Are you a single mum who is thinking about returning to work?
From February 2010, lone parents (single parents) whose youngest child is 11 years old or more, will no longer be able to claim Income Support - they will have the financial support of Jobseeker’s Allowance alongside training opportunities, job application advice and other benefits and grants to help them return to work. Lone parents with children aged less than 10 years will also be able to access this same support, should they wish.
In October 2010, this will change and finally mean that if your youngest child is seven years of age, you will no longer be able to claim Income Support, but will have to claim Job Seeker’s Allowance. While receiving Job Seeker's Allowance, you will need to be looking for work, or training in preparation for your return to work.
Currently, three in five lone parents are back to work by the time their child reaches 10 years of age, so the purpose of the new system aims to support more parents in their return to work.
Jane Bull, a lone parent adviser at Jobcentre Plus says: “At first, getting a job can feel daunting for many of the single mums and dads I see. Having devoted time to caring for young children, many worry about gaps on their CV or about who would look after the kids if they’re at work. Together we address their concerns and make sure that support continues even when they get a job.”
Help to make a fresh start
The thought of applying for a job can seem difficult when you’ve been out of work for a long time. However, there is help available - advisers at Jobcentre Plus can help you to write a CV, get interview practice and finding training opportunities.
If you are worried about how you will cope juggling your children when you return to work, lone parent advisers can arrange a work trial for you lasting up to 30 days so you can try it out. You’ll still get your benefits during the work trial, so it’s a risk-free way of testing the water. And the work trial could even lead to a permanent job.
There is still a big demand for people to work in education, care and health – which traditionally offer flexible working, so you can choose to still be around when your child finishes school.
After-school clubs and child-minding
While older children are likely to be at school for most of the day, finding someone to look after them if work or training extends outside the school day or into the holidays can be a concern.
Jobcentre Plus can tell people what help is available locally and recommend childcare that is approved by national regulator, Ofsted. Options range from school breakfast clubs and holiday play schemes, childminders or a work or college crèche for younger children.
Don’t let the cost of childcare put you off returning to work either. Job Centre Plus can pay for the cost of childcare for the few days leading up to you starting a job - up to £35 per day for one child and £60 per day for two children. After that, lone parents, working more than 16 hours a week, could get child tax credits to the value of up to 80% of the cost of childcare for their first year in work - as much as £175 a week for one child or £300 for two or more children.
You can also join the childcare voucher scheme at work if your employer has joined it – this can save you up to £1,400 a year on your childcare costs.
If your children are school age, you may also be able to get free school dinners, if your income is below £16,000 a year.
Money matters
Even taking into account the cost of childcare, going back to work leaves most lone parents with extra cash to treat themselves and their family. You can actually get this calculated at your local Jobcentre Plus so you can see just how much better off you will be in work before you start working.
Another boost you’ll get as a single parent are with the In Work Credit. If you are a single parent and have been on benefits for a year or more before starting to work 16 hours or more each week, you could get up to £40 a week (or £60 in London) for up to a year and a one off tax-free Job Grant of £250 when you start your new jobs. Parents whose income is less than £58,000 per year can get tax credit of an average of £61.26 per week (depending on individual circumstances).
So whichever way you look at it, being in work is bound to be the best option – it will give you a financial and confidence boost, which will only have a positive effect on your home life. And once you return to work work, when you apply those natural skills you have developed as a mother (organisation, project management to name a few) that you didn’t even think twice about doing, you are bound to get a promotion – and more money…
For further information on the support that is available from Jobcentre Plus for single parents, visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk.
Having worked with this client group under the umbrella of government funding, this is a useful article as there are many myths around lone parents going back to work, and what’s on offer.
To add to this and by experience I would urge everyone to apply some thought or get some career direction guidance, long before the time comes to enter the employment and job search stage. Ie in the case of the lone parent child age 11yr years rule. Start your career planning well before hand, even think about some training, there is plenty of help towards learning.
This goes for anyone in any circumstances even people in work, don’t be unhappy, get in the driving seat and get some control, rather than the system driving you