Friend earns as much as me on benefits

It's probably worth noting that this is the OPs first post on Mumsnet.

Think she said the kids don't have any disabilities. Plus she's unemployed so no childcare. Plus lives in Scotland so rent won't be that high.

Also for people saying it couldn't possibly be £2k on UC (which it absolutely could be) the OP just said in benefits if I'm not mistaken. So that includes child benefit of £170 every 4 weeks and then she'll also be receiving an extra £27 or so per week per child for Scottish Child Payment which is £215 every 4 weeks. So that's around £1600 of UC which means her rent wouldn't be much over £600 which isn't sky high.

So how much do you earn? You must earn more than your friend otherwise presumably you'd also qualify for benefits?

No it's people making out that life on benefits is cushy when it's not! Sure there may be some people who milk and cheat the system, but that is the exception and not the rule!

This! I also have one friend who is getting brnefits for being a single parent with 2 kids. Except her partner lives with her and he works but it's not declared. She works part time and says she will never work more because then the benefits will go down.

Whilst I understand your frustration you can progress with your career, go for promotions, better paid jobs as you gain experience, build up a pension.

Another issue - many jobs no longer offer this progression potential. You can be offered a "promotion" and find it pays little more - after tax it is barely noticeable.

Your child will be proud of you just remember that. You’re setting an amazing example unlike her.

Whilst I understand your frustration you can progress with your career, go for promotions, better paid jobs as you gain experience, build up a pension.

Benefits mean you’re stuck with no hope of more, and getting off them can be nigh on impossible. You’re literally trapped. It might seem like free money and therefore unfair, but in reality you have far more freedom and potential than she does.

As for having another baby at 48? Bonkers!

@NattyFinch OP just know that I and many more, have respect for you but will never respect your lazy, good for nothing friend, who lives on benefits!

Because children shouldn't live in poverty, it's not a race to the bottom , a decent society raises the standard for everyone". etc etc.

At some point either the unemployed get to live at a basic standard, which will also be the same as low paid working people or they will get less and live below the basic standard.
If you raise the salary of the lowest that shortly becomes the new lowest standard doesn't it.

There is an issue with benefits that a parent with a couple of kids, can receive more in benefit income, especially working part time, than someone else working full time. It can feel like people are compensated for choosing to work fewer hours.

So what if the benefit income include rent? Someone on a wage also has to pay rent out of their income too.

It absolutely could be if rent is highish?

Lots of people claiming this isn't possible etc. I had a recent conversation with a friend as she was ranting about money and COL.

She does admittedly work part time, but gets UC top up and all in her take home is just over 2600 per month. She owns her house, so whilst she pays her mortgage out of that, she is investing in her and her children's future.
She also only pays 20% nursery fees for her 2 DC and pays less than 100 for both children to go 2 days per week, whilst I pay over 600 a month for 2.5 days for one child and her father has her the other days as I work full time.

It's BONKERS. I also don't pay into a pension as I simply can't afford to until nursery fees ease up.

Another acquaintance has 4 children, is a single parent and her net income is 3200, no disabilities. plus child maintenace of over 800 per month from the 2 dads. Not worked since she had her first 8 years ago. She has a new car on finance and private rents a very nice house in a very nice area, gets her hair done regularly and the children are always in new clothes etc.
I rent a tiny 2 bed in an okish area because it's all I can afford.
People seem to think you only get a few hundred a month on UC but that's simply not the case, and it's all the other "free" things that add up, prescriptions, dental care, eye tests, nursery, breakfast clubs etc.
It's a frustrating place to be.

Nope. It is broken Britain where someone that makes the effort to work and contributes ends up after tax with less than someone on benefits who pays no tax. It is not right, those that struggle to work and keep a family together should always be better off than similar set up but on benefits. Else we may as well all stop at home and stuff society that needs tax payers to pay for services.

Don’t get me started! My SIL has 3 children to 2 different fathers. Claims almost £6000 because each child has ‘some sort of additional need’ - they really don’t! I don’t make half of that, nor do DH and myself make that combined! She complains about her 3 bedroom house and is entitled to a 4 bed house, according to her. Belittled me for ‘only spending £150ish on my DC at Christmas because she had spent £2500 on one child alone! Never worked a single day in her life.

Maybe a little bitter but I can’t wait until the kids are older and she gets next to nothing!

I think it’s about time we stop and give out naff all to those who play the system. They should be house in a hotel like structure with a studio apartment with bunk beds and necessities. A canteen to cater for them. No need to give them any money whatsoever. Why should people who don’t work be able to afford multiple holiday, £1000’s on Christmas pressies, new cars, etc! They might actually be inclined to get off their lazy arse and do something. And not just reproduce for the money!

This way people who genuinely need help because they are going through a rough patch; in between jobs, unforeseen medical conditions/sickness, etc, can actually get the help they need.

Rant over!

@Vertigo2851 Yeah exactly!

It could very easily be £2k. Single element over 25 plus 2 kids born after 2017 is £986 alone. Add rent then any additional elements for childcare/disability etc and it could very well be over £2k.

If you're over 25 you would be entitled to £393 then £575 for 2 kids (born after 2017. If they were born before it's slightly more)

This sounds grand. You should quit your job and go on uc op.

It's total nonsense. Unless her rent is sky high - which in Scotland it probably won't be.

Also, if people would actually look up the rules for benefits, then single parents with youngest children as young as 1-3 years old have to work. I certainly was not given much leeway.

I have been a single parent of 2 children on benefits not that long ago and it is nowhere near that amount, even including rent. The calculators are mostly wrong and over estimate as well, if that's where your stats are coming from. They usually include things like free prescriptions and free dental, which I accept are relevant, but they are not take home money, and renting is far more expensive than mortgages, and your 'friend' will never own their home (perhaps the most important difference).

Oh aye.

You are a lone parent paying rent and earning a below average wage - you should be claiming UC too

I know it's a bit off topic, but isn't it all just a little bit wrong that we have to subsidise some full time workers with benefits in order to increase the amount that the owners or shareholders of a business take home.

OP says she works for the government though and so if she really is elegible for UC, I'm not sure if that actually makes it better or worse.

I suspect she doing cash in hand jobs… I don’t think it’s all benefits

As other posters have said, you're very likely to be entitled to UC yourself if you have 2 children, rent and take home under £2k a month. Probably quite a sizeable amount too. The wage deduction from UC for a take home pay of £1900 a month after deductions is £822. This is the amount they deduct from your total UC award. They deduct it at a rate of 55p in every £1. If you rent, the first £404 of your wages is disregarded before they start making deductions from your UC for the rest.

If you're over 25 you would be entitled to £393 then £575 for 2 kids (born after 2017. If they were born before it's slightly more)

So that's £986 already.

With regards to rent. If it's council/social housing you'll get the full amount. If it's private you need your LHA amount because that's all UC will pay. You can look this up by googling the LHA calculator.

Add the rent/LHA amount to the £986.

Deduct £822 for wages from this total.

That will give you a rough idea of how much UC you could receive. And then you would also still have all your wages on top of that too. If you currently pay childcare, you could receive up to 85% of that back from UC too so that's even more.

Then you'll be much better off than your friend so emm...then you won't have to feel annoyed/angry/jealous/whatever it is you feel about it.