Confused about universal credit and working hours

[CreatingHavoc]

I'm at my wits end with the whole UC rigmarole. Because my partner and I have split up, my tax credit claim ended and I'm now forced to claim UC. I currently work between 12 and 15 hours per week. My UC work coach is telling me that I need to work 25 hours, but that means I will need to put my children in after school club. But then they are also saying if my income goes over a certain threshold then I won't have to go in for appointments anymore. So am I right in thinking if I got a better paid job I could work less hours? I'm utterly confused by the whole thing. I've been happy working 15ish hours per week and having plenty of time to be there for my children as my eldest is autistic and my youngest has some sensory issues but unsure if she is on the spectrum yet, they are 10 and 6. I honestly don't know what to do other than look for a new job that's work from home because I'm not going to be able to up my hours enough in my current job. I'm a support worker at the moment but with the travel time I can't physically fit 25 hours in to school hours and the family I work for don't have that many hours available. I am looking for other work but in the meantime I'm having to take 2 hours out of my day off to go to the job centre, which just seems ridiculous when I am already working. If anyone has any clarification or advice they can offer I would really appreciate it as it's driving me mad!

Have you tried any of the benefits calculator?
www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Beginner-s-Guide-to-Benefits/Checking-benefit-entitlement

I know doing that really helped as a single person early in 2021 when job hunting I considered a night-time part time factory office job getting me 20 hours at £10.00 per hour which was pretty good as min wage this year is only £9.50. But through the benefit calculator I realised I largely wouldn't get any help. I think it was something only like £7 council tax reduction over a year I would have qualified for.

Sadly I don't know what you can do with the Job centre demands of going in-never had to resort to speaking with the manager above a work coach. Perhaps I should be glad with the exception of the above situation I've always managed to get full-time hours so proving not possible to attend their appointments when meant to be at work. The town I work in has 2 job centres alone which I find rather amusing and I'd heard how someone got chucked out who wasn't aware the job looking kiosks had gone now when they went in hoping to look for a job (lol) for daring to go to a JCP without an appointment - they've got to prove their existence somehow!

Thanks, yeah i did the benefits calculator and it said I'd be better off on UC, it didn't mention I'd have to up my hours to 25 though 🙄 oh well. Back to the job search it is I guess. I think I'll just have to try and get a wfh job with better pay so I can work less hours, no chance of me being able to fit 25 hours in with my current job.