AIBU to think i've made the wrong choice - universal credit and self employment

[singlemammy]

Hi, i'm a single parent of 6 children all under the age 16 and only a month ago went self-employed. I love my job and only work 16 hours per week due to having the children. Now am a little confused as when i signed up to go self-employed there was no mention of the way Universal credit would effect myself and children.
Currently i recieve child tax credits, working tax credits, housing benefit and a discount on council tax plus what i earn. Now to be honest i am worried. Can anybody tell me how the UC may effect me :/ thanks in advance

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Until you earn the equivilent of 35 hours per week at the nmw no matter how many hours you work you can be subject to dwp courses,training,meetings and workfare just like an unemployed Jsa claiment is.

[JingleMum]

sock 35 hours? Even if your kids are not yet in school? Even when they are in school, surely not everyone will find it possible to work full time hours, aren't the hours less than 35?

[ceeveebee]

I'm no expert but I read that until youngest ch

[ceeveebee]

Until youngest child is 13 you only have to work 24 hours.

[aldiwhore]

DH is self-employed... the old tax credit system was very unfriendly towards the feast and famine of self-emplyment so that now we pretend it doesn't exist at all... it sucks, it will suck more.

We've probably done ourselves out of a lot of deserved and earned help over the years.. turning tax breaks into benefits was always a bad idea.

I don't know what advice to give other than I guess, if you rely on them or HAVE to rely on them, you're going to have to prove those 24hours.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Sorry I assumed all kids were at big school don't know why but I did

As things stand at the moment its 24 hours until your youngest is 13 after that its 35

However they are trying to reduce the youngest age child to 5.

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

As things stand at the moment its 24 hours until your youngest is 13 after that its 35

However they are trying to reduce the youngest age child to 5.

Does that count for single parents of a 5 year old, because where i live childcare for a 5 old for 35 hours a week, would leave me in the poorhouse.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Yes.

a single parent of a child who is 5 or over is expected to become a job seeker and gain at least 24 hours a week work or actively job seek for 24 hours,they can send you on workfare ect exactly as they do now with the current Jsa

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

I can realistically do 24 hours, but anymore i dont see how would leave me better off, and being on JSA is demeaning enough, since around where i live, the jobs are less than 16 hours.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

And you won't have to prove those hours just that you are earning the amount that nmw x those hours would be

[IneedAsockamnesty]

You will be expected to seek work with in a 90 minute each way commute

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

You will be expected to seek work with in a 90 minute each way commute

Which would only increase childcare costs, dont think these things through, atm while on JSA, 90 mins has been decreased because im a single parent, and the travelling hours fall within the available hours.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Don't fret they have said you can start your 90 min walk after the school run.

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

Don't fret they have said you can start your 90 min walk after the school run.

And i have David Cameron hanging from big ben with a dildo up his arse, before that happens.

[ihearsounds]

UC is very complicated.

At first it will only be in certain areas, known as stage one... Then, and only then if it is deemed successful will it roll out to stage 2 which from October will start to be nationwide, and this will be new claimants only. Stage 3, which will be everyone will roll out by 2015.

Now, someone said about age of child. However, this is the current legislation. If you have a child over 5, you are expected to claim jsa. However, under UC, the age reduces to the age of 1, bringing this in line with maternity leave.

The op asked specifically about self employed.
^Ministers recognise the need for claimants who are setting up a business to be given time to establish themselves and find sources of support. Therefore where a claimant has been self-employed for less than 12 months, a start up period will be granted. This means that claimants will not be required to satisfy work-search or availability requirements, and the Minimum Income Floor will not be applied thereby giving them time to concentrate on developing their business.

Ministers have listened to the views of stakeholders and as a result have decided to allow a new start up period every 5 years rather than once in a claimant?s lifetime.^

The latest up to date info can be found on the following, where there are lots of links
www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/latest-on-universal-credit/#uclssf

[flaggybannel]

am seeking ft work now. Single parent working just 16hours a week atm. I need another part-time job to fit around my current position (no luck in 2years of searching as i am am contracted sundays) i dont work the same days every week only a sunday is my day i am in work for certain so fitting another part time job in has proved difficult. I need full time work by the time uc comes in but a lot of places seen to be 30hours a week, on nmw i dont think that will make me enough money to be able to come off in-work benefits. So will i need to do my (hopefully) 30hours per week but still have to attend the jobcentre, workfare etc etc?
I may need some thick sole shoes for my 90minute walk soon i think

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Stage 2 roll out also applies to any wtc claiments who change circumstances from October this year

[IneedAsockamnesty]

You don't have to walk its 90 mins by you usual mode of transport.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Sorry didnt notice the question.

Yes only they don't call it workfare its called something else but that's what it means, and if they feel like it they can send you to meetings to talk about your dress sense

[AudrinaAdare]

DH is self-employed and is earning slightly less than minimum wage while putting in forty plus hours a week. We have one severely disabled child and another with a life-threatening medical condition so I am unable to work for profit outside of my caring responsibilities.

I might have spent the next few few hours trying to find a positive image to banish my worry and enable me to sleep tonight, but for GBBB's comment:

"And i have David Cameron hanging from big ben with a dildo up his arse"

Sweet dreams everyone!

[aldiwhore]

Am I right in thinking that the farther away from London you are, the more likely it is you'll be a guinea pig? Please tell me they're not labtesting on the Scots again like they did with Poll Tax? I have Scottish friends, I'm always trying to convince them that I am nice and not in any way related to the government... it's wearing thin.

Is this a new twist on Life on Mars only with a fucking KICK after they've brought you down? Holy shit.

I have no vested interest, I'm simply really concerned on a social level. I'm not rich, I claim nothing, I actively avoid it if I possibly can (not through social conscience but because they fucked me around so much when I did go cap in hand for a tax 'credit')

I've always been a relatively ignorant social worrier... I find more and more I am deeply concerned about the state of us. Babbling sorry.

I am more tempted than ever before to fly so far under the radar that I cease to exist at all.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

I think they are piloting up north somewhere as they have picked 4 areas.

Aud if you get carers you will be protected from the stupidity

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

I struggle to find any benefit for the scheme other than not allowing people to keep popping out kids so they dont have to work.

But its not like theres alot jobs going, anything i've found are really stupid hours like 12 hours.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

I'm not sure why they had to include working people in it.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I'm confused. Does this mean if you're a sahm with a child over 1, but under 5, you will have to get a job if the are claiming universal credit? Even if one partner works full time?