Help me get off benefits

[Zoommeout]

Please help. I’m not the smartest person, (anymore) but I am trying. I don’t want to be reliant on the state any longer.I need help on how to do this successfully. I don’t know where to start. I have tried to by studying but I don’t think I’m getting anywhere fast.

A bit of background - I have children and am on UC. I work in admin and term time only so low income. (I fully intend to increase my working hours as the children become more independent and have increased hours year on year since I’ve re entered the world of paid work) I have tried to study whilst working and family commitments but almost killed myself returning to study (only a level 2 course in finance) was so hard - my brain is not what it used to be! so i have parked study after only a year. I was going through very difficult time whilst throwing myself in the deep end by studying so this can’t have helped, but has put me off for the time being.

I want to work up the career ladder but I don’t know how to/ what work path to take to earn my end goal ((£50k a year by time I am 50) without a degree, at the starting age of 40. My background is admin.

I’m the only one of my siblings on benefits and I hate it. My house is cashed but is in a cheap area so around £200k value. I’ve cashed it by being very frugal and so the house is in need of tlc and we don’t “live”. No fun days out , no eating out, no holidays etc

life is passing me by and I’ve been stuck in a rut for a long time and I try to change things to better our lives , but fail each time.

I want to change our lives and become completely independent.
I can’t think HOW to accomplish this.

With my limited knowledge I thought I could use the equity in my home to buy another house to rent out and then THIS income could replace my benefits? Is that even doable/ practical? Is there a better way? have I missed something?

how could I reach my earning goal of £50,000 within 10 years without a degree and starting at my age with my limited experience? I have the drive and willing but, as last year showed me - I need to pick the right path. I was studying last year and I just can’t retain information anymore like I used to. I did pass, but what I remember is another thing!

AIBU to want these things? How can I achieve or come near to achieving what I want and in what time frame? I need a clear path to follow (what career etc) and I think I get so lost in detail I can’t see the wood for the trees anymore. My brain has been stuck in freeze mode. I can’t think.

i know what I want but I don’t know how to achieve it or if it’s even possible. Or AIBU.

positive posts or constructive criticism only please .Sorry for long post and thanks for listening 💐

How old are your children?

there are different ways of increasing your income, second job, passive income, renting out a room etc

im not familiar with “cashing” what does this mean in the context you’re using it?

I don’t think putting your house at risk by re mortgaging is a good idea at all, and being a landlord is just not profitable at present, with all the gas and electricity and insulation checks you need these days.
Just keep training and working and moving jobs to gain promotion and pay rises.

Ivykaty44 I mean that I don’t have a mortgage left on my house so the cash value of it is about £200,000. I was wondering if I could somehow use this but again I’m not clear how or if I even should as it is the roof over our heads. I have four children 16,15, 8 and 7. I have made lots of small changes and they have helped
me cash (clear the mortgage) on my home. I can’t cut back anymore. I want to increase my income without it being supplemented with benefits. I want it to all be my own.

isthewashingdryyet

I doubt op has room to rent a room with 4 children.

being a live in landlord the checks are a gas certificate which is anywhere from £50-£120 cost. This can be used for taking in students or renting a room. Taking in students from foreign countries can be fairly profitable, even taking into account that some require breakfast and supper. The charge can be fir a decent college £175/200 per week

Isthewashingdryyet yes I thought this too, but idk what to focus on career wise. I work in a secondary and there are lots of different areas I could move in to (non teaching roles) to gain experience but I don’t know what path would be best earning wise without a degree. Even thought I have increased my earnings year on year , it has been minimal and I find it frustrating - mainly because I haven’t got a path at the moment to follow . I feel my brain is in freeze mode I really can’t think at the moment!

I think what triggered this desire so strongly is my brother said to me that I’ve been on benefits for a while and he thinks I use I use it as a safety net and am afraid to come off it, when in reality lots of people are not on benefits. It bothered me as I felt it had an element of truth in it. But It’s been a few years now it’s been my focus and I feel I haven’t got anywhere fast. I think I’m doing something wrong

my brother said to set a goal and carve out a path towards it but it’s that end goal I’m struggling with - what is should be and what is realistic

What are the ages of your children?

The key to increasing your income is to specialise and move up the ladder, small regular moves get you there without needing to retrain.

