I think I've made a huge mistake

[Jackfruitburger]

I'm changing jobs. I've filled in all the paperwork for new job and handed my notice to my current employers. This morning I had an email saying that due to a delay in getting my DBS back, I won't be starting until the new year. I feel so annoyed at myself as they told me not to hand my notice in yet but I did to 'get the ball rolling.'
That means I will have no job for December. We've bought a house this year, I have bills, Christmas presents, car tax and the new nursery want a months fees in advance! I'm freaking out. What am I going to do?
I know I could get a temp job but will it really be that quick? I would only be able to start in December and stay for a month.

Ask your employer if you can stay on one extra month? Can't hurt.

100% ask your employer if you can stay on for an extra month. They will probably be glad to keep you for one more month over xmas.

If not, get hitting up the temp agencies ASAP for whatever you do.

As suggested ask current employer for an extension if the relationship is good, or get yourself to the temp agency and get registered.

December isn't a bad month to have to fill in- retail and hospitality industries are in overdrive!

Ask to stay until 31st Dec.

As above ask to stay on at your old job. Failing that, ask your new job if they would consider starting you before your dbs comes back but in an admin/back office role if there is one you can do? Some employers allow the manage to manage the risk by ensuring that the person is supervised at all times and not exposed to restricted material etc.

Check out the supermarkets? All our local ones are advertising for “festive workers”

Get in touch with your new employer to check this out. DBSs are coming back very quickly at the moment - mine was less then a week for my new job! And even if there was a delay, it can't be as long a delay as next year - that can't be the real reason they are delaying your start date. Equally, do you have a current clear DBS? Could you ask them to start you supervised under a risk assessment? What is the role you've applied to do and what are you leaving?

I ask all these things because it just sounds strange to delay a start date by nearly two months and I wonder if there's another reason they're not telling you?

But definitely speak to your current job and ask them to extend the notice period of you don't get any traction with new job. Good luck!

I don't really get why a DBS delay would move the starting date so far along - DBSs are usually pretty quick to come through, and a delay would only mean about a week, in my experience. There's nothing that might have come up on the DBS that might have given them reason to hesitate, is there?

But yes, there seem to be lots of Christmas temp jobs around - that may be your solution.