Working Full Time as a Single Parent: Your Rights and Support
Ask for flexible working from day one
Every employee can make a statutory request for flexible working from their first day in a job: different start and finish times, compressed hours, part-time or hybrid working. You can make two requests in any 12-month period, and your employer must give you a decision within two months. They have to consult you before saying no, and they can only refuse for one of the business reasons set out in law.
When your child is ill or childcare falls through
You have the right to reasonable time off for dependants to deal with an emergency, such as a sick child or a childminder who cancels at the last minute. It is unpaid unless your contract says otherwise. It covers sorting out the immediate problem, not weeks of care.
For planned time with your children there is unpaid parental leave: up to 18 weeks per child until they turn 18, usually no more than 4 weeks a year per child. Since 6 April 2026 it has been a day-one right, so you no longer need a year’s service. Our guide to parental and family leave explains how it fits with maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.
Child Benefit
For the 2026/27 tax year, Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for your eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. It is not means-tested. If your adjusted net income is over £60,000, you pay back 1% for every £200 above that, and the whole amount at £80,000. Claim it even if you earn more: registering protects your National Insurance credits towards your State Pension.
Help with childcare costs
Three schemes worth checking
Tax-Free Childcare: for every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £500 every three months (£2,000 a year) per child.
Funded hours in England: working parents of children aged 9 months until school can get up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks a year. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.
Universal Credit: if you claim UC and work, it can cover up to 85% of eligible childcare costs, up to a monthly limit.
You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare and the Universal Credit childcare element at the same time, so check which works out better for you.
If the other parent does not pay child maintenance
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) can work out how much should be paid. If needed, it can also collect the money and take enforcement action. Many parents start with a private family-based arrangement; if payments stop, the CMS is the next step.
Working for yourself
If your job cannot give you the flexibility you need, self-employment might, because you set the hours. If you plan to claim Universal Credit while self-employed, read about the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed Universal Credit claimants first. Our strategies for single parent entrepreneurs cover the practical side.
Whatever your set-up, a fixed weekly routine, demanding work planned for school or nursery hours and a few people you can call on make the biggest difference. Ask for help before you need it.
FAQ:
Can my employer refuse a flexible working request?
Yes, but only for one of the business reasons set out in law, and only after consulting you. They must give you a decision within two months.
How much is Child Benefit in 2026/27?
£27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child.
Do I get paid time off when my child is sick?
There is no statutory pay. You have the right to reasonable unpaid time off for dependants to deal with the emergency, but check your contract, as some employers pay.
Can I get Tax-Free Childcare if I claim Universal Credit?
Not at the same time. You choose one or the other, so compare which gives you more help.
Can I take parental leave if I have just started a new job?
Yes. Since 6 April 2026 unpaid parental leave is a day-one right, so there is no qualifying period.
