sweetsammi

Had a job interview this morn at a family centre for a casual play worker job and i got it!

Don't know whether to take it though..i want it! BUT...

1. Its only casual so i will work as and when required, sometimes only 2.5 hours a week...how do i live off that, it doesnt seem worth it! But at the same time i can only work a few hours anyway cus of childcare..basically i can only work during the times Ewan is not.

2. I'm gettin £112 a week at the minute from maternity allowance...if i start work..even if its just 2.5 hours, i'll lose MA! However, this will stop in june anyway, then i'll have nothing!

So dunno what to do, dont seem worth doin really especially when i could carry on not workin and gettin paid till june..but at the same time even if i only work a couple of hours it gets me out the house, gains me some experience and even some more qualifications! I cant aford childcare and wouldnt want anyone else to look after Oliver yet to be honest anyway so i have no choice but to work only a few hours..but then how the hell do we pay the bills on just a few hours work? Also Ewan works shifts so i cant even gaurentee Ewans gonna be off working the oppasite shift to me on the days they need me.

What would you guys do? x

elles28

I think it would be good to do it because it will give you experience & look good on your CV as well as getting you out of the house for a couple of hours but on the down side the MA is quite a bit of money to be down every weeks with working so little hours not much help sorry!!

But well done on getting the job!!

lauren-kate

Heeey
If it helps, I went through similar stuff in my head before I went back to work.
With your maternity allowance you can work 10 days without losing any of your maternity allowance.. so you could do 10 of the 2.5 hour shifts whilst still being on MA. After that, if you're working less than 16 hours (looks like you would be), then you can claim income support I think. You'd get working tax credits if you worked more than 16 hours. Does that help (or even make sense lol)? x

sweetsammi

Hey Lauren yeah i forgot about that! Thats helpful cus at least it gives me time to decide if i like the job and that without losin any money You know how it says u can work 10days..what would they classify as a 'day' though? As in will they classify 2.5 hour shift as a full working day, even though it really isnt as such? If that makes any sence! lol Also i read that the 10 days you're allowed to work are 'keepin in touch days' but they apply if you're still with the same employer..what about a new employer?

I have just applied for child tax creds and Ewan has applied for working tax creds. We're entitled to about £80 a week in total etimated. Can't get income support, just rang them

I guess if we do get £80 a week then i wouldnt be too far behind the £112 i'm gettin at the minute..arrrgh confusion! My head hurts lol x

lauren-kate

Any time you work counts as a 'day', so you could work for say, half an hour even, and that would still count as a day. I'm technically with a different employer.. kind of.. :S Well I was working for Dolcis under a different company to what it is now.. and I had quit so that technically I was unemployed - so I guess it's LIKE I have a new job. Wow, that's complicated, but hope you see what I mean. But hmm yeah, I'd have thought it would be ok, but maybe they'll tell you if you call, although the woman I called didn't seem to know what I was on about and got me to call a different number (0845 6088506 - then press the number for 'incapacity benefit - change in circumstances'). x