AIBU to be angry about the benefits system

£4000 a month is not hard fucking done by. I earn £800 a month. That’s it. The health care system has utterly failed me by not being able to assess me and diagnose my health issues due to waiting times. So I just have to settle for working part time so I can actually manage the work I do. No diagnosis - no benefit entitlements. £4000 a month is more than I could dream of.

Please get your head out of your arse.

I have to say too, as it’s relevant, the government seriously need to raise the tax threshold (personal allowance), probably to around 15k.

Well I imagine, given the government are not known to give a crap about keeping people above the poverty line, that the massive lack of growth in our wages over the past 15 years, combined with huge cost of living rises means that OP is entitled to it due to specific circumstances.

But that's what people are asking - how do you get UC when bringing in 4k a month??

Don’t know why people are giving OP a hard time, clearly many many people also don’t know. If you’ve not ever accessed any benefits you might not consider it. On the converse, when I was on a v v low income my friend encouraged me to access benefits, assuming I’d be able to. Reader, as a single adult with no kids I am entitled to absolutely nothing.

I didn't think you could get SMI if you worked. It may have changed but I went through a period of not been able to work many years ago. I had to go the Jobcentre periodically for them to show me the 'you're better off in work' calculation, even though the calculation showed I was better off not in work due to the SMI stopping the moment you started work.

I havent rtft because it'd take forever. But wtf am I reading?? 4K a month AND you'd be getting UC??
can someone tell me how??

Although having seen this, perhaps I shall cool my heels:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/jul/10/phd-student-hit-with-17000-bill-by-dwp-after-universal-credit-error

This thread has been a real eye-opener for me. Due to distress caused by DWP demanding swift repayment minor overpayments due to DWP error, a relative stopped claiming much-needed child allowance.
I pay £60k a year in tax and NI and had always thought that the U in UC was DWP irony. It looks like some relatives that I support are likely to be entitled to claim.

Yes because it's the child related elements and costs that get people the UC. And they get the work allowances too.
I don't know how people are still just working 15 hours unless they are still on tax credits. On Uc , a lone parent with a child over 3 will soon be expected to look for up to 30 hours of work a week. The conditions of claiming are getting stricter.

i work long hours I’m single I get minimum wage don’t even bring in half of the 4000 and I cannot claim anything …some of the women with children work at my place 15hr a week but benefits make it up to 26 thousand a year she has 2 children …tbh I was better off on tax credit when my children were young

so do you bring home £4000 net income (after taxes etc)??

and you’re entitled to an extra £1333 from the government?

the total of £5333 is £70 short of what my husband and I both bring in - no child benefit payments and a higher tax rate on what the government deems a minimum household income to live on as you need the universal top up to a minimum living wage??!
for context, I work 30 hours so I can pick the kids up from school (start at 8!) and not have to pay wrap around care.
my husband works 9-5.30 - box standard hours but earns just above the child benefit threshold so we don’t even get that!

I’m so angry at the government benefit system . Apologies if there’s been further updates/context to the £4000 but I don’t understand why we work in (slightly!) higher than average paid jobs to get the same money as someone on benefits

Depending when you bought your house, savings over 16k would have made you ineligible anyway.

Yes it's ridiculous. There was a poster on here earned 60k and people were telling her she would get UC. Single parent but still it's a huge wage. Benefits should be for people who are on a low wage not more than double the average wage. I really don't understand it

We receive a tiny bit (less than £100) a month and we bring in less than your £4000 a month, so it's likely you wouldn't be eligible. If you have savings over £6,000 they would also start reducing your award. You sound bitter.

@MrsRaspberry this is correct, it’s one or the other

So you checked before you had a child and then after you had a child you didn't think it was worth checking again? 😆

Hello, not sure what you decided to do but just to let you know as I work for DWP - you won’t be entitled to the SMI loan as you’re in work. So when you remove that amount from the calculation, your entitlement will be lower so may not be as entitled as the calculator suggests. @Daffodilsinfebruary

Well if the only elements are the standard allowance and 2 child elements you won’t get it anyway. OP’s circumstances mean she has the childcare element so would be eligible.

You don’t need a diagnosis for PIP.

@Lougle

Ok, I'll check again when I'm awake incase I missed something out. But it's not important.

It's a mathematical formula. It's as simple as:

A
Household makeup
+/-
Disability
+/-
Housing costs (rent)
+/-
85% allowable childcare costs

B
(income - work allowance) x 0.55.

Total award = A-B

If you are on £4000 per month and don't get Universal Credit, it's because your total A isn't more than either £1977.88 (renters) or £1829.85 (non-renters).

It's that simple.

I will have 2 children under the age of 4. I'm currently pregnant. If I was to put them in child care full time it would be more than my current pay. So I won't put them in full time.

My mortgage is more than 1k thanks to the interest rates. I was lucky it wasn't higher.

Maybe I could talk to Citizens advice but tbh I'd rather not claim if I really don't need it.

It would only be used for my husband diagnosis using private health care. On going issue. But he's not classed as disabled and with our a diagnosis we wouldn't even get PIP.

You get 4 grand a month and you’re angry over £200? Get a grip.

Just because you earn the same amount doesn’t mean your circumstances are the same. If you and DH have 2 DC and high childcare costs (i.e. the OP’s situation) you would be eligible. I put the calculation for 23/24 further up the thread. It would be slightly more with the 24/25.

My family earns the same amount. But I'm not entitled to anything. I've checked again.

I'm just confused. I'm guessing OPs family might have disabilities or some other thing that gives her entitlement to benefits.

I don't even have savings.