Urgent advice needed..

[finnmum]

Hi, I recently wrote about my situation as a recently single mum of 6 and 9 year olds. I've been SAHM for the last ten years. As my high earning ex-partner left us and moved to another country still arguing about child maintenace I took your kind advice in my crisis situation and sorted out the benefits and am looking for work as well. I'm at the moment on full benefits getting 190 pounds a week housing benefit. The question goes, I heard yesterday that there would be possibly an opportunity for me to get a full-time job with the organisation I have volunteered for years with. £25,000 a year, would I lose my benefits? Silly question I'm sure but right now I have to think of every penny we could get in. The children have practically lost their dad a few months ago and only parent starting to work full time is not ideal now (although I'm passionate about the job itself). If that means we'd be financially worse off it wouldn't make sense. The deadline for the application is on Monday, any advice/experience you could share with me?

Put your efforts into doing a really good application then work out the money after you've handed it in. You can always withdraw the application.

There are websites you can put all your finances into, anyone know them?

A big part of me would like to go for it and show myself as well as my ex that I can do it as much as I want to do it (volunteered for them all these years:). However I'm also thinking that I should keep my head cool, forget my own pride and think what -if anything- it would mean to my children.

Thanks NotALondoner, I was thinking about doing exatcly that but then thought that as they know me and if I don't go for this position I'd probably try another later on if the part-time comes available. Therefore withdrawing the application might look bad on me.

www.entitledto.co.uk Put your details into here and see what comes up. You're always better off working IMO, even if you do come out with slightly less. I'd rather be independent and earn my own money then rely on benefits.

It would show your children that you are more than just a mum. That you are an independent person in your own right.

I believe you can go to the money advice website and to entitledto.com to see what your finances would be.

Thing is, your salary is only likely to go up once you start working. Even if it doesn't make financial sense now, it is a long term investment in your future. I know how cheesy that sounds! Pension, NI contributions etc all add up too.

IIRC, the inland revenue tax credits people calculate your tax credits from your income before tax and NI are taken off it

The opportunity to get a £25K a year job after 10 years out of the workplace is not one that comes along every day to be honest. Taking a full-time job now might be difficult but it will create other opportunities for you, whether that be a better paid job in the future through promotion or moving on.

I'd also suggest (although this is purely based on anecdote) that the route into a well-paid part-time job is through a decent full-time position.

Good luck.

Well you said you get £190 a week housing benefit add onto that your other benefits

£25,000 a year is £480 a week less tax and ni so even if that drops to £400 unless you are also getting an additional £200 in other benefits then you have to be better off

Only a rough working out and as I am self employed I have no idea how much the tax and ni would be so that was a guess but may help you decide

Personally I would rather be working than claiming benefits

Oh 24k you pay around £300 a month tax and NI, so leaves you with 1,800 take home wages, cheerup.

Thank you for your kind advice, I will take everything onboard. I am aware of the importance of being a good role model for the children, however the thing I'm also worried of course is how they would right now take the change. They have no other family in this country expect for me, no aunts, uncles, cousins nor granparents. They have recently lost they dad to yet another country and only see him now once in every three weeks when he flies here for a day. They have only ever had one constant adult in their lives and that constatnt adult would now leave every morning at 8am and come back -if lucky- 6.30pm (we are in London:). My 6-year old goes to sleep 7.30pm. This makes me want to eat my pride at the moment..

As we've never been in this position before I wouldn't know the effect.. any thoughts about the last bit..

Children are very resilient to change so don't assume they won't cope. Will you need childcare? Will you finish in time to collect them from school? Can you drop them off? There's a lot to think about.

I could not drop them to school nor collect them. They would see me about an hour a day. The London reality:)

Most working parents have this, finn. I work from home now but I used to long for the weekends. You'll find a way

6 & 9 yr olds would cope with having a working parent and childcare, plenty are in similar circumstances.

Thank you for your insight, I really appreciate all your thoughts.

Would you be able to work from home one day a week? I do this so I can use my break times to do the school drop off and pick-up. Helps keep me connected with DCs' school and friends

I work long days (12 hours) and don't see a lot of the children. I do have a good support team. I would see how far you get with the application .easier to withdraw instead if regret that never did it. Things have a way if dieting themselves out