16hours to 24

kmt123jh

Thanks all finally resolved

zagfles

What makes you think you'll be better off not working? How much do you earn? Do you rent or have a mortgage?

DaisyFlower

Why cant you get a second job if you cant up your hours. I doubt very much you will be able to simply quit and claim benefits. 24 hours between a couple is not even one person full time. Plenty of people study and work.

A lot of people will now pay the price of working the bare minimum whilst others paid the difference.

pmlindyloo

Another question - sorry! Does your OH receive a grant/loan?

The reason we are asking these questions is because Income Support is means tested and depends on the income coming into the house.

Another possibility is for your OH to find 8 hours of work a week to bring up your joint hours to 24. Or for you to get a second job with 8 hours.

Would either of these be possible? Not ideal I know but might be a sensible compromise until your OH finishes his course.

kingfisherblue

Instead of giving up a secure job, could one of you get another part time job? Maybe evenings or weekend work in a supermarket, bar, or something similar? The 24 hours doesn't need to be from one job.

kmt123jh

Thanks everyone for getting back to me, i have no choice but to give up my job as i will not have any childcare for my 2 daughters while i work as my partner studies, my partner cannot find a part time job he has been looking for almost 2 years and noone seems to be getting back or hes having no luck, its not the fact i want to go on benefits or think i will be better off on benefits its the fact that we are losing money from this new change and it is out of our hands, ive wrote to my head office for extra hours but the company cannot give them as its not only me needing more hours, and has for finding another 8 hours in another job its just impossible there are no jobs out there to even apply for! we are both willing to work and have worked since we left school my partner has gone to college to get a trade behind him to make sure we are secure for the future as the jobs that are about are either not secure or arnt enough hours.ive worked for 4 years, so its not asif we want to scrounge of the tax payers we are willing to work we have just been caught in a trap at the moment. we currently are renting our property. he recieves a student grant every term of around£300. he also has been applying for apprentiships.

Notmyrealname

You will lose working tax credits, not child tax credits. Childcare is paid for on child tax credits so you'd still get it.

You will not be better off on income support. Your partner wouldn't qualify for benefits due to being on a full time course.

FBaby

If your partner is healthy, has dedicated himself to trully finding any kind of part-time job and yet hasn't found anything for 2 years, then clearly he is doing something wrong, either by his CV, his demeanor at interview or what he says.

Surely your partner isn't in college for 12 hours a day, so he could look after your children when you are working. I fail to understand how anyone really determined to work can't manage to find even a few hours after months or even yearsl looking.

ceecee1

If your partner is on a full time course then it may be that you are not entitled to claim income support.

sarahg1969

OP - how long have you been looking for a job with more hours? Since you started doing 16 hours, or since the changes were announced?

One of you must able to find an evening or weekend job offering at least 8 hours a week.

kmt123jh

my partner has looked for 2 years and has had no luck there are redundancys rather than people taking on, my partner has updated his cv he cant apply for the jobs that he cant work, he's full time which includes monday 9-5 weds 9-2 thurs 9-5 fri 10-2 the days he has off are the days i work, we dont claim for childcare, and at this point im not entitled to childcare costs until i find 24 hours which i have been trying to find since i found out about the changes, yes he his healthy and we have both tried our best to find a job for him, its not about his cv or if hes able to woprk its the fact that there are no jobs taking on and no jobs that work around our education and work, we know we are going to be worse off on benefits but is it really our fault? we are willing to work but the changes have been sudden and not explained well. thanks everyone for the advice