Why do single parents get financially punished if we are trying to go back to work?

Question

I want to get back to work. I have two children,2 and 5. Unfortunatley i am on my own. I have been surviving on benifits which have been a great help. I get advise and am supported by the government. So why is it i will have to loose money if i choose to go back to work. Where is the insentive for single parents to go back to work?. I will have to pay for child care and thats just the tip of the iceburg...So i'm paying to be away from my kids all day and loosing money in the process. Surley their has to be a way around this. I want to get back to work.

Answer 1

its tru, very tru.
just be strong u will do it,

Answer 2

Hiya, I'm in the same position although mine are 6 and 9. I have worked for the last 3 1/2 years. It is hard and I do wonder if I actually am better off! It certainly doesn't seem so. However working has many other benefits i.e mentally, socially etc and what made my mind up for me was that although I could have waited until my youngest was at school by starting earlier I am that much further on in my career. I only work part time as it's too exhausting to work full time and run the home on my own. And it means I get more time with the kids. I'll do this until the kids are a bit older and more independent. If your in the UK your Jobcentre will be able to advise you on what your entitled to and how much better off you could be. Best wishes whatever you decide to do x

Answer 3

I'm a lone parent with 2 boys aged 6 and 9. I have been on my own and working since my youngest was 2 , so had to pay nursery fees and after school for the boys.

There is help out there, you claim tax credits and dependant on how much you earn you can claim upto 70% of the child care fees back (soon to be 80%)

You would also get childrens tax credits and if you were earning less than £14,600 per annum and working 16 hours or more per week you would get working tax credits.

before you take a job call into the job centre and get them to do an inwork benefit calculation. You could still get housing and council tax benefits if you are on a low wage.

In effect you would have your wage, children tax credits and childcare credits, working tax credits and your child benefit.

There is also a website you might want to check out :

www.entitledto.com


During the school holidays you will be able to claim for full day care for your children through tax credits. But you must use a registered childcare provider.

good luck

Answer 4

The incentive should be self respect which this country seems to be sadly lacking.
You can apply for 70% help with childcare costs when you go back to work.
If you got a part time job during school hours, you would only need to pay childcare costs for your 2 year old.
You would get working tax credits, child tax credits and child benefit.
Isnt that enough help off the government?
I wonder what you would do if there was no welfare state?

Answer 5

I,m a single parent and have worked but found that i was no better off. The job centre say we should be £50 better off through getting ourselves a job how? I,ve never being now i do voluntary work to gain experience and to show a willingness to work on my c.v and i am going back to colleage to further educate myself, so that when my youngest is older I can get full time employment and then not be reliant on the system at all.

Answer 6

Well, I was a single parent for 15 years of a boy and a girl...I was expected to work and received no assistance from the mother...why, because as a man I was expected to work...I did and I survived...both reached adulthood as amazing adults, no real scars, and experienced as much if not more than most of their friends..it was difficult, but I consider it one of the most amazing achievements of my life...my son is still in university and is a political genius and my daughter just graduated as a high school teacher from one of the best universities in the world...so, what I am saying is go back to work and develop a support system, it is out there, and give them all the attention you can....it is worth it.

Answer 7

If you take all the benefits you are entitled to you do not lose out financially. You get up to 70% of child care paid for, child tax credit, working tax credit. You may not be much better off, but you will have a little more money. You will also be no worse off if you decide to get some more qualifications now.

Answer 8

i advise you to do what i'm doing. wait. wait untill the youngest is in full time education and then go out and work. the childcare will be less, except holidays obviously, but you will get 80% paid for you, in the mean time, start a college course or something, to keep your mind fresh, most colleges have free childcare if your studying and a lone parent, there is no incentive to work i do agree but you do to set an example to your children that you pay your way and if you want something you earn it.

Answer 9

u should be able to claim money for childcare have u got a single parent adviser if not call into jobcentre and ask to see one

Answer 10

Make the guideline and continuously remind all and sundry that when you're abode, you're "in can charge" and cope with the childcare. once you're out, whomever is calling at him makes the regulations. this way you have the authority once you're abode and that they nevertheless have the prospect to break him a splash. it is common for infants to destroy out with stuff whilst they are with their grandparents. you in addition to mght might desire to evaluate a sequence punishment for effortless infractions so as that when you're abode, yet he does something that demands interest in front of the grandparents, they don't might desire to circulate get you to punish him....that could undermine their authority as much as them overriding you does to yours. sturdy success.

Answer 11

In short. Minimum wage too low, government pro employee law too weak and provision of childcare not good enough.