UC expects single parents to work 30 hours, any tips on how to do it?

[Llama98]

I’m new to mumsnet but this is really stressing me out at the moment. I have a son (will be 4 in a couple of weeks) and a daughter (will be 2 in a couple of weeks, there birthdays are days apart from each other 😆)
and I’ve already had 2 meetings telling me that when youngest is three in a year I need to work 30 hours.
I live on my own, have no help and the dads only have the kids over night every other weekend just for one night.
I always get “what about grandparents” but they all have full time jobs or are disabled and cannot physically look after young children.

So I just want to know, how do I do it 😭

Being alone with next to no help is hard enough as it is. My Daughter starts nursery soon and I couldn’t even find space for the kids to be in nursery at the same time!
I work a couple of hours a week but that’s dependent on if my daughters dad cancels on me (he likes to just declare he’s going travelling or has other stuff to do) as he will look after her a couple of hours so I can work but that’s only 5 hours a week.

i also can’t drive so doing drop offs, getting to the job then pick ups again will be difficult. If it was 16 hours needed to work I could probably just about (and I really mean just about) manage it all.

has anyone had any experience with not being able to meet the 30 hours and if so what happens? There are not many flexible jobs and I would need one to make this work.

sorry about any mistakes i do struggle with my dyslexia quite a bit 😅

You could have been me! But actually they deduct the travel times for collecting and dropping off children too. I’m expected to work 25 but work 20 and they are happy with that. I’ve had no further pressure to increase my hours.

@Delphine31 - the Minimum Income Floor applies to self-employment. The AET to PAYE. Your MIF is probably based on working 30 hrs pw.

Also my minimum income floor as self employed is £1200 and I’m not quite meeting it. But was told at my last assessment it was absolutely fine. Just on the other side of things. Don’t panic OP

I believe the new rules stipulate that you must be 'available to work up to 30 hours' rather than you have to work 30 hours. That means if they find you work up to 30 hours you have to somehow find a way to do it.
If you can't find something straight away you can instead spend up to 30 hours a week on work related activities such as applying for jobs. It seems quite difficult and I've been a single parent for the last 14 years. I worked around 25 hours in a school as a TA. Very hard work but not too many hours.
This article echoes what you are saying about how difficult it is

www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/over-80-percent-of-single-parents-on-uc-unable-to-meet-tougher-r

@ColdTantrum - that's because your 20 hrs likely puts you above the AET (into Light Touch). If you weren't above it you would still need to have appointments to try to get above it.

I work for the NHS. As a single parent myself I wouldn't advise it. It's incredibly difficult to find wrap around care to fit with 12 hour shifts, especially if like OP says she has little support from family.

Instead of nursery you could look at childminders. Also if you work in a nursery you can bring your kids, if you work in the hospital, mine has free nursery for your kids, work from home

My dh's daughter's mother has never worked- her children are 15 and 10 now. She is a single parent.
Just out of interest- if she should be earning every month- how is she managing not to have to work? She is not ill nor disabled.

At least you have a year to plan and get ready…but you do have to get ready and a plan in place.

I work full time with 2 kids, and receive UC. They pay 85% of my childcare. I use a childminder as she is more flexible than a nursery and she does school pick ups and drop offs.

as a single parent you just have to make it work. I have a comfortable life as I only get a small amount of UC but it means this tops up my full time wage and I enjoy my job and can treat the kids to soft play etc at the weekend

Maybe she isn't claiming any benefits

Could be signed off for depression or something

Some posters on this thread really don't have a clue about the realities of being a lone parent. My eyes have had a good roll.

"Be motivated and organised"
"Work as a dinner lady" (for 30 hours a week)
"I was basically a single parent cos my husband was doing a job that took him away"

OP I'd perhaps contact your old employer to see if a family friendly shift pattern is at all possible. Failing that are there agencies specialising in care roles, perhaps you could explain your ideal working pattern and see what they have?

I work 32.5 hours as a t.a.
You don't need any qualifications other than gcse

You have to use childcare, just like two parent families do, plenty of people don’t have grandparents around to offer free childcare.

How do you think people with no UC do it???

I’m only coming on here to give OP a big hug, as a fellow single mum. We don’t choose this path and I’m fucking appalled at the stuck up attitude of some of the posters here. How high and mighty you all are (until you start moaning you hate your marriages after 25 years).

I don’t have an answer for you OP, I just have to hope the system doesn’t just drop you like a stone, they have to help you - that’s what job coaches are there for, in my experience though they can’t be arsed to actually coach…

Do what?

I'm a lone parent and work 40 hours a week. I spent months and months searching and applying for flexible wfh jobs. Wfh and living near DS school were key for me. Appreciate it isn't easy though and I had to do a lot of volunteering and networking!

Not sure if this has been suggested OP but can you become a childminder yourself? First check with your landlord to see if they’d allow it- if yes you’ll need that permission in writing and then there are gov grants to help you set up x sending hugs x

It is so difficult for single parents. I have a friend who doesnt drive, no family nearby 3 kids and the dad left a few years ago. She was repeatedly called in by UC even when she had a job but wasn't getting enough hours to meet the income threshold.
They were not interested in childcare issues (unless for example a 1 day nursery closure) or that her employer couldn't offer more hours but would just say she could be sanctioned and would need to find a different job with more hours. She wasn't massively under the monthly income threshold

Do you get maintenance from dad?

UC pay 85% of childcare costs. It does depend on your salary though. I presume you'd be looking at NMW jobs so you'd be financially slightly better off.

Use the online calculators such as entitled2 which can help you plan finances.

My friend works 36 hours a week in a school and although the first few months difficult to juggle it's turned out well for her and she's now been promoted so no longer gets UC.

I work in a special school, students aged 2-19, and we would welcome new TAs with experience working with adults with SEN even if no excellence working in a school. Hours are typically 8:45-3:15 but we do have a few TAs who start a bit later or finish a bit earlier to fit around childcare. Something to look into if you are wanting to move away from shift work.

Gently OP, your concerns and worries are all usual and normal but you they aren't a barrier or issue unless you let them be, that's the difference between those doing it and not doing it.

Everyone that works and has children has the same issues of kids being ill, sorting childcare, needing to switch days around on short notice, juggling the school holidays etc. Yes some have more family help than others but many, many do not and just have to get on with it and hope for the best. Generally it works out.

Everywhere parents claim that childcare and nursery places are tricky to get, it's more that those working have managed to get them, because they have to, they have no option not too so persevere with it more until they get the spaces they need. Those that don't really need them back off quicker. With you becoming one of the parents working you will need to do the same and find the places.