I started in a call centre phoning 100 numbers an hour and if I got through I would ask them if their item had been delivered the previous day and if they were happy with the service. Then I did it again, and again and again.

I have zero qualifications beyond some really crap A-Level results 20 odd years ago.

My path looked like this:

Call centre telemarketing -> customer service -> team leader -> customer service manager -> quality & training manager -> call centre manager -> IT service Delivery manager -> Governance, Risk & Compliance Manager -> InfoSecurity, Governance, Risk & Compliance Snr Manager -> Global Director InfoSecurity, Governance, Risk & Compliance.

I've gone from the Quality & Training Manager role to my current role since returning from Mat Leave 8 years ago and have quadrupled my salary.

What jobs are available in your current company for team leader, Exec admin, project admin etc that could start you in the process of increasing your skills and experience?

four children 16,15, 8 and 7.

@misssunshine4040 · Today 10:48

Can you get a different admin job that’s full time all year round to make a difference to your finances in the short term?

I think what triggered this desire so strongly is my brother said to me that I’ve been on benefits for a while and he thinks I use I use it as a safety net and am afraid to come off it, when in reality lots of people are not on benefits. It bothered me as I felt it had an element of truth in it. But It’s been a few years now it’s been my focus and I feel I haven’t got anywhere fast. I think I’m doing something wrong

does your brother realise that single parent earning £39k can be claiming benefits?

You're not 'on benefits' you're working and able to claim some top ups due to low salary and having kids. On benefits is a term that usually means benefits are your sole income. They're not so change that mind set. If you earned £50k a year you'd still be 'on benefits' as you would receive CB!

And if you have any spare cash now you've paid off the mortgage (well done!) treat the family. Just a bit, it sounds like all of you deserve it.

Looking forward, if your experience so far has been school admin, then can you look to more specialised school roles, or move to the education department of your local council, or look at college admin roles?

PM me / I did something a while ago which you might find want to do / nothing illegal!

Ok, you need to work full time then.
Your older teens can chip in to help with your younger ones to earn some pocket money

I work full time, did 4 years at Uni and in my public sector role will never earn 50k. Not all jobs will. However, not on benefits. Working full-time, not term time will help you get off benefits and gain more experience or allow you to do different jobs,

I agree with Titchy. You are doing OK, so don't beat yourself up. As your children get older you will naturally be ready to take on a bit responsibility and challenge at work. So I would say just focus a bit more on work, what do you like about, is there opportunities to develop more, do more of that. If you are admin could you apply for NHS/ LA admin which is not well paid but you would be putting by a decent pension. You have housed yourself and working part-time I am sure you are claiming a lot less than some 2 parent families.

It's crazy that you are sitting on an asset and have no housing costs, work and are still eligible for benefits. There are people paying extortionate private rent who aren't eligible.

The teenagers can look after the younger ones in the holidays and you can work full time.
Even in a basic admin job if you pick a decent organisation (big employer/public sector) and are switched on and work hard you will find opportunities to progress (once you are working full time)

Op would need to be earning 60k plus to be off benefits with 4 children on the claim.

Your kids aren’t that young so yo could work full time year round to build up experience and take on more responsibility. You’re unlikely reach £50k by 50 if you’re already 40 and working part time term time only as you need to build your career.

If you own they don’t help with mortgage costs ( apart from a loan to cover interest in rare cases) which is fair enough. So they don’t take into account lack of costs either. I would of thought renters get more help though.

It sounds like you're taking your brother's words to heart. Really, you're in an unusually good position owning your home outright and with four children that's security it would be very foolish to lose.
Working term time only is excellent as it allows you time to do the huge amounts of work it must take to look after four children alone.
It would be very unusual indeed for a single parent with four children not to need benefits on top of earnings. At very least, you'll need the childcare money in benefits if you increase your hours.

I find it bizarre how op has zero housing costs which let's face it is usually a huge chunk of people's income, has earnings and benefits and yet says she does have money for any fun days out.

And due to the ages of the kids, she is likely receiving benefits for all four wheras anyone having kids in more recent years would get half of that amount.

Benefits tend to be very low, less than living costs, and teenagers especially cost a lot to feed, clothe and transport.