummytoKatie.

If he was any of the things you suggest I'd divorce him.
My dh believe it or not is world famous. Now you would never of heard of him because his work is sort of specialised within a particular genre of music. Unfortunately it doesn't pay a huge amount of money and money is actually considered as selling out, especially to his audience. He has played at all the major venues throughout the world and is very respected by peers, colleagues, the media and audiences alike.
Of course raising a family comes at a cost and he does do many things to provide for his family that he wouldn't choose to do if single, but as he works all the hours God sends anyway there isn't any time left to increase his work load.

HappyMummy, let's go back a few posts to Scatter's situation. What do you suggest? Jobs are so hard to come by these days and there's a government threatening to throw you and your young children in the street because you're not picking up any of the imaginary jobs???? Have I got this right?

Then of course they're not going to leave young children homeless, they're going to have to house them? How is this more economical than keep paying tax credits?

Wow morethan - I wish I knew who he was, that sounds amazing!

twilight3 - I suspect the stock answer to that one is to stick the fingers in the ears and insist that would never happen. I wish I could be so confident. And the merest threat that it could happen must be enough to make life for someone in Scatter's situation absolutely terrifying just now.

Wannabe.

Yes that's the one, but imagine the very first Family Credit advert was about 10 years prior to this and the campaign was massive and the ads lasted for ages, usually during Corrie break.

But morethan, he only earns NMW. He isnt successful

He must be very talented! I would support my DP in anything if it made him happy. And him me.

And I too wish I knew who he was!

Gaelic

When dd wanted to become a musician even though she is only 9, we listened and that is why she is H.ed, completely her own idea. Older 2 dc 21 and 18 were encouraged too but they didn't really want to, they are sporty.

The people who do it gaelicsheep do see how it is done though. I didn't when I was a SAHP, to be fair. But living a situation focuses the mind! Fortunately, my children aren't ill regularly.

You know there is truly nothing, nothing that winds me up more than linking money to success.

I was so amazingly lucky to get a job in my field, and then continued to secure jobs that were like hen's teeth, but not well paid. Funnily enough it's only just recently when I got a significant pay rise with another new job that my mum & dad acknowledged I'd done well. It hurt more than a bit.

I hope you know I was being sarcastic!

So what do you suggest TheFallenMadonna, if I was booked to be on a client site and the school called just before I was due to leave asking me to pick up DS? Say DH also wasn't available because of a work commitment?

Which employer gets let down? Which of you risks losing your job? I'd rather that put us in that precarious situation thank you very much.