The Current Situation
Raising children alone is the toughest job on the planet which comes with more parenting responsibilities than a single mum is able to easily manage.
There are around 3.2 million single-parent families in the UK, and around nine in ten are headed by single mothers (Gingerbread). Many single mothers are in work, but they are more likely than couple parents to experience low pay, insecure work, part time work, and difficulties accessing flexible employment.
Childcare costs, limited flexibility, and career interruptions continue to affect employment opportunities for single mums.
Employment challenges are plenty for single mums and the need to get flexible working opportunities is ever increasing and at pressure point with the financial pressure from the cost of living and rising costs faced by everyone in the UK, but impacting single mothers even more so.
Bills are going up at such a rapid rate that making ends meet seems an impossible feat.
Gingerbread highlights some of the barriers to employment for single mothers in their Report with a broader look at the Single Parent Employment Challenge (Get a copy of the Report here).
In the Report, Gingerbread highlighted the cost-of-living crisis and single-parent families challenges on many fronts such as returning to work and the need for the government’s work preparation programmes to be more targeted when engaging with single parents.
For many single mums, interviews come with extra layers:
Arranging childcare.
Managing school schedules.
Rebuilding confidence after a career break.
Wondering whether and how to mention family responsibilities due to unconscious bias from employers regarding commitment or availability.
Feeling pressure to secure the right role quickly if it’s a case of emergency money or pressure from Work Coaches.
These concerns are real, but it seems they are generally not taken into consideration during JobCentre Plus return to work preparation assessments to ease single mums off Universal Credit (UC) benefit and back into the workplace. This seems to be the case even more so in the intensive work search group programme where a work commitment requires single mums to look for work, or face being sanctioned.
There’s the risk of single mums accepting unsuitable jobs offers simply because immediate income is needed.
Childcare Costs
All too often access to affordable childcare is a stumbling block for many single mums wanting to return to work or to climb the corporate ladder. It’s an inhibiting factor that keeps many professionally qualified, talented single mums out of the workplace, on benefits and in financial hardship.
Single mothers and financial hardship is a phrase that tends to go hand in hand like hands and gloves. It’s very rare to find one without the other. To say that single mums are struggling financially is an understatement to say the least.
With these challenges becoming more prevalent, many employers are beginning to recognise the importance of flexible working, inclusion, and recruitment based on skills and potential rather than focusing on uninterrupted career histories. On that basis, single mums need not be too concerned about what to say about the employment gap.
The general public in the main do not really appreciate the complexities of being a single parent, hence the stigma attached to single mums.
The paradox single mums face is that many are not able to afford to actually go to work as they would like to due to childcare costs, despite at least 70% being employed.
Why Do You Want This Job?
In the previous Newsletter, we touched briefly on your reason for wanting to get a new job. This Newsletter asks you to focus more on the skills that you already have from previous work experiences.
Additionally, your experience as a single mum has given you new skills or strengthened existing skills that employers need every day.
It’s about showing the strengths you’ve developed from your single mum experiences, rather than focus on being reticent about sharing information about being a single mother. Remember also from the previous Newsletter, that it is unlawful for interviewers/managers to ask any personal questions relating to your home life or parenting responsibilities.
So keep your focus on being the best version of you at the interview and the best candidate for the job.
Various pieces of research have shown that single mums have acquired skills and strengths which employers value, including:
Excellent time management and organisation.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Flexibility, Resilience and adaptability under pressure.
Financial responsibility and budgeting skills.
Empathy, communication, and conflict-resolution abilities.
The ability to prioritise competing demands and remain calm in challenging situations.
These qualities are transferable skills which research by Mothered Media has shown translates into highly effective workplace performance for women returners.
That said, be honest with yourself about the reason for wanting a new job or a particular job that you’ve got your heart set on.
If your reason is ‘just for cash’ or ‘dash for cash’, is it possible that you can meet that need in other ways?
Such as other remote work, gig work where you’re in control?
See more examples of ‘fast cash’ and taking more control of your money in this 'FAST CASH’ Newsletter
If your reason is for promotion as a woman returner after maternity leave or because you want to increase your working hours to full time once your youngest child has reached school age, then your preparation for your interview demands more attention.
The Interview Preparation
The interview begins when you accept the invitation from the employer, although the time pressure to get a job started long before that.
Preparing for the interview ahead of time can reduce stress and increase confidence in your ability to do the job.
Your preparation could look something like this:
Research the company, e.g. values, culture.
Read the job description and person specification again.
Prepare examples of your achievements in relation to the person specification (and the job description, to a small degree).
Plan your journey for the day or test your computer/technology for virtual interviews.
Organise childcare well in advance where possible and have a back up plan, whether you are travelling to an onsite interview or have a virtual interview.
Take the logistics and company’s location into consideration, especially in relation to children’s sickness, affordability, one-off lateness finishing work or the availability for family or friends to pick up your children if you experience sudden unforeseen pick-up challenges.
Choose an outfit that helps you feel comfortable, confident and look professional.
Research employers with family-friendly policies. Look for companies with flexi time, on-site childcare, or remote options. Asking about these in later interview stages helps gauge if the environment supports your work-life balance.
Suggested Research and Further Reading
Gingerbread, the UK charity for single-parent families, publishes research on employment, childcare, and financial wellbeing.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation has reports on poverty, work, and single-parent households.
Office for National Statistics provides data on UK families, employment, and labour market trends.
Working Families offers guidance on flexible working rights and family-friendly employment.
ACAS provides information on workplace rights, flexible working, and recruitment.
Where Are You at Right Now in Your Interview Preparation?
Many single mums experience reduced confidence after spending time away from the workplace.
The upside today is that more employers now offer hybrid and flexible working which means that remote working has expanded employment options for many parents.
More upskilling opportunities are available through online learning and government-supported programmes. YouTube is great for FREE upskilling programmes or even basic internet research.
Completing short professional courses or gaining digital skills are easily accessible online or check with your local library, where they currently exist.
My single mum financial journey was made smoother to manage as a part time degree student combined with part time work, and topped up with benefits.
This combination helped with childcare costs, helped to put my mind at ease, and gave me a psychology degree that I now use to expand my work alongside my HR, coaching and training skills, qualifications and experiences.
Use your time off work, maternity leave, down time, family-raising time and early motherhood, to quietly, consistently nurture your skills and elevation for when the time comes to return to work.
So, where are you in your interview preparation?
Do you need to upskill with short courses?
Do you need to just buckle down and get more focused on matching your skills to the person specification?
💡 Single Mum Tip: Have a back up childcare plan for the interview day, if possible.
What is Your Biggest Challenge With Interviews?
“I don’t know how to talk about myself.”
“I don’t know what jobs I’m qualified for.”
“I’ve lost confidence in myself.”
‘’I’ve lost confidence in the interview process.’’
“I don’t know how to explain what I’ve done.”
‘’I don’t know where to start.’’
‘’It feels like I’ve lost all of my skills.’’
‘’I can’t think.’’
‘’I’m afraid of going back to work where I’m the only woman in our team in my profession’’
Being honest with yourself:
If you weren’t judging yourself, what job and/or level would you apply for?
These are examples of some of the challenges that our upcoming Workshop covers:
‘De-Mystify the Interview Process & How to VALUE Your Worth’ Workshop
Date: Wednesday 19 August 2026
If this Workshop looks like it would help you on your preparation journey for the right job,