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Would I be foolish to turn down a higher-paid government job?

17 replies

Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 18:17

Hi! I applied for a job last year to work as a Home Office Administrator and only just received an email this morning for a provisional offer...if this was me this time last year I would of bitten the hand off it. £28k a year starting salary.

Here's my predicament and would absolutely love some advice on this please 😭 I started a new job in September, term time only office job in a Primary school...a mum's dream job.

It's round the corner from my DD's school and home. 12 weeks holidays, sure the pay isn't great but I get to spend that time with her (single mum, no help from her dad or barely any family and friends to help with childcare) I don't have to worry about childcare and I actually enjoy the job as I love working with the kids and having the holidays is an absolute god send.

This new job is a bit of a way away, I would have flexi time but I think I'd be earning over the threshold to get help from UC with childcare so I'd have to fork out for that myself...but the moneyyy 🫠

My daughter is only 6 and I think I want to stay at the school and just enjoy my time with her while she's young and actually wants to be with me but would I be stupid to turn down this government job and the pay?

OP posts:
Nopenousername · 19/05/2026 18:58

If you accept the Home Office role, who will look after your daughter during half term and school holidays? Also, will you need a wrap around care?

SecretCS · 19/05/2026 19:08

I am a CS and unless you are going onto a term time only contract at the HO (like hens teeth. Ive known two in 15yrs of working in a different govt dept), you may find that after school club and holiday club wipes out a lot of your increased earnings. Use a take home pay calculator to work out the difference.

Flexi can only be accrued for a limited amount each month (in our dept its 2days) so its nowhere near enough to make up the difference between AL and school holidays.

I love my job but it is a struggle since DD1 started school and I have a DH who can cover some of the holidays for us. Ive gone part time to make it easier but that would make even less sense for you as you may as well stay in your school job. I would never say to anyone not to take a CS job, but I think you need to look very carefully at the overall impact on your finances and not just the headline salary figure.

Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 19:23

Nopenousername · 19/05/2026 18:58

If you accept the Home Office role, who will look after your daughter during half term and school holidays? Also, will you need a wrap around care?

That's the thing I'd have to pay for holiday clubs myself 🫤 my previous job I got made redundant and I'd be working from home every holiday it was great so I've been really lucky to land this school job straight after.

She does also already have wrap around care at school and UC allow me to claim some of the money back for that which I'm very grateful for. I don't think I'd get that if I took the other job.

OP posts:
Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 19:29

SecretCS · 19/05/2026 19:08

I am a CS and unless you are going onto a term time only contract at the HO (like hens teeth. Ive known two in 15yrs of working in a different govt dept), you may find that after school club and holiday club wipes out a lot of your increased earnings. Use a take home pay calculator to work out the difference.

Flexi can only be accrued for a limited amount each month (in our dept its 2days) so its nowhere near enough to make up the difference between AL and school holidays.

I love my job but it is a struggle since DD1 started school and I have a DH who can cover some of the holidays for us. Ive gone part time to make it easier but that would make even less sense for you as you may as well stay in your school job. I would never say to anyone not to take a CS job, but I think you need to look very carefully at the overall impact on your finances and not just the headline salary figure.

Ahh really? See they make the flexi look so attractive but they don't mention you have to earn it.

Yeah I have already thought that the part time wouldn't make any sense to me and it's nearly £400 for 2 weeks of holiday club 😱

OP posts:
Ineffable23 · 19/05/2026 19:32

Are you sure you'd get no help from UC on £28k? I think you would if you are a single parent with a child. I've just put the details into entitled to for my area with a made up private rent and an approximate birth date and it says I would get help in those circumstances. Definitely worth double checking as it may also offer better progression opportunities.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 19/05/2026 19:34

That is tricky. Longer term, the HO job probably is a better option, possibly promotion opportunities, pension etc. but I doubt you would be financially better off in the short term given cost childcare in the holidays etc.

However, it could be easier to take annual leave if your daughter was sick than it would be in a school (depending on the school job). What are the CS family leave policies like? You could budget to book some parental leave (statutory parental leave is unpaid) to give yourself some extra time with her in the summer.

i know these young childhood years feel precious, but she’ll get older in a flash, so I think I’d be thinking long term and whether there is potential for development that could help provide more security.

it’s tough though.

titchy · 19/05/2026 19:38

Rather than assuming you won’t get any childcare help - check. I think you will, and depending where you live maybe also the HB element. It’s really not that high a salary.

chillyputsomesockson · 19/05/2026 19:46

Work life balance is a huge thing to consider and your current job seems the dream for that.
I work in public sector, flexi contract means if you work (for example) 30 minutes extra Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, you accumulate 2 hours flexi so you could leave 2 hours early on Friday.
where I work the max flexi you can accumulate is 15 hours and it has to be used by the 1st of the month every month or you lose it.
plus , just because you want to take your flexi time on Friday afternoon, if there aren’t enough staff (holidays, others already booked to take their flexi) you’re not allowed to have it that day.
So if the flexi is attracting you, make sure you properly understand what it mean.

Experience working in a school is great on your cv for when DD is a bit older and can look after herself a bit more.

Upsetbetty · 19/05/2026 19:55

What is your current income vs the new income?

Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 20:14

Upsetbetty · 19/05/2026 19:55

What is your current income vs the new income?

Current is 22.5 and the new one is 28.5 😵‍💫 I don't struggle for money atm...but I'm not rich by any means. I just manage.

OP posts:
SecretCS · 19/05/2026 20:14

Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 19:29

Ahh really? See they make the flexi look so attractive but they don't mention you have to earn it.

