| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/04/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 74 |
| Copyright: Other |
Helping mums to get out of home and back to work
A new credit system has opened up possibilities for women. Jane Archer reports
A NEW benefit introduced last October to top up low and middle-income pay is spearheading the Government’s campaign to encourage women with new families back to the workplace.The Working Families’ Tax Credit, which replaced Family Credit, is paid to households, including partners living together and lone parents, whose members work more than 16hrs a week and are responsible for one or more children.
The amount paid varies depending on each families’ circumstances, including earnings as there are deductions for those on more than £90 a week.
Those on full benefit get a basic tax credit of £53.15 per family, with an extra £11.25 payable when one earner works more than 30hrs a week.
There is a further £21.25 payable for each child in the household under 16 and this will rise to £25.60 from June.
Each child between 16 and 18 brings another £26.35 to the household.
Child-care costs are also eased with discounts of up to 70% available to a maximum £100 for one child per week or £150 for two.
At present, those on WFTC are guaranteed a minimum £200 a week, made up of earned income, WFTC and child benefit – currently £15 for the first child.
From April next year, the minimum rises to £214 a week, while the new Children’s Tax Credit, details of which are not yet clear, will be worth up to £442 a year when it becomes available on the same date.
WFTC is paid by the Inland Revenue. Claimants need to fill in an application form and give evidence of earnings and child-care costs. The helpline number is 0800 597 5976.
TUC policy officer Lucy Anderson, who deals with women’s equality rights, said WFTC is better than Family Credit but has misgivings.
“Where there is a couple claiming, it is paid to the man and we disagree with that,” she said. “Also, it is worked out on a family basis so it is often not worthwhile for a woman to go out to work.”
Although it is now widely accepted that many mums want to work, the Institute of Employment Rights is concerned that they are forced to make a choice between a career or a family by companies that will not be flexible over hours.
The other alternative is to job share or find part-time work, as Lisa Royce has done.
A single mum with managerial experience, she persuaded Going Places to let her take the manager’s job at Broadstairs on a four-day-a-week basis. The multiple agreed as long as performance did not suffer.
“If they hadn’t agreed, I would have taken a job as a travel advisor because I do feel the need to get out to work. I need the adult life,” said Royce.
She gets WFTC help to pay for her 15-month-old son’s three days at nursery – the fourth day is spent with his dad – which costs £30 a day.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford it without that,” she said.
While multiples are not flexible on working hours, some do allow job sharing, although Going Places had to be persuaded it could work for those in a managerial role, says Mandy Allen, manager of Going Places Peterborough.
She shares with Jackie Reid, each working one five-day week on, one week off.
Since they showed Going Places it could work, other managerial job shares have been allowed.
“Neither of us wanted to return to work full time so we both were in part-time sales roles but we were not enjoying it as we wanted to use our managerial experience,” said Allen.
“I couldn’t not work. It is important for your self-confidence.”
Jenny Cummings, now full-time manager at St Albans, shared the manager’s position at Thomas Cook branches in London and Welwyn Garden City.
“Thomas Cook was very supportive of the idea and it worked well for me as the managerial position was well paid compared to other jobs mums often have to take,” said Cummings.
“Without the job share, I would have had to give up work. This way, Thomas Cook benefited as it didn’t lose a good manager.”
Back at work: being a mum need not banish you to the home
Home life: job sharing can be the answer