can you actually afford to have a baby?

[redbear]

its terrible the job center are rubbish they wanted my dh to take a Job at the other side of the country because he had ticked he would be willing to commute... he would a reasonable distance, there are so many people going for the same jobs he always gets letters saying we have had 60/80/100 applicants so cant interview you, its annoying because he would be good at the job. I think they need to somehow create more jobs, maybe try get the factories back in england from china but Christ knows how! xx

 

[AugustMum]

Lisey they are quite useful in all honesty with helping you into work once you've got a job. When I eventually get a job I'll get a £250 one off payment and be entitled to in work credit which is £40 a week for a year which doesn't affect any other benefits. They will also continue to give me the same council tax benefit and housing benefit that Im entitled to now for the first month Im working.

So once you've found the work, I think you can't really fault them for helping ease you back to working life and a monthly salary. Its just finding the damn job to start with lol.

 

[tinks77]

i think the jobcentre is terrible for finding you work!

not once has it ever helped me, i have always found jobs off my own back

Some of us are quite good you know! Or at least try our best to be

I have read this thread with interest and I can honestly say I have dealt with first hand both sides of the argument. I have had to pay someone who knew how to work the system and made sure we knew it (that had me fuming for days!) and the wife of a very sick man who because he planned for his future and had a little pension who were seriously struggling and I had to say 'there is nothing else I can do' one of the most heartbreaking phone calls I've had to make

 

[cosmicgirl]

That is awful tinks, and so sad that there was no help for them. I bet he'd worked his whole life. How wrong that there was no help for him x

 

[tinks77]

It really is awful some days but I always think that even if I can't offer any extra support I take great pleasure in reporting any fraud I suspect or find, if the system worked better then the people who need it most would have the extra pennies there to help

Most days are frustrating in more ways than one! If it's not the people playing the system, it's the long term staff that think they deserve more for the job. I'm very lucky, I get flexible working hours, an ok pension (it's not as great as the papers like to make out!) and I have the option of applying for term time only working. I love my job and if I can help someone just once a day that's good enough for me

 

[cosmicgirl]

That's it, maybe you can't help the more deserving people as much as you'd like but it must be satisfying reporting the cheats and fraudsters.
That in itself will be a massive help x

 

[BabysMomma]

My OH got made redundant when I was pregnant and went from a £35k a year job to claiming JSA! Our home was repossessed and we still owe £80k to mortgage lenders ) He's signed off and on since then as he's been doing contract work on and off when the work is available. He's in IT, has about 20 years experience and this is not the first time he's been made redundant within his sector.

He's now starting University next month to earn a degree in computer programming so as he can make himself more attractive to employ if that makes sense as while he has plenty of experience and is damn fantastic at what he does, he's getting overlooked by younger candidates who have degrees (he's 44). Yes he's a late starter and we will have to take help from benefits for a while but we know we'll be better off in the long run.

While I was on maternity from work I did a diploma in health and social care to better my employability, I also volunteer once a week with an organisation for adults with learning disability which is one day at the weekend because I enjoy it but also to be able to add it to my CV.

I got a new job as an auxiliary nurse in May this year, my dream job, and I could cry because I had to leave as I just couldn't make ends meet By the time I paid out childcare and petrol expenses (I needed a car to get LO to crèche as there is no crèche near me) I was out more than I was earning I have no family support to help out with childcare. I tried my OHs family and they did it for 2 weeks for me while I worked but they couldn't do it anymore than that. And unfortunately it just so happened that my OH had booked in contract work for the months I started working and now he's starting uni next month.

MY OH got taxed heavily while working and he's made to feel like a loser each time he signs on while the other long term claimants younger than him and who don't have any desire to work get away with it because the people who work at the dole counters are afraid to say anything to them or challenge them because they're mouthy! But my OH gets a lecture each time! He was even told that going through agencies for work doesn't class as him actively seeking work! Like wtf!?!