Yeah I have already thought that the part time wouldn't make any sense to me and it's nearly £400 for 2 weeks of holiday club 😱

Every dept will have its own rules but in ours the policy is basically:
Core hours are 10am-3pm so you have to be working then unless a formal flexi working agreement is arranged.
FT is 7hrs12m a day. You record your hours worked and everything over that is a credit / under is a debit.
Working past 7pm needs line manager approval.
You cant take more than 2 days per month in flexileave.

So if you were thinking that you would finish at 3pm each day and then work again after your DC is in bed from eg 7pm-9pm, it would have to be agreed with your manager. Which isn't to say it wouldnt be agreed but you need to be aware. It would also mean you'd probably never accrue any extra for help in the holidays. So you'd definitely need to factor in holiday help.

Whereas the way I use it most often is if I work on one of my non working days (to provide cover for someone or to attend a committee meeting for example), i then take that day back the next month.

Stressedmum6761 · 19/05/2026 20:17

chillyputsomesockson · 19/05/2026 19:46

Work life balance is a huge thing to consider and your current job seems the dream for that.
I work in public sector, flexi contract means if you work (for example) 30 minutes extra Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, you accumulate 2 hours flexi so you could leave 2 hours early on Friday.
where I work the max flexi you can accumulate is 15 hours and it has to be used by the 1st of the month every month or you lose it.
plus , just because you want to take your flexi time on Friday afternoon, if there aren’t enough staff (holidays, others already booked to take their flexi) you’re not allowed to have it that day.
So if the flexi is attracting you, make sure you properly understand what it mean.

Experience working in a school is great on your cv for when DD is a bit older and can look after herself a bit more.

It really is...I just think these years fly by and the time I have right now is perfect for us both to have together and for me not to be trying to dump her on people/paying through the nose on holiday clubs.

If she was a bit older I think this job would be amazing but to struggle to get the time off when I've worked for it seems a bit of a nightmare I can't lie...I'm seriously considering turning the new one down at the minute. I'm happy there and my work stress is at the lowest its ever been, meaning I'm a happy mum and can be there for her more in these little years.

OP posts:
TheFlyingOrca · 19/05/2026 21:01

Home Office pay for AOs will be rising to just under £31k in July, and about £32k next July. Some teams do offer term time contracts, so it's worth asking about before making a decision.

Pearshapedpear · 19/05/2026 21:20

What grade is the offered post OP?

FrankieMcGrath · 19/05/2026 22:10

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 19/05/2026 19:34

That is tricky. Longer term, the HO job probably is a better option, possibly promotion opportunities, pension etc. but I doubt you would be financially better off in the short term given cost childcare in the holidays etc.

However, it could be easier to take annual leave if your daughter was sick than it would be in a school (depending on the school job). What are the CS family leave policies like? You could budget to book some parental leave (statutory parental leave is unpaid) to give yourself some extra time with her in the summer.

i know these young childhood years feel precious, but she’ll get older in a flash, so I think I’d be thinking long term and whether there is potential for development that could help provide more security.

it’s tough though.

I agree with this. The CS job gives you much better career prospects overall, & it will also have a significant amount of annual leave, a generous sickness absence policy, special leave that can be
accessed and generally very flexible terms & conditions.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

Mischance · 20/05/2026 09:24

You describe things as "perfect" for you now and you are all enjoying the current set up. Do not rock that boat ... just enjoy.
There will be time later on to pursue other options and the fact that you got the HO job offer means that you have the potential to earn more at some point.

The important thing is that your child has a relaxed and happy mum just now. Do not do anything to change that. It is especially precious for a single mum to be in this enviable situation. Just enjoy!

TravellingJack · 20/05/2026 09:56

You said in your OP that it's a provisional offer. I would find out what would happen next - if you have to go through security checks etc, that can take many weeks, running into months. You are advised to not hand notice in at your current job until that process is completed, presumably because a) you might not get cleared! and b) because the checks can take longer than your notice. So find that out first. You can go through this process without letting your current employer know, and make a decision later.

Secondly, as PP has mentioned, £28k now may rise to £30k fairly soon after you start the role, after going through security clearance and then notice after that. There may be scope to advance - either in salary increments or by promotion opportunities. On top of that, the pension is decent and there are lots of other benefits.

Once you are in CS, there is a lot of scope for applying for flexible working. This is separate from flexi-time - I think most if not all depts allow that, and as PP explained, you accrue flexi-time by working a bit longer (as the business needs, not in order to build up a day off!), and then you can apply to take a flexi day, basically same as TOIL (time off in lieu).

Flexible working is different - you can negotiate this after receiving your firm job offer, or if that's not agreed, after you've been in post for a while and can justify how it would work for the business. You could, for example, request to reduce your hours (and pay) by 20%, which would be £22.4k, almost the same as what you're on now (but with better prospects and pension) and then work 28hrs over five days while your DD is in school, minimising need for childcare. Or you could request term-time working, or parental leave for school holidays... there are a lot of options and if they like you, they are likely to be open to discussing what works. Many of my colleagues have a flexible working pattern - I do compressed over four (long) days, so am on a full time salary but have a 3-day weekend every week. I have friends in the private sector who earn more but also work a lot more hours than I do, so their 'hourly pay' isn't much better.

All of that is to say, don't make a snap decision. I think you should find out what would happen next, and take a longer-term view. Your current role isn't likely to start paying anywhere near what you could earn in CS within the next few years, especially if you can move up the grades, and the additional benefits are worth balancing. Imagine being in the position where you can take your DD on a great holiday in a few years because you've got enough disposable cash, instead of just being off all school holidays but unable to afford to do much. Or maybe she'll want to start an activity and you can afford it, instead of having to say no or cut corners. Short-term pain, long-term gain. Good luck whatever you decide.

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