I hope this is in the right place, there didn't seem to be a topic that quite fits!
I am currently working full-time, single mum to a 22 month old dd and running on credit cards where my wages and tax credits don't seem to cover the outgoings.
I have cut back as much as humanly possible to minimise the deficit, but it is there none the less.
I have been looking into various options to retrain as sadly the industry in which I have been working in are extremely predjudiced against mothers full stop, let alone single ones and I was forced in to accepting a considerably lower paid job after having dd due to no longer being suitable for promotion. For the record I am unable to touch the company in question as I would be unable to provide solid evidence that would stand up iyswim, but trust me it was there.
Anyway to cut a long story short the only option I can see as being manageable would be to do an apprenticeship which would pay approximately 10k per year.
Using the turn2us calculator it would seem that I would be financially much better off than currently as I would be entitled to housing and council tax credit along with working and child tax credits. I certainly wouldn't be rich, but would at least be breaking even if sensible with food budgets etc..
Now my question is do apprenticeships count in the same way as standard employment or are they considering education and therefore not covered?
If so are there any better ways to retrain without spending up to 4 years on the breadline?