He's been turned down for other jobs such as retail just as much as jobs in the IT sector. So instead of flogging a dead horse and staying on JSA he's staying positive, getting himself out there, getting a degree and hoping that along the way he can get a part time job somewhere as JSA will stop as soon as he's a student as far as I'm aware.

Rather than get tax credits I'd rather the money get put towards a free crèche for working parents and then those of us who find themselves in these unexpected circumstances can work and continue contributing.

Both my OH and I have paid our fair share of taxes for years. We just need a little help in the interim of getting ourselves to the point of doing so again. And we will. Once I know what my OHs timetable is for Uni I'll be looking at jobs again to work around it so as I don't have to pay out loads on childcare.

I don't want to be on benefits. I hate the stigma attached to it. Every single person around me where I now live (had to move to a council estate after our home was repossessed) are longtime claimants and I won't end up like that.

Unfortunately I'll never be in the position of owning my own home again but that's life. It's a stop gap for us. I wanted another baby close in age to my LO because it took me 10 years to conceive with her. I know some may not agree with what im about to post and I'm ok with that because its my life and I know I have a plan, but if I have another baby while we're in the situation we are in then its not the worst that could happen as we'll make it work and we won't be on benefits forever. At the moment my kiddies want for nothing as I budget within my means at the moment.

Even if it involves me working evenings then so be it. We'll work around it. There's no point me taking on a job on at the moment while I can't commit to the hours until I know what OHs Uni timetable is if that makes sense.

I didn't get offended by anything that was mentioned in this thread at all because it's aimed at people who don't have any desire to work but have baby after baby relying on the benefits system to "keep them". Geez I'm surrounded by them unfortunately.

There are individual cases and I don't feel that anyone on this thread is disputing that.

 

[tinks77]

Now going to watch the dispatches program, can see I'm going to get angry with how 'us' doing the job will look

 

[BabysMomma]

And the whole helping you back into work with job grant etc...I was refused that...why? Because I wasn't on benefits long enough! After my maternity ended I was on income support for 8 weeks before I got the start date for the auxiliary nurse job I mentioned in above post and they told me there was no help available to me as I had to be on benefits for 26 weeks which is like 6 months!

And I received letters for rent arrears even though I contacted housing to say that I'd started working and was going to be paid monthly and that I would pay them as soon as I was paid! I had no help at all. I even walked home from work for the 2 weeks my OHs family minded our LO to save money and that was an hours walk each night after having worked a 12 hour shift!

 

[cosmicgirl]

My OH got made redundant when I was pregnant and went from a £35k a year job to claiming JSA! Our home was repossessed and we still owe £80k to mortgage lenders ) He's signed off and on since then as he's been doing contract work on and off when the work is available. He's in IT, has about 20 years experience and this is not the first time he's been made redundant within his sector.

He's now starting University next month to earn a degree in computer programming so as he can make himself more attractive to employ if that makes sense as while he has plenty of experience and is damn fantastic at what he does, he's getting overlooked by younger candidates who have degrees (he's 44). Yes he's a late starter and we will have to take help from benefits for a while but we know we'll be better off in the long run.

While I was on maternity from work I did a diploma in health and social care to better my employability, I also volunteer once a week with an organisation for adults with learning disability which is one day at the weekend because I enjoy it but also to be able to add it to my CV.

I got a new job as an auxiliary nurse in May this year, my dream job, and I could cry because I had to leave as I just couldn't make ends meet By the time I paid out childcare and petrol expenses (I needed a car to get LO to crèche as there is no crèche near me) I was out more than I was earning I have no family support to help out with childcare. I tried my OHs family and they did it for 2 weeks for me while I worked but they couldn't do it anymore than that. And unfortunately it just so happened that my OH had booked in contract work for the months I started working and now he's starting uni next month.

MY OH got taxed heavily while working and he's made to feel like a loser each time he signs on while the other long term claimants younger than him and who don't have any desire to work get away with it because the people who work at the dole counters are afraid to say anything to them or challenge them because they're mouthy! But my OH gets a lecture each time! He was even told that going through agencies for work doesn't class as him actively seeking work! Like wtf!?!

