Time For A Change

[Skips]

I asked, but it's weekly for everyone including management so no leeway unfortunately.

[Skips]

Unfortunately the world doesn’t do weekly, I’d find it hard to budget monthly with an unknown amount. I hate UC, this is why people end up in food banks and high interest debt.

You're not wrong, the first time we got a really low payment it really threw me as I wasn't expecting it (I was proper temping here before and on weekly pay). Over the course of 12 months it evens out and we get the same amount coming in, but it's hard when it can differ by a couple of hundred month by month.

[Hamm]

That is a shame.

No, life doesn’t work that way. Everything is monthly so 200 down is food/petrol for maybe an entire month then people have to take loans and move the problem on. Doesn’t really matter if you have “good” months if your margins are close. It’s not extra money you can save.

It’s not the same, really, but I used to get paid 4 weekly when my bills were calendar so every month I was a few days light and the fact we got 13 and they timed the “extra” one for Christmas didn’t help.

[Heebie Jeebie]

That's awful you're having to turn down a job because of the stupid universal credit system. I'm so sorry. Congratulations on getting offered it though.

[Rosa]

Well done on the job offer, Skips. What a shame there's no flexibility.

[Squirrel]

What a shame. Bloody UC, what a bunch of absolute arse.

[Skips]

I should have asked earlier in the process, I actually pulled out of another job interview for similar reasons (and can absolutely see why people are getting more and more into financial trouble).

[Kenickie]

It's a really shit system. You'd think that loads of people on UC would be getting paid weekly so they'd be able to come up with a better way of dealing with it.

[Hamm]

This might be ridiculous, I do not know the rules. But would you better off or not much worse off, going to college/Uni and studying for something with a solid career path for gain/personal satisfaction further down the road?

[Hamm]

It's a really shit system. You'd think that loads of people on UC would be getting paid weekly so they'd be able to come up with a better way of dealing with it.

And this. Absolutely. Particularly with zero hour contracts.They are creating a world where you are actually more financially stable not working at all which is ridiculous.

[Skips]

I read somewhere that unemployment is lower but poverty higher and I can easily see why. We are very privileged compared to some (and for that I am very grateful), and we did manage on weekly pay for just shy of a year, but it's really hard work (and why I don't want to go back to it).

[Skips]

This might be ridiculous, I do not know the rules. But would you better off or not much worse off, going to college/Uni and studying for something with a solid career path for gain/personal satisfaction further down the road?

It's something I would consider, but I don't know (and would need to look into) what financial assistance I could get to cover the cost of the course. I also don't know how much my age would hinder me (in terms of starting a career path in my 40s).

[Hamm]

I think poverty when people live in a first world country and are employed is just shit. It’s not so far from the Victorian era of kids not going to school, everyone working 14 hours a day and still living in one room with not enough food.

I know communism has never properly worked but you can see why people wanted it.

[Hamm]

This might be ridiculous, I do not know the rules. But would you better off or not much worse off, going to college/Uni and studying for something with a solid career path for gain/personal satisfaction further down the road?

It's something I would consider, but I don't know (and would need to look into) what financial assistance I could get to cover the cost of the course. I also don't know how much my age would hinder me (in terms of starting a career path in my 40s).

Lots of people change careers at this age. Teachers, Nurses, midwives etc. And there are financial incentives for some courses.

[Skips]

It looks like it would need to be self funded and in my own time. I'm not eligible to study and claim UC (and as we are in a relationship J and I have to have a joint claim), I have to be available for work related activities and there is a section on part time study that states unless the course is arranged by my Advisor you can be asked to leave to be available for work related activities. I wouldn't get offered a course through my advisor unless I wasn't working and as I have a full time job currently I don't think they would look kindly on me just walking away (I'm also not sure what type of courses they offer).

[Hamm]

So, they'd take the money if you got it and apply it over and above work but if you didn't work you'd get no help at all?

I have no idea how they think that's a system that helps people.

[Skips]

The systems helps people while they are looking for work or if they are unable to work (such as J), but the incentive is to get a job, not to get a career.

ETA: this is what I have to adhere to for UC as I'm in Group 4. All work-related requirements

The expectation is that when in work people in this group will earn at least the equivalent of 35 hours at National Minimum/Living Wage. This is known as the 'individual earnings threshold'. So if you earn the minimum wage then you will be expected to work for at least 35 hours a week. But note that if you earn above minimum wage you could be lifted above your earnings threshold but work less than 35 hours - the threshold is measured in terms of earnings not hours.

So I could get a really well paid part time job and study, but I'd have to pay for my course(s).

[Beena]

I'm considering retraining Skips and I'm fast approaching my 50s. You still have 20+ years to work, think of it that way.

I work with trainee nurses and historically, a fair proportion were mature students - certainly into their late 40s. This did change when the bursary disappeared, most have younger families and now can't afford to study. The options open to them are either work bank shifts around their studies/placements (and be permanently exhausted) or take a different route. There is a form of apprenticeship programme, where the students are current NHS employees in non-clinical roles, but are being trained up as nurse associates on day release. They will need a top up to qualify as registered nurses, but that's one year as opposed to 3.

Completely changing the subject, I have an interview off the back of my wittering last minute application. I need to have a big think. It'll cost £100 in flights and means J will need to skip out of the office to get me. The job pays fractionally more full time than I earn part-time and it's a fixed term post. But it will be a foot in the door and I suspect my hesitation might have more to do with not being interviewed in 5 years than anything else.

[Skips]

Beena, I think you should go for it. As you said, it's a foot in the door and it would (potentially) be one less thing to worry about when you move down there.

[Beena]

Sorry Skips, cross posted. I think what I was trying to get at is there are a growing number of back doors into retraining. If there was something you were interested in, it might be worth making enquiries.