Is it difficult to earn more than £40k?

[Lowwages]

I’m currently on benefits due to a long period of sickness and I’ve been trying to prepare for work for whenever I get better. I’ve been running the numbers though and the benefits I receive for being sick with 2 young children is equivalent to a £40k salary. I’m quite shocked but now also worried that life will always be a struggle as a single parent unless I can exceed that £40k salary.

I’m currently 32 and looking at getting qualified in finance or going to med school but the average salaries on glass door and payscale seem really low considering that these are supposed to be some of the best paying jobs in the UK.

Just how difficult would it be for somebody newly qualified at 35+ to surpass £40k? I’m aware that I could never recover or that I could meet a partner to share finances with but I think that it’s better to prepare.

That's not the take home of a £40k salary before pension contributions.

If op gets Pip, she will continue to get that if working. It's not dependant on work status.

So op presumably is talking about her income on benefits that would change if she got a job. It would be very very high rent in an expensive area that tips the balance, if so. Can't be childcare if she isn't currently working.

Anyone who fancies a life on benefits - The benefits cap varies by area but for people without disabilities it would be a max of £486 and that's with two children, high rent etc. It's the max you could claim.

If she goes to work (for sake of argument let's say in finance) full time it is very likely she will drop a level of PIP or lose it completely. People keep saying that PIP is not means tested, which it isn't, but if you are capable of working a FT job it's quite unlikely you will get to stay on it. The threshold is very high.

I wouldn’t worry about it, ‘Troll hunting’ seems to be a big thing on mumsnet and you see it on a lot of posts. I expect they’re just looking for a way to feel superior to someone for a little while.

It’s not about feeling superior. It’s about shutting down threads like this which are designed solely to cause outrage towards marginalised people.

The OP has deliberately chosen to mention the amount she is getting in benefits - a hefty salary for most - which is textbook button pressing in discussions around benefits. It’s all very Daily Mail.

I have said quite clearly above that I have no issue with the benefits side of this discussion. Anyone getting 40k in benefits would be having that money going straight to other people rather than directly to them and they would be living a challenging existence. Threads like this piss me off because they’re designed to cause anger at people on benefits. It’s deliberately sowing the seeds that people on benefits are sitting around living a life of luxury on the taxpayers money. The OP should be ashamed.

That sounds really good. Could you recommend any particular sites for training? I’ve been looking on ICS learning this morning but all the courses are very expensive. I’d be happy to pay but want to make sure that the course I choose to take is relevant.

Absolutely.

40k on benefits!

No wonder the country is broke and our tax burden is so high.

I don't entirely disagree and public sector salaries have been kept too low for too long.

But for those feeling demotivated, remember you are also accruing decent a decent pension pot and career experience which means you have scope to progress

It can't be fun being dependent on benefits, even if the headline numbers look enviable. I am only on the borderline of being entitled to pip and my disability is tough. I feel very lucky I can work full time (even if I spend most of the rest of my life in bed)

Our country is broken because an ill woman with two young children who wants to work is being financially supported enough to live some kind of comfortable lifestyle?

No. The OP is exactly the kind of person the benefits system should exist to support.

I work, can I be financially supported?

It's unusual to learn accountancy from home by yourself whilst unemployed.

If you really wanted to take that route, I'd suggest studying AAT rather than leaping into ACCA.

(To do ACA or CA, you would need to be employed.)

The issue with studying yourself is that you may become book-smart without becoming real-world smart. Employers very much like people's practical experience and qualifications to match up.

However, if you're willing to spend some money on an AAT module to see if you have the appetite for it, and you're only looking at entering the market from the bottom anyway, there's no real harm. I think you could create a compelling story in your circumstances for having studied first.

@onefinemess yes, by your employer. Currently the OP isn't well enough to work.

We should not be framing this as 'people receive too much in benefits'. We should be framing it as 'the minimum wage in the UK is too low'.

@SweetSakura I have aN NHS pension, it is good , people often say public sector pensions are good. I pay A LOT into it though , hundreds a month.
My salary is over £40k but starts at £27k.
@Lowwages I believe supermarket managers are well paid ? You could look at that.

I have a public sector pension too. I take your point we pay a fair amount in but when I last checked my employer pays in nearly double what I do, so it is a substantial additional factor - anyone on benefits will be stuck relying on the state pension

I earn just shy of £40K as a teacher in Scotland (will go up some more with a bit more experience). I “only” take home £2000ish a month and obvious get no benefits etc. I think I’d really struggle financially as a single parent on my wages alone

Google “free coding courses” or “free coding for women”.

This is one of the better known companies that train female coders:

https://codefirstgirls.com/

You will have the potential to earn a lot of money with no need for a degree. Also look for organisations that train on the job.

@OP might be interested in this The universities where students earn £40k on average after graduation (msn.com)