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Single parent relocating to London with a child - advice please

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  • 19-07-2012 6:41pm
    #1
    birdie31
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭


    Hi all. I have been reading the wonderful advice on here about relocating to London. I have recently decided to do the same. I am a single parent to a seven year old child. I work in special needs education as an assistant. I have a lot of experience in this area. I have not read too many threads on here about relocating with a child - it will just be the two of us. I really need advice about transferring him to school, nice areas to live. I won't have a huge salary in London and I know rents are high, especially for two bedroomed apartments. Just any advice would be appreciated. I have savings of approx €18k behind me if needed. Also, is it more difficult to gain employment or even an interview if I give my Irish address on my cv? I hope to gain employment in the same area I'm already working. I know there is a lot of questions here but I want to make a start as I am certain this is what I want.


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    #2
    OS119
    Registered Users Posts: 2,518 ✭✭✭OS119


    the most obvious thing is - do you have to move to London, rather than somewhere vastly cheaper? you'll be hard pushed to live in London on a TA's salary, and the places you'll be able to afford won't be places you'll want to live, and they certainly won't be places you'll want your kid to grow up in.


    look elsewhere - i found this 3 bed house in a reasonable area in Worcester: a small cathedral/university city in the south-west midlands. its £700pcm, and has 4 junior schools within 1km.

    http://http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-23504199.html

    you'll get nothing like that in London...

    the first thing to do is go onto HMRC's website, you can do an anonymous check to see what Working and Child tax credits you'd be entitled to (child benefit is about £80pcm), and then check (for example) Worcester Councils website to see what council tax rebate and Local Housing Allowance you'd be further entitled to.

    there are hundreds of large towns/small cities that offer a far nicer environment to bring up your child than London - please don't think its the only place you can live.


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    #3
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,041 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Hi birdie31, good luck with your planned move :)

    I can't give you much advice specifically about job-hunting, but you can take a look here for some general advice on working as a teacher in the UK (there's also information about the current Special Education Needs programs in the UK elsewhere on that site - search for SEN and you should find it). This section of the Times Educational Suplement is specuficially focused on Special Educational Needs teaching. There's also a thread about Social Care work in London here which may have some relevant advice.

    In terms of having enough savings to move over, I would think so long as you've made a good start on job-hunting, €18K should be plenty. In terms of rents it depends largely on where you live, but from my experience assume that you'll be paying between €1100 and €1500 for a 2-bedroom apartments, with council tax on top of that. Your deposit will typically be 6 weeks rent, with an expectation that you pay a total of 10 weeks rent up front (1 month's rent + 6 weeks for deposit).


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    #4
    ICANN
    Registered Users Posts: 350 ✭✭ICANN


    Hi, if you're looking for work as a special needs assistant look on tes.co.uk for jobs or each education authority has its own education website where jobs are advertised. If you knew what borough you were going living in I could be more specific. Teaching agencies also are grand for getting work on a day- to-day or longer term basis.

    While there are loads of jobs available I will just say that the money for special needs assistant is very low over here.


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    #5
    birdie31
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭birdie31


    Thank you for all replies so farI was thinking southwest London as its the only place I know someone in the whole of london so I just thought it would be a start.I will have a lot more saved by the time I go.All rents definately look around 1250 for two bed..


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    #6
    birdie31
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭birdie31


    I was thinking of twickenham area maybe....


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    #7
    meg3178
    Registered Users Posts: 273 ✭✭meg3178


    If you are thinking of sending your child to a catholic school (recommended if you are catholic, as the secondary schools are better and prefer to take children only from catholic primary schools), this is a great one: http://www.st-james.richmond.sch.uk/Welcome/Admissions.aspx
    You will need a letter from your priest here and see if he knows the PP over there who can help get your child in, as you won't without recommendation from a PP.
    This school also has a special autism unit, which indicates that it uses SNA's throughout the school, so you may like to apply there.
    The parish office can also help you find housing and quite often refer you to a housing association, rather than the local council. When you go, put your name down on the council waiting list, they may try to fob you off, but you are entitled to apply for council housing.


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