Single mums - help please

[Demileighx]

Hello everyone and happy new year

some help please. I’ve not long had my first child and I’m living with parents currently. I’m on Mat leave from work but ideally want to move out to our own place when I go back to work

my question is - how do you single mums do it?? Like how do you make it work??

is it best to go back to work part time and claim UC? How much help do u get etc and what about child care??? I’ve never moved out before so don’t know where to start

thanks. X

I would do FT return. Can/will your parents be able to help with any childcare at all? I didn't have any childcare help and ds was at nursery which took a huge chunk of wages but being FT meant I was able to climb the ladder and get promoted several times. I'm very comfortable now, have my own home etc. My parents couldn't help with childcare as they were also working, but they did help when they could with a weekly shop for example...as in the early days I was in the minus each month. It was hard but it got easier over time.

Try to stay with parents a bit so you can save as well and get some extra support.

@Valhalla17 thanks so much for your response. Parents unfortunately work full time also… did you get government help with nursery or no as you went full time? X

No i didn't, it crippled me at 1300 a month but I felt I needed to keep my career going properly....so short term pain for long term gain. I was quite lucky that the nursery was literally across the road, so i could drop him off and dash for the train into work. Then he got the free 15hrs a week when he was 3 so that helped. I had to make cuts in other places as was paying a mortgage as well. That was the hard part, so I would definitely stay with your parents for a while if you can so you can either save up for mortgage...or deposits etc for a nice rental. You want somewhere that doesn't need anything much doing, as being a single parent is hard enough as it is!

What role would you be looking at. Work out what you might earn and us the turn2us site to do a calculation. It maybe better for you and LO to do part time 3/4 days. If you are entitled to help they can pay up to 85% of your childcare costs.

It will depend on your earning and your rent costs as to what help you would be entitled too. I earn well but have children with ASD. So this increases my UC entitlement.

Make sure you have put in a claim for CMS. The NRP should also be supporting your child. Use the system to enable this.

I work full time and still get universal credit as I also rent. If I still had childcare to pay I would also get help with that. Have a look at a benefit entitlement calculator with some likely figures and see what you may get.

I work full time and always have - I get no benefits. You can rent a one bedroom if needs be to start

Thank u everyone! Scary stuff! I work in recruitment at the min… can’t see myself being able to afford bills as well as childcare! 😭

Anyone else? :)

I didn't work until DD was 2. At 2 as a single parent you are entitled to 15 hours I think. I then had my DM help out plus topped up the hours myself so I could go back to work almost full time. This took me to her starting school at 4 and using wrap around care when needed (try and find a school with good wrap around care).

She is now 10 and I work full time hybrid. Depending on area and earnings you may well get UC top up to cover rent etc.

I

I claimed universal credit after having my son. Went back to work 3 months pp. 25hrs a week work from home. The max childcare fund from the gov was 700/800 I think and that covered 15 hours a week. So the remaining 10 hours I would work when my baby was with me.
I quit my job when he was 6 months old as I was finding it too stressful working with him, and felt guilty tbh. I’m now doing some freelance work which is a lot better for me since I can choose my own hours.

UC will only cover 85% of childcare costs up to a maximum of £646 for one child. It also depends on how much you earn so you might not get that much.
If you are on a low wage and your childcare would be more than £760 a month it might be better to work part time. If you look into how UC is calculated it's quite easy to work out roughly what you could get by playing around with different earnings figures.

Thank you so much x

Hi OP I work full time on a good salary and am still entitled to UC due to being a single parent who rents and child is in nursery.
DS is with his nan 1 day a week (exs mum not mine) and attends nursery 4 days. I drop him at half 7 and collect him at half 5/6, I can't work from home and have a 30 min commute so it is stressful some mornings!
I went part time for a bit in a different role but just couldn't bloody afford anything. I was getting more UC as my wage was low but it works out better for me having a higher wage and working full time.

@Dandelionsinthegarden thank u so much! :)