He's been turned down for other jobs such as retail just as much as jobs in the IT sector. So instead of flogging a dead horse and staying on JSA he's staying positive, getting himself out there, getting a degree and hoping that along the way he can get a part time job somewhere as JSA will stop as soon as he's a student as far as I'm aware.

Rather than get tax credits I'd rather the money get put towards a free crèche for working parents and then those of us who find themselves in these unexpected circumstances can work and continue contributing.

Both my OH and I have paid our fair share of taxes for years. We just need a little help in the interim of getting ourselves to the point of doing so again. And we will. Once I know what my OHs timetable is for Uni I'll be looking at jobs again to work around it so as I don't have to pay out loads on childcare.

I don't want to be on benefits. I hate the stigma attached to it. Every single person around me where I now live (had to move to a council estate after our home was repossessed) are longtime claimants and I won't end up like that.

Unfortunately I'll never be in the position of owning my own home again but that's life. It's a stop gap for us. I wanted another baby close in age to my LO because it took me 10 years to conceive with her. I know some may not agree with what im about to post and I'm ok with that because its my life and I know I have a plan, but if I have another baby while we're in the situation we are in then its not the worst that could happen as we'll make it work and we won't be on benefits forever. At the moment my kiddies want for nothing as I budget within my means at the moment.

Even if it involves me working evenings then so be it. We'll work around it. There's no point me taking on a job on at the moment while I can't commit to the hours until I know what OHs Uni timetable is if that makes sense.

I didn't get offended by anything that was mentioned in this thread at all because it's aimed at people who don't have any desire to work but have baby after baby relying on the benefits system to "keep them". Geez I'm surrounded by them unfortunately.

There are individual cases and I don't feel that anyone on this thread is disputing that.

Such a difficult situation you have found yourself in, it could so easily happen to any of us
You and your oh are a credit to each other, you really are.
I wish you both all the luck in the world, I really admire people like yourselves who get knocked down and do everything in their power to get back up again xx

 

[BabysMomma]

Thanks hun.

I'm still smarting about the repossession on our house tbh. We got into £3k worth of arrears and it went to solicitors etc. We even had meetings with the building society's representatives who were no help. When we were in the position to start paying again we went to them and offered to pay £100 a month on top of our original monthly repayment so that we could pay off the arrears along the way and they point blank refused! They wanted the £3k upfront and there was no way we could get that amount together after the redundancy etc. We just needed time which they refused to give us.

Ah well, onwards and upwards eh xx

 

[redbear]

the program just on was interesting. think they pointed out need for improvement there. staff i met there where rubbish i had to tell one woman that she was out of date for the pregnancy grant etc xx

 

[cosmicgirl]

Thanks hun.

I'm still smarting about the repossession on our house tbh. We got into £3k worth of arrears and it went to solicitors etc. We even had meetings with the building society's representatives who were no help. When we were in the position to start paying again we went to them and offered to pay £100 a month on top of our original monthly repayment so that we could pay off the arrears along the way and they point blank refused! They wanted the £3k upfront and there was no way we could get that amount together after the redundancy etc. We just needed time which they refused to give us.

Ah well, onwards and upwards eh xx

Definitely, it would be so easy to let the bitterness take you over but you sound like you have an amazing attitude xx

 

[LoopyLouize]

I thought they actually had to apply for jobs and go to interviews regularly x

I think they do but the job center dont check, my mum gets them handed into her office all the time people will put things like 'have a bad back' so they wont get a job!xx

Hmmm, lots of people have a 'bad back' don't they
It's so good when you see them in the paper and they've claimed thousands over the years saying they can barely walk then there's a photo of them playing a round of golf or breakdancing! x

Yup! Very true! OH see's this on a daily basis! He is a private detective and catches out these type of fraudsters every day! Sends of the film footage he has captured and wham bam thank you mam, they get taken straight to court!
X

