Private job and civil service offer

Darksparkle

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Didn't you raise these concerns at the original interview? I don't know about other areas, but DWP are looking at extending the hours requiring cover, initially covering 8 am to 6 pm and eventually 8 am to 8 pm and Saturdays. Current for many areas is 8 to 5. Flexi working is part of the 'package' in some areas, but that doesn't mean always being able to work the hours you want to work.

I believe all HMRC contracts are now 5 days over 7 8am-8pm. Although again depends on what job you do as to whether they enforce it.

Darksparkle

mimshack01 wrote: »

No I didn't as I was looking at the higher grade and thought I could manage with full time childcare costs.

Can't you afford childcare on an HO wage? What are your circumstances? Perhaps you'd get some assistance through tax credits?

mimshack01

I've got a mortgage and loan outgoings and with full cost of childcare around looks like I could struggle with the pay for a while. Asked bank for lower loan repayment earlier but was refused due to changes in my income. I'll give it a try again but that would be after the contract to show proof of new income though still not as much as before.

Darksparkle

mimshack01 wrote: »

I've got a mortgage and loan outgoings and with full cost of childcare around looks like I could struggle with the pay for a while. Asked bank for lower loan repayment earlier but was refused due to changes in my income. I'll give it a try again but that would be after the contract to show proof of new income though still not as much as before.

Info here on what you could get through tax credits - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-credits-entitlement-tables-working-at-least-16-hours-and-paying-childcare/tax-credits-entitlement-tables-working-at-least-16-hours-and-paying-childcare

Andy_L

mimshack01 wrote: »

Please what you advise? Can I negotiate pay in civil service?

Depends which department it is. Some cannot offer Higher Starting Pay (HSP) and thus you will come in at the bottom, some have discretion to offer it & some require higher level (AIUI up to Ministerial level depending on the amount & job grade) approval to offer it.

In addition most CS departments no longer offer any annual increments up the pay scale so, apart from a 1% cost of living increase, that pay point is where you will be for the foreseeable future

TELLIT01

becominganobsessivesaver wrote: »

It would be unlikely that you will have the same Work life balance pressures placed on you in the CS and there are many people who join and take a pay cut to achieve this. It will depend on which area and department you join. There are some people who have been in public sector for a number of years who don't appreciate that there is still a work life balance, or how difficult it is to achieve in some private sector careers.

As an HEO there probably won't be the same level of work/life balance pressures as somebody on £80k in the private sector, but then that shouldn't be a surprise when earning 50% or less of that figure.
Work / life balance in the area where I worked was good in the early days (mid 2000's) but has deteriorated badly over the last few years. More and more is expected of staff without additional resource to achieve it. The move to the new contracts (8-8 and Saturdays) is just one aspect of that.