Well, i got offered a job yesterday!! After weeks of applying and getting nowhere i was invited for an interview as a care worker in the community yesterday and got offered it on the spot
It's 16 hours a week.

Then, this morning I have just been invited for an interview as a healthcare assistant at my local hopsital. This would be perfect for me and for getting into university, except it's full time: 37.5 hrs a week.

Now i've always heard people saying they couldn't afford to go back to work full time cause they don't get help with child care or anything. Does anyone know if this is true?

I'd hate not to be able to take the better job because i'd be better off working less hours!

It will be based on loads of things, do u live with a partner?
Are u in a rented accommodation? Or council or own house?
Will u have childcare covered buy family or would have to go to nursery.

If LO went into nursery i would get childcare vouchers which isnt too much.

Char

No i live alone and rent my house.
Alfie would have to go to nursery which is where i think it may get tricky?

it would also depend on your wage, at the moment do you get housing benefit etc? obviously that would probably go down or stop as would all the other associated ones, but youd probably get childcare element of working tax credits, and working tax credits, and child tax credits, i work part time and now im single ill be getting loads more than when i was a couple, it could be worth ringing up tax credits and just say that you don't want to change anything for definate because youv been offered 2 jobs and are trying to work out which one to take, ask if they could do you an estimate, they are usually quite helpfull! another thing, is if you do have to make up any amount of childcare from your wages, most employers offer childcare vouchers, which means they take some of your wages ( i think you decide the amount) and give you it in childcare vouchers, and then you dont have to pay tax on that amount.

At the moment i do get housing benefit yeah, i know it would definitly go down but could it stop all together?

The wage says between 13000 - 17000 so i assume i should get some help cos that's not exactly a great wage is it?

I know i'll be fine in the 16 hours one and end up £120 a month better off, i just hope i'm not losing anything working full time.

it probably wouldnt stop altogether, have you been on entitledto? search it on google, its a calculator to show what benefits etc you are entitled to, do it as if your working and dont get any bebefits, and itl tell you if you are entitled to any. x

I did that entitled to earlier, and that told me i'd be loaded lol! So i knew it wasn't right, i tried the one on direct gov and that said i'd get like £2 a week housing benefit but i'd get about £150 a week from WCT/CTC? Hmm it's soo confusing!

Just booked an appointment for a work focused interview at job centre so they'll be able to give me exactly what i'd get in each job

Brilliant hun, in B'ham if you work full time you have to pay most if not all of rent. They shaft u if u work full time unfortunately.

Char