 

[cosmicgirl]

I thought they actually had to apply for jobs and go to interviews regularly x

I think they do but the job center dont check, my mum gets them handed into her office all the time people will put things like 'have a bad back' so they wont get a job!xx

Hmmm, lots of people have a 'bad back' don't they
It's so good when you see them in the paper and they've claimed thousands over the years saying they can barely walk then there's a photo of them playing a round of golf or breakdancing! x

Yup! Very true! OH see's this on a daily basis! He is a private detective and catches out these type of fraudsters every day! Sends of the film footage he has captured and wham bam thank you mam, they get taken straight to court!
X

Excellent!!!! What a cool job too, wow! I'd love that job!!! xxx

 

[Princess81]

I thought they actually had to apply for jobs and go to interviews regularly x

I think they do but the job center dont check, my mum gets them handed into her office all the time people will put things like 'have a bad back' so they wont get a job!xx

Hmmm, lots of people have a 'bad back' don't they
It's so good when you see them in the paper and they've claimed thousands over the years saying they can barely walk then there's a photo of them playing a round of golf or breakdancing! x

Yup! Very true! OH see's this on a daily basis! He is a private detective and catches out these type of fraudsters every day! Sends of the film footage he has captured and wham bam thank you mam, they get taken straight to court!
X

Some of o/h's mates do this job, they get to go all over the world to spy on people bungee jumping or back flipping into swimming pools when they are too "ill" to work

 

[LoopyLouize]

I thought they actually had to apply for jobs and go to interviews regularly x

I think they do but the job center dont check, my mum gets them handed into her office all the time people will put things like 'have a bad back' so they wont get a job!xx

Hmmm, lots of people have a 'bad back' don't they
It's so good when you see them in the paper and they've claimed thousands over the years saying they can barely walk then there's a photo of them playing a round of golf or breakdancing! x

Yup! Very true! OH see's this on a daily basis! He is a private detective and catches out these type of fraudsters every day! Sends of the film footage he has captured and wham bam thank you mam, they get taken straight to court!
X

Some of o/h's mates do this job, they get to go all over the world to spy on people bungee jumping or back flipping into swimming pools when they are too "ill" to work

Yeah same as! He got to go to Ibiza once to follow a stag party! Seriously!! I'm stuck in a 9-5 office job whilst he is working in Ibiza!!!! Damn my bloody OH!

He stopped a women being paid out 3million pound by recording her having a quickie when she was allegedly crippled! Gosh he's seen some things!! X

 

[tabbi]

yeah he does good, but not always do he get the people who fraud they get inccent people too like me and my OH

we were told by job centre we could return to college doing part time courses as long as they werent longer than 16 hours with free childcare after 7 weeks we got a call for him to do a back to work interview but on attending were told he was frauding jsa as he was what we didnt know was a full time course.

when meantioned it was 15 hours a week everything given him said part time so how were we frauding. turns out the people that fund the course say because of the work that needs to be put in after college makes it full time...so we had to give up college and any chance of a career.
now we have moved and hes got a better chance. he is due in september to start training and been piad as an eca x x x

 

[LoopyLouize]

yeah he does good, but not always do he get the people who fraud they get inccent people too like me and my OH

we were told by job centre we could return to college doing part time courses as long as they werent longer than 16 hours with free childcare after 7 weeks we got a call for him to do a back to work interview but on attending were told he was frauding jsa as he was what we didnt know was a full time course.

when meantioned it was 15 hours a week everything given him said part time so how were we frauding. turns out the people that fund the course say because of the work that needs to be put in after college makes it full time...so we had to give up college and any chance of a career.
now we have moved and hes got a better chance. he is due in september to start training and been piad as an eca x x x

Think you have misinterpreted what I said my OH does.

He has nothing to do with benefit fraud nor the job centre.

 

[BabysMomma]

Oh my goodness tabbi that's soooo wrong!