Borrow money

Although it's possible to get a loan for your career break, it's not generally advised. However, it is an option if you have to take your career break at a particular time – for example, if you've been made redundant and want to do it before you get a new job, or perhaps you want to travel before you have kids.

When you're doing your sums, don't make any assumptions about how quickly you will be able to get a job when you get back, and set some cash aside for emergencies. Obviously, shop around for the best loan for your circumstances and make sure you understand exactly how much you'll be paying back.

If you're learning on your career break, particularly if you're retraining for a new career, you can apply for a career development loan. You don't have to pay interest on it until one month after your training finishes. Find out more about career development loans here.

Now what?