To wonder what’s the point when I’m left with this after bills?

@ReLOa I've read all of your posts but not all responses so apologies if this has already been said, are you using your government childcare account? They top up anything you pay in by 20% you can only use it to pay for Ofsted registered childcare provision, but if you're not it might be just a little bit extra.
I think you're getting a really hard time, 570 a month for food , clothes, toiletries, cleaning products any other incidentals like hair cuts or dentist, or someone's birthday etc really isn't a lot because it doesn't give a buffet for anything going wrong, or much ability to save.

Being a lone parent is the honest answer. I was 18 when I had DS, didn't do great at school and had no practical parenting support from anyone, my ex was not involved and my mum worked full time so she couldn't help. I had no other family support.

I also couldn't afford to learn to drive which limited me. Developing a career in that scenario would have been difficult. Not impossible of course, but I took the easier route of "jobs" that fit around DS rather than a career as I had no one else to rely on. Obviously, as he got older it was easier to work around him but at 34 with no qualifications to my name I'm still at the bottom of the ladder. Especially after being made redundant last year. I'm doing well where I am though so have my fingers crossed.

We need to reward skilled workers more

We do need unskilled workers, we don’t need people to be unskilled workers their entire lives.

There is nothing stopping you becoming skilled. In fact it’s actually laid out on a plate for you.

You have been improving your prospects recently, but as you state… it’s because your son will reach 18 in 2 years time so you will have no choice anyway so you are preparing for this.

Where was the drive for the 16 years prior to this point ? Why didn’t you reduce your credits years ago? Why only now ?

When you go to other countries where there isn’t a nanny state, there is a real hunger for success. You see it in the UK with immigrant families, many of who are taking all opportunities to better themselves and their kids, really valuing education and hard work.

Btw, I don’t think you are personally doing anything wrong. It’s just that the system is not encouraging success/growth/career progression. It just doesn’t pay to work.

I didn't say anywhere that I "cope" on much less. I literally said in my first post on here that I have more disposable income than OP. I said that childcare was temporary, which it is.

The bubble bath thing was because OP was talking about spending £40 a week on that and cleaning products. Just pointing out that there are ways she could reduce that if she wanted to.

There is. Straight in to tell the op to stop buying luxuries and you “cope” on much less with 1k disposable. The inference is all there.

There's zero evidence from my posts.

Inference - a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Right, so as I said, you're making stuff up based on what you believe I'm thinking.

It’s the nuance in your posts which happens on many high earner ops. We call it inference.

And I said that I don't disagree but I don't feel guilty about it as there's nothing I can do about it.

Exactly

That's such a simple concept, but it appears that some UC recipients are completely comfortable with it.

My point is that you're being subsidised by the OP.

So it's wrong that you have more disposable income than her.

If 'you're always better off working' because they only deduct 60p from UC for every £1 earned, surely everybody would be able to claim UC?

I've read them. Please quote where I said rich and privileged.

I am not. Read your posts.

I certainly don't feel guilty that my full time job does not pay enough to live on if that's what you're trying to do.

What's your point? Do we judge people's worth by how much tax they pay? I'm not a net contributer, most people actually aren't.

And you also get benefit top ups.

How much is your net contribution: tax minus benefits?

OP's is £17.3k

Right, so you can't show me where I called OP rich and privileged, because I didn't. So you're inventing things now to fit your narrative.

Yes, I started a new career last year after being made redundant (essentially started from scratch). Just this month negotiated a £2k pay rise, not much but it's a start.

Moving for a better paid job wouldn't really be applicable to me, I'm an unskilled worker so not much chance of getting a better paid job elsewhere. There are opportunities in my current company for promotions.

My DS is 16, about to leave school and I've been reducing my UC claim as he's got older as it will stop when he's 18 anyway. I'd manage without it, but would have to make cutbacks.

We do actually need low paid workers by the way, they do some of the most essential jobs in the country, if every one of them decided to get a better job we'd be pretty fucked.

One of many posters coming on to tell op to cut back. The majority of the thread calling op privileged and rich. You telling her to cut back on bubble bath of all things - adds to this narrative.

It is the same on every higher earner thread. People falling over themselves to tell the ops they are rich whilst gleefully sharing their top ups on behalf of the net contributors. It’s wrong. I don’t know why so many of you delight in showing up to these threads to kick people like the op and tell them to cut back. It isn’t helpful or relevant. High earners have a choice to make in this situation; temporarily give up work or don’t. We have a tax system where work doesn’t pay for higher earning women and it’s wrong.

@Beezknees

Are you actively seeking better paid employment? Are you upskilling ? Are you willing to move for a better paid job?

Or are you comfortable earning what you are earning and getting subsided?

Is there any incentive at all for you to progress without it being to your detriment?

If the subsidies dropped would that mean you would have no choice ?

I don't disagree by the way, but it's not my personal fault. And it's not going to change overnight, so in the meantime OP may have to make cutbacks. I don't really see what the issue is to suggest that.