Returning to work
Best jobs for women returning to work after a career break
The best job after a career break fits the hours you can work and pays enough to cover childcare. You can ask for flexible working from your first day in a new job, and working parents in England may be able to get 30 hours a week of free childcare for children aged 9 months to 4 years. Below: ONS pay and how common part-time work is in jobs with a clear way back in.
Updated
Jobs to consider, with pay and part-time share
These jobs all have a documented route in. The part-time column shows roughly what share of employee jobs in the ONS occupation group are part-time, which tells you how normal it is to work reduced hours there.
| Job | Median pay (full-time) | Jobs that are part-time | One way in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching assistant | £21,239 | about 60% | Teaching assistant apprenticeship, level 3, typically 18 months |
| Healthcare assistant | £29,084 | about 45% | Healthcare support worker apprenticeship, level 2, typically 8 months |
| Nurse | £42,300 | about 35% | Registered nurse degree (NMC 2018) apprenticeship, level 6, typically 48 months |
| Bookkeeper | £31,560 | about 35% | Accounts or finance assistant apprenticeship, level 2, typically 12 months |
| Family support worker | £32,654 | about 35% | Early intervention practitioner apprenticeship, level 4, typically 18 months |
| Local government officer | £30,886 | about 30% | Public service operational delivery officer apprenticeship, level 3, typically 12 months |
| Secondary school teacher | £47,632 | about 25% | Teacher - Postgraduate apprenticeship, level 6, typically 9 months |
| Office manager | £38,630 | about 20% | Team leader apprenticeship, level 3, typically 15 months |
| Marketing executive | £33,412 | about 20% | Multi-channel marketer apprenticeship, level 3, typically 18 months |
| Clinical coder | £35,209 | about 15% | Clinical coder apprenticeship, level 3, typically 18 months |
| HR officer | £35,194 | about 15% | HR support apprenticeship, level 3, typically 18 months |
| Data analyst | £38,572 | about 10% | Data technician apprenticeship, level 3, typically 24 months |
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a, published . Median gross annual pay for full-time employee jobs in the UK, tax year ending 5 April 2025. Figures are for whole SOC 2020 occupation groups and exclude the self-employed.
Source: Skills England, apprenticeship standards. Checked 28 September 2026. Apprenticeship standards cover England.
Part-time share is worked out from the ONS job counts for all employee jobs and full-time jobs in each occupation group (ASHE 2025, Table 14.7a), rounded to the nearest 5%. ONS says its job counts are indicative only.
Clinical coder: ONS publishes pay for business associate professionals not elsewhere classified, a broad group that includes clinical coders.
The two jobs here with the most part-time work, teaching assistant and healthcare assistant, have full-time medians of £21,239 and £29,084. If you need a higher income, look further down the table, where part-time roles are less common but you can still ask for flexible working once you are in.
Every route in the table is an apprenticeship, so you are paid while you train. For more ideas, see jobs without a degree and jobs with a good work-life balance.
Your right to ask for flexible working
In England, Scotland and Wales every employee can make a statutory request for flexible working from their first day in a job. You can ask to change your hours, your start and finish times, the days you work, or where you work. Northern Ireland has its own rules.
- Put the request in writing, with the date, a statement that it is a statutory request, and what you want to change and from when.
- Your employer must discuss it with you before refusing, and decide within 2 months unless you agree to longer.
- They can refuse only for set business reasons, such as extra costs or not being able to reorganise the work.
- You can make 2 requests in any 12-month period.
Sources: GOV.UK: flexible working. Acas has a request letter template.
Help with childcare costs
Childcare costs can decide whether going back to work pays. These are the three main schemes in England. You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run different free childcare schemes.
| Scheme | Who can get it | What you get | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Childcare for Working Parents | Children aged 9 months to 4 years, in England. You (and any partner) must be working or about to start a job and each expect to earn at least the minimum wage for 16 hours a week: £2,643.68 over 3 months if you are 21 or over. | 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year, at a registered provider. | GOV.UK: free childcare if you work |
| Tax-Free Childcare | Children aged 11 or under (16 or under if disabled). You usually need to be working or returning to work, with the same minimum earnings. | The government adds £2 for every £8 you pay into a childcare account, up to £2,000 a year per child (£4,000 if your child is disabled). | GOV.UK: Tax-Free Childcare |
| Universal Credit childcare | People on Universal Credit who pay for childcare so they can work. Couples usually both need to work. | Up to 85% of childcare costs, capped at £1,071.09 per assessment period for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more (from April 2026). Help with upfront costs may be available when you start work. | GOV.UK: Universal Credit childcare |
Source: GOV.UK pages linked in each row. Checked 28 September 2026.
If you are returning to work, the date you start decides when you can apply for Tax-Free Childcare, so check the application dates early. GOV.UK has a childcare calculator that shows which schemes you could get.
Routes back into a profession you left
- Teaching. The Department for Education's returning to teaching guide (updated September 2026) covers support for people who taught or trained to teach in the UK, with a step-by-step guide to coming back.
- Nursing and midwifery. If your registration has lapsed, the Nursing and Midwifery Council explains how to apply for readmission, either through a return to practice course or a Test of Competence. NMC: returning to the register
- Returnships. Some employers run paid returner programmes for people who have been out of work for a while. National Highways, for example, runs a six-month returnship for people with a career break of two or more years; its 2026 intake had closed when we checked in September 2026. Programmes like this open and close through the year, so check employers' careers pages for dates.
Retraining while you look
- Free Courses for Jobs. A free level 3 course if you are 19 or over and earn below £25,750 or are unemployed. Subjects include childcare and early years, health and social care, accounting and finance, and digital. GOV.UK: Free Courses for Jobs
- Skills Bootcamps. Courses of up to 16 weeks for people aged 19 or over, designed to fit around family and other commitments, with a guaranteed job interview at the end. Areas include early years, health and social care, and business and administration. Department for Education: Skills Bootcamps
- Learner Support. If you are on a further education course at level 3 or below and facing financial hardship, your college may help with travel, equipment or childcare (you must be 20 or over for childcare). GOV.UK: Learner Support
How to explain a career break
Keep it short and factual. One line on your CV, such as "Career break to care for my children, 2021 to 2026", is enough. Then spend the space on what you can do now: recent courses, volunteering, school or community roles, and the skills from your last job that still apply. In an interview, say why you are coming back and what you want next, rather than apologising for the gap.
Our guide to writing a CV for a career change has a layout that works well when your most recent job was a few years ago.
Common questions
Can I ask for part-time hours in a new job?
Yes. In England, Scotland and Wales every employee can make a statutory request for flexible working, including part-time hours, from their first day. Your employer must deal with it reasonably and decide within 2 months, but can refuse for a business reason. You can make 2 requests in any 12 months.
What help is there with childcare when I go back to work?
In England, working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years may be able to get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks a year. Tax-Free Childcare adds £2 for every £8 you pay, up to £2,000 a year per child aged 11 or under. On Universal Credit you can get up to 85% of childcare costs back. You cannot get Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time.
Which jobs have the most part-time work?
Of the jobs on this page, teaching assistant and healthcare assistant have the highest share of part-time jobs in ONS data (ASHE 2025), at about 60% and 45%. Their full-time medians are £21,239 and £29,084, so compare pay before you decide.
Are there free courses for people returning to work?
Yes. Free Courses for Jobs pays for a level 3 qualification if you are 19 or over and earn below £25,750 or are unemployed. Skills Bootcamps last up to 16 weeks, are open to anyone aged 19 or over, and end with a guaranteed job interview.