7 comments on “Report shows single parents held back in their careers and trapped in low paid roles”

1. Yes … It is incredibly difficult to manage .
   How does the government expect you to manage on Universal Credit, and working -when they take 63p in every pound earned? Then provide you with less financial support even when you have such a low amount to be expected to manage on.
   Am in private rent – with my 2 who are 18 + 19 . Neither of them work for different reasons.
   my rent alone is £1,200. I have £900 this month to manage on – How can this be justified ?

2. Its about tine this is recognised. I graduated last year which was an amazing achievement alone managing to do it with three young boys, but because of the reasons stated in the report. Now ive graduated i cannot get a job to fit in with the challenges of single parenthood. Childcare, flexibility etc. So many great single parents have great skills too!

3. The cost of childcare is extortionate and makes returning to work incredibly difficult. The government pays 85% of childcare fees, up to a maximum of £646 per month. This is not a sufficient or realistic amount. I was also told that they could only pay £27 per day towards the initial months’ deposit needed to secure a nursery place when I had enquired about a possible job opportunity. £27 per day?! A decent nursery place costs around £60 per day at a minimum! This is over £1000 a month. Single mums do not have this kind of money to hand over up front. We need the government to take a more realistic approach. Speak to more mothers about their barriers getting back to work and put in place policies that are effective and helping us to get back into the workplace and create a better future for our children.

   1. Feeling trapped is so true. I have a degree and i would give anything to be out there working 9-5 even more so as a single parent. But with all after school clubs disappearing and only one childminder serving the whole school its impossible and its miserable! A year one and nothing has changed! I am so sick of hearing cant family help. Since when did every single mother around have family to help! We need a childcare system for all

4. Career Progression isn’t the sole issue here. Single parents regardless of their work status , be that low-skill work or a skilled profession, should be able to live comfortably. The ‘Living Wage’ is laughable – even working full-time hours on the living wage, single parents still are eligible and, more importantly, require additional financial support by way of Universal Credit or the quickly disappearing Tax Credits – the ‘living wage’ simply isn’t enough to live on, nor is it with extra benefits.

5. I completely agree with this. There are so many blocks that prevent single parent households from achieving their full potential in work. I couldn’t agree more with the comments. As a lone mother myself, I face these barriers. I have a nursing qualification that I am not using because of the lack of flexibility. But it’s not just nursing. Most job roles these days require you to work longer days, evenings, nights and weekends. Which is just not feasible when you have children. Not to mention the amount of school holidays you need to work around. I get universal credit and work a part time cleaning job. Whilst I would get 85% of the childcare costs back, I cannot afford the costs up front. I’m stuck in a cycle of not having enough money but not being able to afford the childcare to go out and earn more money. Plus the childcare hours are 8am to 6pm. If I were to go back to nursing I’m required to work 8am to 8pm. So I would need to then pay more money for a child minder to have my child from 7am to 8am and again from 6pm until 8pm. That’s an extremely long day for my child. Who has additional needs too. Not to mention the lack of time with my child. I just wouldn’t see them on the days that I worked. If I were to do nights I’m then having to pay a huge chunk of what I’m earning to someone else to mind my child over night. Holiday clubs are ridiculously expensive. Also I would then be paying full council tax and rent. So I would be no better off and they wonder why some people arent motivated to go back to work. I want to work. The money I get left with on UC isn’t enough to cover the cost of living. But I’m just stuck in a vicious cycle at the moment.

6. This pandemic has just escalated the problems single working parents face. I am unable to find part time work after being made redundant in September. Ive only been able to work full time because of the lockdown and my 17 year old being messed about at college meant he was able to do the school run and babysitting. I work full time 9-5 and earn £10 more a week than my previous job where I worked 25 hours. My living costs have almost doubled (rent and household bills during lockdown) I’ve been served notice from my landlord but can’t find anywhere else due to the rise in rents and my earnings not being double or triple the annual rent (ridiculous) or being in a permanent job. I’m in a temporary role where I feel I’m not reaching my potential, no sick pay and only just qualified for holiday pay (since November due to temping in various roles that fit around the children and the pandemic)Then you have the guilt of having little time, energy or money to spend quality time with your children or to even get time off during holidays. There is not enough flexibility in jobs and very little in the way of part time roles with decent enough pay that don’t require you working evenings or weekends. I personally think full time hours should be shortened to 30 hours and more roles made available. Life’s not just about working 37-40+ hours a week just so you can get by in life there has to be a good balance which I believe in turn results in better quality of life, lower sickness/stress levels and children being able to enjoy the same luxuries and quality of life as those in better financial situations. It feels like single parents get it all thrown at them and more! This needs to change

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