After more than 16 years bringing up her children, an unemployed grandmother from Penkridge, Staffordshire, says getting a job has given her family a better quality of life.
A lone parent, 52-year-old Christine Dawson has brought up her three daughters and one son, including a long period of caring for Louise who had leukaemia. Christine’s fundraising for leukaemia research has included marathon sponsored bike rides.
Christine was keen to find work but felt that lack of confidence was holding her back. Through Stafford jobcentre, she joined New Deal for Lone Parents, which offers one-to-one support and advice.
Working with her New Deal personal adviser, Jane Young, Christine was able to overcome her barriers, by identifying the type of work she could do and looking at how to promote her transferable skills in job applications.
“My greatest fear was changing over from benefits to a wage,” said Christine. “With Jane’s support, always being there to talk to and help me sort things out, I got through. I am so grateful to her.”
Jane helped Christine sort her finances through a Better Off Calculation, which showed that she would be much better off in work. She arranged her 50 Plus Working Tax Credit, a Job Grant, and an In Work Credit. Christine was also pleased to learn that her housing benefit would continue for her first four weeks of work, to help ease the transition.
Christine is now a housekeeper at the Littleton Arms Hotel in Penkridge, working 25 hours a week.
Her employer Tony Later said: “Christine is an excellent worker. It’s great that she’s so flexible on hours and shift patterns, in fact I have to force her to have a day off!”
“Working has made me feel like a real parent,” said Christine. “By saving I have bought a pushchair for my new grandchild and have been able to give my youngest pocket money.”
“It’s not just the money,” she added, “it’s the self-esteem and the social interaction with other adults. The job has given me a new lease of life.”
Christine’s daughter Sophie, aged 15, agreed: “Since my mum’s been working, she’s more confident because she’s mixing with different people every day. For me the greatest change is that I can do the same things as my friends. I didn’t like to ask for pocket money before, as I knew Mum would have given it to me if she could have. Now it makes her happy seeing me enjoy myself.”
Specialist Lone Parent advisers at Jobcentre Plus can help lone parents overcome barriers to work; discuss their situation and goals, help them work out what works best for them and their children and look at in work benefits.
More information about New Deal for Lone Parents is available by calling 0800 587 4242 (7am to 11pm, seven days a week); textphone 0845 606 0680; or by visiting the local Jobcentre or Jobcentre Plus office; or visit the website http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
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