How do single mums afford to live?

[Sunflower2018]

I have a young baby and I currently live in a private rented home with my partner. We are really not getting on and I'm so tired of the relationship. I am still on Maternity leave from work, however, I am going to university in September.

My question is, how to single mums afford to live? Even with support from universal credit I won't have enough money to cover rent, bills, food, car ect. I need my car for transport/placements so getting rid of that is not an option...

Really feel like I have no options here.

Sorry to be blunt but you need a job,and would probably need to put uni on the back burner unless its a course where you could work 16-20hrs a week as well

I have worked so hard and already deferred uni for one year. I'm employed at present as stated, on maternity leave. It's not that
I don't have a job. I just wondered how any one else does it. Thank you though.

I went back to work when DS1 was 5 months old. I had tax credits at the time so could afford the childcare. I was lucky enough to buy a house but it meant moving away from where I lived at the time to a much area and the commuting back in to work via train. Meal planning and careful budgeting

The problem with being a student and being on UC is that any student loans that you can take are deducted pound for pound from UC. I don't see how it's feasible to do it without working as well which would be difficult with a young baby. Presumably your partner will have to pay child maintenance which is not taken into account for UC ?

I worked full time and for extra like car or holidays got some cleaning hours or was a waitress at weekends or any of the twelve other jobs
I had excellent child care though (my lovely dad) who would come at 4.30 am so I could clean.

I went to uni full time as a single parent and I had plenty of money to live on, since leaving uni I'm skint!

Have a look into student loans and grants, i had help with childcare too. I felt financially supported during my studies

I mentioned being skint now as the support I received at uni was far better than what I get now on minimum wage etc.
If you get a good job after you'll be fine

SausageSimon - I expect you were on tax credits though? There is a massive difference because on tax credits you get the tax credits and the student loan. It is a lot worse situation for students on UC unfortunately.

I am a lone parent to a little boy and I find it hard. After every thing is paid out every month I have little over 100 for food and fuel. I work 30 hours a week around my sons school. We have no social life at all. I have to fall on my credit card to live which upsets me. Our big problem is I was left with all the exs debt and that is alot each month.
I am in a job that's just a job. I wish I could do something different and train but for our circumstances I had to push my desires for a better career aside. Financially it would be impossible for me. I guess I had no choice but to just accept I can't do what I want.
I'm sorry I've not real advise but you somehow make it work but you have to compromise somehow

How come you chose to have a baby with someone who you're really not getting on with and are tired of the relationship with them?

jemihap - I don’t think that’s helpful or relevant really. A lot can happen between someone finding out their pregnant and actually having the baby. Everyone has the right to leave a relationship they are not happy in.

Pointless question @jemihap. Op can’t very well go back in time and not have a baby can she?

Op I studied via Open Uni and worked full time, it was the only way I could afford to live.

Thank you all for your advice and support. My hours at uni/placements are around 40 hours per week plus travel time once on placement which, I think trying to work along side spending any time with my baby would be incredibly difficult. Perhaps I could get something extremely flexible though...

@jemihap, unfortunately, I can't tell the future therfore I couldn't predict what was going to happen. Irrelevant comment, as others have already said to you but I suppose you always get one on a post like this 😊

I would have personally ignored the irrelevant comment @Sunflower2018. You don't have to answer such a stupid question. No one has a crystal ball. I had my baby with someone who ended up being useless. he doesn't play any part in my DS life by his own choice. In hindsight it was never going to last. He was an awful person once I fell pregnant and treated me terribly, but at the time I wished on everything that it would work out.

Anyway....

Your hours sound really intense. I hope someone can come along and give you some positive input on how it can be done. I will be interested as at the moment my job is just that. I am capable of so much more but due to finances and time I can't see a way of changing it x

I work two jobs. Hit quite a lot of tax credit elements and was lucky to have my kids before the two kid rule. Plus child maintenance.

Been there myself. I survived on benefits, it's not a lot but it's enough to live off with some left over. It's not as bad as you think.

It is a bit of a daft question though. Single Mums have all sorts of individual circumstances, just like Mums who are married and Mums who are not married but in a relationship.
Some are well supported but the dc's father (financially and practically), some aren't. Just the same as in relationships. Some have close family who are able to support them and others don't. Some live in more expensive parts of the country where the numbers are never going to add up, and others don't.
Generally though, people don't choose to start studying at the most expensive time of there life, in terms of outgoings (adding childcare into the mix).

It is hard. I left my abusive partner (and father of my kids) only after getting a job with increased pay. Are there any local groups for single mums (Facebook, WhatsApp etc)? I know a few single mums from school and we help each other out with picking kids up from school etc if the other is working.

@Babyroobs I didn't realise it had changed so much! What a massive shame, it cost me a bomb in travel so I feel for those with less help

Are you going to be studying nursing? (Guessing from the mention of placement). Could you sign up for bank work with the trust you’ll be with?
I became a single parent while at uni although it was before uc. The cab were really helpful in what I was entitled to.

@BackforGood actually study when having young children can work really well. I have been on a full time degree course for the past 2 years which includes 40 hour week placements, and I have had 85% of my full time child care bill paid for by student finance and the rest I pay myself using the parent learners grant so basically my full time nursery bill has been covered.

Go for it op. It's not easy but can be done. I only have one more year to go and I'll be in a much better position to support my kids afterwards 😊

Her father is still responsible for her financial support, too. Child maintenance should not effect your UC entitlement but it's really hard to go to uni FT and not work now that UC is here.

endofacentury - Are you claiming tax credits though, that could be the big difference between what you are entitled to and what op is entitled to under UC. Hopefully she would still get childcare paid for but under UC student loans are taken off UC pound for pound meaning students don't fare very well. It's ok for people on tax credits saying it's ok because they get their student loans and their tax credits ( as I understand it anyway ! In that situation when you are getting both yes of course it's do-able ! Uc is a very different story which is why op needs to get a proper calculation done before she takes the plunge.

I hate to say it OP but it just sounds like Uni isn’t an option for you atm. If you want to leave your relationship and support your daughter.

I get that you want to go, have worked hard, and already deferred for a year. But none of that changes your circumstances/ situation.

I worked around uni (as a mature student) and ‘super flexible’ jobs that are also reliable income and reasonable hours- are gold dust!!!

You may need to accept that your desire to go to uni no longer comes first- your DC being financially supported does x

Lone parent and go to work to pay for life.