Am I better off not working?

bestpud

I can see you need the 'space' and I know where you are coming from as that is how I felt when me and my husband split in February.

I have to say it has taken me five months but I am finally seeing the light.

I think I needed the time out of work initially but I soon became bored and was making myself feel lower by having too much time to think, so I had to get involved with other things and pick up some hours at work again tbh.

It sounds like uni will be good for you so I'd say go for it personally. How about looking into an access course first?

MortgageMamma

Yes - I've definitely worked out my figures right - I've spent the last 6 years doing income and expenditure analysis for clients so I'm ok with that.

I think an access course might be the way - don't think I have a choice to be honest. There is an open evening at the local college next Thursday so I'll pop along to that and see what the score is. I'm sure I'll be feeling well enough by September to take the plunge. Just got to put the wheels in motion now....

MortgageMamma

regarding job seekers allowance - what happens with that if you voluntarily leave work?

Fran

MortgageMamma wrote: »

Thanks. Art and Design. I'd really like to be able to teach children art etc.....I just seems like I have a mountain to climb if I'm to qualify

Attending a college course would be a lot less stressful (for you) than the job you are doing now which you have said is high stress.

I would definitely take the doctor's advice re time off as you have a lot on your plate to deal with. Re Prozac, if doctor has prescribed it then see if it improves how you feel but if you don't like it go back to them as there are alternatives. Prozac info sounds scary to me, presumably all this discussed with doctor?

I think you get sanctioned if you voluntarily leave work, up to 6 months. However you could stay off sick until you feel better. If you just leave work you will lose any Working Tax Credit you get. People are normally better off in work than on benefits, if on WTC any maintenance is not taken into account too.

bestpud

MortgageMamma wrote: »

regarding job seekers allowance - what happens with that if you voluntarily leave work?

You can claim income support as a lone parent so none of that will apply.

Access courses are great btw!

Good luck with the open evening.

Fran

bestpud wrote: »

You can claim income support as a lone parent so none of that will apply.

Yes, ignore that part of my post as kids young enough.

Oldernotwiser

MortgageMamma wrote: »

Not a career woman I just want to be doing what I love! kids and art,

I dont know - I dont have any A levels but I took some financial qualifications - I have my financial planning certificate and my certificate in mortgage advice and practice and thats about it. Hopefully my age and experience (33) will get me a place on whatever course I choose to do as its been over 15 years since I did academic study...

You'd need to be looking at doing an Arts Foundation course (1 year) followed by a degree and teaching qualification. You'll also need GCSE English and Maths, or equivalent. You'd normally get on the foundation course by showing aptitude with a portfolio of art work.

It's interesting that you don't consider teaching as a career although you think that selling mortgages is - I'd put it the other way round myself.

Edit: You do get Art Access courses but they're not common because of the existing foundation course route. Access courses are normally for more academic subjects.

SuziQ

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You can do this if you're a lone parent on IS but you need to remember that you'll have to come off IS and go onto JSA when your youngest child is 8 and studying then becomes more difficult as you have to be available for work. If this is something you really want to do, now would be a good time to do it.

What are you thinking of doing at college?

This doesn't kick in until nect October though so she would have a years grace.

MortgageMamma

Thank you so much - you have all been great and really kind - I was kind of expecting the "get back to work you lazy cop out" approach from a lot.

Ok, so, I have to leave work, claim income support, enrol on the arts foundation course, do that and possibly one or two other things, and then I can do a degree AND a teaching qualification - or are they one and the same? Do you get child care allowances if you go to college?

Re teaching/mortgages/career - I just hate the word career - its such a self centred word and thats just not me. I would consider teaching a great satisfying job and I'd be doing something I loved - Mortgage advice isnt as simple as it sounds its damn hard work, a lot of liability and not very much rewards in return. But it can be personally rewarding. I could never go back to it though - my whole mentality has changed. Life's too short to be miserable and I've just wasted 8 years.

Oldernotwiser

SuziQ wrote: »

This doesn't kick in until nect October though so she would have a years grace.

Not if she's planning on studying for the next 4 years she won't!