Would I be better off reducing my working hours and claiming benefits??

OrkneyStar

bambammy wrote: »

Again it comes back to the benefits system. I've been offered jobs working full time. I would be additional £20 a week better off and my children would never got to see their mother.

Apart from the effect on the children, the £40 a week better off, working full time does not help the public purse in the long term. Children need their parents at home regardless of age in my opinion.

Child minders, babysitters alike, are not as stern as a parent would be. Be that a toddler or a teenager.

I think working mums (full or part time) can be as good a parent as a non working mum- my criticism is not of mothers who choose to work, or need to work, but rather of a society which tells a mother she must work. It places too much value on money and work as being the centre of everything, which we all know is not the case. Of course 'milking' the system is wrong, but I would rather more time was spent of catching benefit fraudsters (eg claiming you are disabled when you are not), than telling mothers they must work! Again it is a case of budgetting, and if a mother really does not want to work, then sacrifices can be made in order for her to stay at home more (perhaps not all the time in every case, but to at least reduce her hours). Of course if a mother feels that the whole family benefit from her working, then that is her/their choice! I just felt the need to speak up earlier as so many people were jumping to tell the OP's wife to work. He mentions she is on maternity pay, so clearly has at least one young child who will benefit from having her around, to interact with, to take places (eg Mum and Baby classes, swimming etc).
Anyway, I am digressing again, sorry OP and board guides! :o:o:o

alwaysonthego_2

Board guide comment

I am going to close this thread as it has turned into a discussion on benefits policy.

To the op go to the CAB for a better off calculation and seriously consider, as ONW suggested, whether it is worth risking a secured tenancy for a shorthold tenacy with no security.