Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Flip

Original poster

Benefits affected by work?

16 replies

whethergirl · 18/09/2009 18:17

Hi, would appreciate any information anyone has, I've spoken to friends and have heard conflicting things. I've called jobseekers who said they will call back but haven't done yet.

I am a single parent with a four year old who has just started school (although he won't be full time til Jan) and have not been a working parent before.

I have been offered a job, 3 days a week, paying £8ph, hours are 10am - 3pm. I am currently on benefits and wondering how this will affect my benefits. I've been told that I can work up to 16 hours a week and my benefits would not be affected, but also told this isn't true - and in reality it's not even worth it, by the time it all works out after the benefits I will lose. Once my ds goes full time in Jan, then there will probably be the opportunity to do 10 - 3 for the full week.

Does anyone have first hand experience and how working has affected their benefits?

OP posts:

cordonbleugh · 18/09/2009 18:23

Would it be possible to get an extra hour in somewhere? as a single parent, if you can work 16 hours a week you'll be so much better off.

They will give you a grant (£250 I think) to help pay for new work clothes etc, they will also pay you £40 a week for the first year just for being in employment! Then, you'll also qualify for working tax credits, which includes the childcare element - they pay 80% of your childcare costs (handy for childcare in school holidays!) You will still get some housing benefit and council tax benefit.

If you're on income support, you can earn £25 per week before they start deducting the rest from your weekly income support payments!

OtterInaSkoda · 18/09/2009 18:40

I second CordonBleugh's suggestion regarding tax credits/doing 16 hours.
Have a look here:
Tax Credits
Do you have a lone parents advisor at your local Job Centre? I was in a similar position to you (although a few years back) and the advisor I had was brilliant.

Original poster

whethergirl · 18/09/2009 19:27

Thank-you, yes it's definitely possible to do 16 hours (it's my cousin's company!). Some great incentives to start off with but just wondering about my income support - I'll be earning £128 per week - which I guess means I'll lose my entire income support - so in reality I'll be earning about £50 a week (putting aside the bonus' for a minute as they won't be forever). I know £50 a week extra is great, but I have to weigh it up - is it worth giving up 3 days of my week, having to sort out childcare etc.

OtterInaSkoda, can you post that link again please as it didn't work? I do have a lone parents advisor, I rang up today to ask to speak to her but was told I had to make an appointment - and the next one available was in October! I said I was needed to start this Monday so she took my number and said an advisor would call me back but never did!

So I don't want to start on Monday without knowing the full facts of how it will affect me. Hopefully I'll get to speak to someone on Monday but just can't get this out of my head!

OP posts:

Original poster

whethergirl · 18/09/2009 21:21

Does anyone know why I'd be better off working 16+ hours? I've just seen on a site that you can still get income support if you work less than 16 hours, so wouldn't this work out better?

OP posts:

mumandlovingit · 18/09/2009 21:30

if you work 16 hours plus you get working tax credit which makes your income higher.you will get help with rent and council tax. entitledto.com is a good website where it will tell you how much you should get.

you are definitely better off working 16 hours or more and getting tax credits than doing less and still getting income support, you are only allowed to earn £25 a week on income support, the rest is deducted off your money.

good luck if you decide to take the work.it's daunting at first but worth it

Original poster

whethergirl · 18/09/2009 22:18

Thanks mumandlovingit, I will have a good look at that website now. Yes it really is daunting, in so many ways, but I'm really tired of being skint.

OP posts:

OtterInaSkoda · 20/09/2009 10:31

Sorry whethergirl. Here you go: www.hmrc.gov.uk/Taxcredits/
£50 a week goes a really long way. Also don't forget it means you'll be racking up experience and hopefully developing you professionally to move on to even greater things career-wise.
Three days out of seven isn't that much really. I work fulltime, as does my partner, and I have to say that neither of us is terribly happy about it - there just aren't enough hours in the day. But three days would be just perfect I reckon!

onadietcokebreak · 20/09/2009 22:04

Its a £20 disregard for earnings on Income Support not £25

If you can get your hours up to 16 then you should be better off on tax credits.Maybe an hours cleaning? Check out entitled to website,

cordonbleugh · 21/09/2009 11:19

onadietcokebreak - I read on a chart/poster thing in the citizens advice bureau that from april 2009 its £25 thats disregarded, I even asked the advisor if it was correct and she confirmed it.

onadietcokebreak · 21/09/2009 19:01

Thats news to me and I have inside knowledge ...about time it was increased as hasnt been increased for years.

Can definately confirm its still £20 though. Will check if going up from next April.

onadietcokebreak · 21/09/2009 19:05

www.opfs.org.uk/node/207

Pilot of £50 disregard from April 2010 but doesnt say what area trial will be in. Doubt it will be national

twigsblankets · 23/09/2009 11:06

Just as an example of how you might be better off, although you will lose your income support, you will get:
In work credit = £40pw
WTC
CTC
Wages
CB
Child maintenance?
HB?
CTB?
Tbh, I think I would take the job if I were you. It's school hr friendly, there's good prospects for more hrs as time goes on, and it has to be worth just £50 a week extra imho.
£50 a week is virtually all your CTC again. I don't understand why £50 a week isn't tempting enough unless it involves alot of travelling every day.

justme1234 · 15/03/2011 21:08

baby is 5 months old love being with her also have 9 year old which she is a pleasure has well suppose to go back to work in may 16 -20hrs but i feel it wont be worth it with childminer cost finding childminder for a start use of fuel running all over the place feeling guilty job is low pay ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dont know what to do for the best

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 20/03/2011 12:19

Get up, go to work, you will feel better contributing, it will give your kids something to be proud of, you won't be living off the backs of others through choice.... I work 40 hours per week, I have a 6 month old daughter, it kills me to leave her everyday, I couldn't live off the state though, I want my kids to have life choices and respect for working... you can buy your kids a lot with 50 extra a week, do you not think you might get bored at home, most people would kill for the hours you have on offer, as it is you will still get a lot of free handouts...

grumpypants · 20/03/2011 12:24

if you've been offered a job you are able to do, morally you should take it and not weigh up the extra £50 against your spending time at home. It's no wonder working people have a negative thing about benefit claimants - if you don't take this job you are choosing to be funded by the taxpayer.

hairylights · 20/03/2011 18:47

Take the job. Benefits are there to help those who can't work, not as
a choice. Those who can work, should.

This government needs to really sort things out. No one should be better off not working than working!

Flip