To work or not to work......pls help

jet77

Hi,

I have been on the entitled to calculator and found that I would be £50 p/w better off on benefits :mad:

This would be until April next year when I believe that my eldest daughter will stop receiving DLA. From April 07 I will be 50p worse off a week on benefits.

However, I started the best job I've ever had last may :j . It's got good prospects and will stand me in good stead for the future.

After I've been here a year I can apply for a career break of upto 5 years to look after my children (which I would love to do). However that's not until the end of May next year and can I really afford to lose out on the extra £200 + a month I could be receiving if I gave up work now.

Please tell me what you think coz since I did the entitled to calculator I've got no motivation to be at work at all.

Thx,

Luv Jxxx

astonsmummy

why would you want to be on benefits? When you have a good job?
your not loosing £50pw as you dont have it.
I wouldnt give up a good job for the sake of £200pm for 6 or so months, you need to think about the long term, if you gave up your job now, what happens if coe april you cant find another decent job.

tazzababe

Theres no really straight forward answer, and tbh the only you can decide. If I were you I would probably go for the job (thats me though!) I know that it can be dificult to get a job with great prospects, and the chance of something like this coming around again is probably slim. I can understand your predicament though. I hope you are able to make a decision that benefits your family:)

jet77

I am constantly stressed and would love to be able to concentrate on providing my children with a tidy clean home an quality time with their Mum rather than providing my boss with that quality time.

Come April I would not return to work as I would only be 50p worse off a week.

My children are still young and have only just started school. I put them in to a nursery at 3 months so that I could go to work to get a mortgage and have always felt guilty that they missed out because of this.

I would love to be able to make up this time now if poss.

If I took a career break next May then at least I would be able to come back to this post if needed - but then I would miss out for another 7 months and in that 7 months I could get an extra £1400 + in benefits instead of stressing and feeling that I can't cope constantly.

Ames

Better off financially is not better off. I'd love to work as I can go weeks at a time without seeing another human being, but I can't. Also, you might be financially better off now but in a few years when you could have been getting promotions and wage increases you'll be stuck on the same benefits.

Also, unless you're daughter's on middle or higher rate care and therefore giving you an 'excuse' to leave work, the benefits agency might not be prepared to pay you if you just decide to leave work.

Sorry, but life on benefits isn't a bed of roses.

carol9uk

hi, £50 a week is a lot of money , i only work part time as i would be worse of working fulltime and my son is now 12 and get dla. i would wait, is there a chance you could do part time work?

sammyjammy

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you cannot claim out of work benefits whilst you're on a career break from work as you are still employed by the company.

Sam

Scarlett1

jpet77 wrote:

I am constantly stressed and would love to be able to concentrate on providing my children with a tidy clean home an quality time with their Mum rather than providing my boss with that quality time.

Come April I would not return to work as I would only be 50p worse off a week.

My children are still young and have only just started school. I put them in to a nursery at 3 months so that I could go to work to get a mortgage and have always felt guilty that they missed out because of this.

I would love to be able to make up this time now if poss.

If I took a career break next May then at least I would be able to come back to this post if needed - but then I would miss out for another 7 months and in that 7 months I could get an extra £1400 + in benefits instead of stressing and feeling that I can't cope constantly.

how would you pay your mortgage ?

the benefits you receive wont cover this, and if you leave a perfectly good job to claim benefits you can be sanctioned up to 9 months until you get any help with the interest only, and by that time you could lose your house

liney

Benefits are for people on low incomes/have a disability/cannot find employment. You do not appear to be in any of those catagories.

astonsmummy

I your children are at school, can you not cut your hourse to working duri g school hours only?

robindunne1

There is a lot more to work than just the financial perspective.

The self confidence, pride in one self, skills, social interaction and future earning potential need to be factored in.

Work should always be the first option. Only when someone is incapable/unable to work should they rely on the benefits system.