Page 3 | To be absolutely fking sick of Universal Credit

CatComments · 08/02/2025 20:03

scorpiogirly · 07/02/2025 19:31

The thing is, being a single parent full stop is bloody hard. I know millions of people do it and have done it for years but it doesn't make it any easier. Many have parents or other relatives that help and have the kids sometimes. I spent most of my time at my nan's house whilst my mother worked. So although my mother was a single parent, she had that help. I do not.

We're effectively doing the job of two people in terms of running a household and having sole care of a young child. Add pets onto that too. I have a dog and now a cat who decided he wanted to live me with me 😆

So everything, cooking, cleaning, admin, washing, ironing, gardening, decorating. There is noone to take turns giving the child a bath which in itself is a chore when you're knackered. Noone to cook or wash dishes now and then. This probably sounds so dramatic but it's how it is. It would be nice to have a cup of tea made for me on occasion!

So working full time on top of all that would be nigh on impossible right now I think. Not that I want to stay on UC. Which is why I've started a small side hustle which will hopefully turn into something with a decent income.

And yes, going into the job centre is horrible!

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I hope your side hustle isn't some sort of MLM is it? That's usually doomed to get you deeper in problems rather than helping you out. If it isn't an MLM then good luck with it, and I hope it helps you!

Kerensa70 · 08/02/2025 19:31

Entitled????

Snakebite61 · 08/02/2025 19:20

scorpiogirly · 07/02/2025 09:26

Posted a few days ago regarding being called in for an appointment after work messed my wages up.

Went through all pay slips and could see the mistake, also could then see the basic pay per month which is over the AET. This is after increasing my hours.

So I messaged the work coach and explained what happened and that going forward my pay would be over the AET and asked if I still needed to attend the meeting which is today.

I was told yes as it was under last month. And we can discuss this apparently when I go in. Discuss what? Possible reasons work made the mistake? This is a work search appointment. For which there will be nothing to discuss or put in place as I will be over the AET.

But no, let's still waste my time, their time and also taxpayers money.

I just hate it. The way they make you jump through hoops in order to get the help you're entitled to.

Just a rant really. Does anyone hate UC as much as me?

The reason so many people go on the sick is because of they're gestapo tactics. They go out of the way to make your life a misery and affect your mental health.
Now labour want to have a go at the disabled. Stupid and anti productive.

Chattygirl123 · 08/02/2025 19:18

What I hate about it is you never know from month to month how much you are going to get. And my husband is a farmer and its definitely not set up for how they earn money. As a result we've got no UC for 3 months. At least with Tax Credits you knew exactly what you were getting each month. Tbf the staff have been lovely but I really don't think they give f*!

Miley1967 · 08/02/2025 15:03

Scaredofdwp · 08/02/2025 14:30

My ESA (cb/sg) didn’t arrive yesterday and then discovered they were migrating me to UC because our tax credits were migrating - I was told it wouldn’t happen but it has. Now I’ve no idea when im getting my esa and our tax credits migration claim won’t be decided until end of this month so I may be the whole
of Feb without any money.

If your ESA is contributions based ( which your previous thread seemed to suggest ) then it should carry on being paid two weekly. I doubt it would be income related if your dh is working.

DrCoconut · 08/02/2025 14:33

I should of course add the childcare workers who many of the high earners are utterly reliant on. Those workers could well be on universal credit as they are so poorly paid. Their employers/clients have the cheek to slag them off as a drain on society for not being "net contributors". Try handing over more of your six figure income then.

Scaredofdwp · 08/02/2025 14:30

My ESA (cb/sg) didn’t arrive yesterday and then discovered they were migrating me to UC because our tax credits were migrating - I was told it wouldn’t happen but it has. Now I’ve no idea when im getting my esa and our tax credits migration claim won’t be decided until end of this month so I may be the whole
of Feb without any money.

DrCoconut · 08/02/2025 14:26

Bryonyberries · 07/02/2025 22:55

Not financial net contributors but we are all labour contributors. Without those in low income jobs doing very necessary roles in society there wouldn't be a society. It isn't the workers fault that their role isn't valued highly enough that they aren't paid enough to live on without help from UC.

Covid showed that many of the most vital roles are also low paid roles. The people who care for others be that children or the elderly are paid far less than their role deserves. They are definitely contributors in every other way for society. Nursery workers allow everyone else to work, elderly carers allow their families to work. Without people in roles such as these there would be a very different dynamic.

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This post actually gives me hope. Finally some recognition that being on a six figure salary and "contributing" isn't everything. That single mum (who is accused of being a scrounger) serving drinks on hospital wards while her kids are at school is allowing the surgeons (who are respected) to work by providing a suitable place for the patients to recover. The person with a disability (obviously faking it right?) working part time in a shop or restaurant as their health permits is allowing the well off (hardworking taxpayers) to spend their money. The person who is simply not academic enough for a "professional" job but tries their best and works in a vital service role lets those who believe themselves superior live and work in a clean, safe environment, receive deliveries, book ubers etc. I am so pleased that someone else sees this.

CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 14:00

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scorpiogirly · 08/02/2025 09:36

XenoBitch · 08/02/2025 00:42

Not the jobseekers fault, really. They have to show they have applied for jobs, even if they have no hope of getting them. I was told I would have to apply for construction site jobs, despite lacking the certification to even set foot on a site. Other people - told to apply for lorry driving jobs when they don't even have a license. It is daft.

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Its like they're saying, right as you're not working right now we're going to punish you by wasting as much of your time as possible.

OP posts:

TempNameUC · 08/02/2025 09:11

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Yes, that's fine. It is up to you how to record your work search. You don't need to use the online journal for this at all if you don't want to.

BreatheAndFocus · 08/02/2025 08:16

scorpiogirly · 07/02/2025 17:08

It was a huge jump too. From 743 to 892!

Are you looking at changing jobs or just going along with their appointments?

And yes I agree about focusing on those who don't work at all. Obviously excluding people with disabilities and caring responsibilities.

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Yes, a ridiculously massive jump! No, I won’t be changing my job. I enjoy it and it’s an important job, largely done by women and thus, IMO, underpaid. That’s the real problem - employers paying shit money and then UC having a go at employees who can do nothing about it.

Also, I sometimes pick up some overtime. You’d think UC would like this, right? No, they don’t - because the system is set up by idiots! I do my overtime, get extra money - but then the next month they start harassing me because my ‘wages have dropped’ when, in fact, they’ve just reverted back to normal 🙄

user1471516498 · 08/02/2025 00:52

XenoBitch · 08/02/2025 00:42

Not the jobseekers fault, really. They have to show they have applied for jobs, even if they have no hope of getting them. I was told I would have to apply for construction site jobs, despite lacking the certification to even set foot on a site. Other people - told to apply for lorry driving jobs when they don't even have a license. It is daft.

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Sorry, we cross posted, I know its not the jobseekers fault, see my post directly above.

user1471516498 · 08/02/2025 00:51

And yes I know that jobseekers are just doing what they need to do to avoid sanctions, I am not blaming them. Its the system that is the problem. And I am also salty because I had a tight deadline this week and had to waste time that I really didn't have to deal with job applications from people who couldn't take a job which had already been filled. This pointless busy work is just wasting everyone's time.

crackofdoom · 08/02/2025 00:49

TempNameUC · 07/02/2025 20:01

The system is terrible but people keep voting to punish the poor under the guise of 'fairness'... I get UC despite working full time, having no dependents and not having had a rent increase for 15 years. And I'm not on minimum wage either, I'm a Universal Credit work coach.

Oh, the bitter irony.

XenoBitch · 08/02/2025 00:42

user1471516498 · 08/02/2025 00:39

This TaXpAyEr gets fucked over by it too. Any time I have been recruiting for a position in my small business, the targets set for jobseekers mean that I get spammed to high heaven. Between applicants with no qualifications, applications from so far away that there is no possible way that they could get to the job, applicants with childcare responsibilities that mean that they couldn't take the job, clients who really should be on disability benefit... And to add to all this, these applications come in for months after the vacancy has been filled.

Not the jobseekers fault, really. They have to show they have applied for jobs, even if they have no hope of getting them. I was told I would have to apply for construction site jobs, despite lacking the certification to even set foot on a site. Other people - told to apply for lorry driving jobs when they don't even have a license. It is daft.

user1471516498 · 08/02/2025 00:39

This TaXpAyEr gets fucked over by it too. Any time I have been recruiting for a position in my small business, the targets set for jobseekers mean that I get spammed to high heaven. Between applicants with no qualifications, applications from so far away that there is no possible way that they could get to the job, applicants with childcare responsibilities that mean that they couldn't take the job, clients who really should be on disability benefit... And to add to all this, these applications come in for months after the vacancy has been filled.

crackofdoom · 08/02/2025 00:30

EmeraldShamrock000 · 07/02/2025 09:54

It is an absolute joke.

It's designed to be helpful for low income families and just causes huge stress.

There is a similar payment in Ireland that is stress free in comparison,

The allocated weekly payment based on your wages stays consistent for the year.

If you go over hours, the following year payment will get reduced based on your wage.

That's what tax credits (in the UK) used to be like :(

Burntt · 08/02/2025 00:14

I once asked a question phrased "I've read your guidance document on x titled blah" I couldn't find the answer to my question please can you explain xyz. They responded with a link to the document I had referenced. I responded saying that doesn't answer my question on xyz is there another document or can you just answer? They responded with a link to the same document. Think they did that 4 times. Eventually I asked randoms on the internet and got my answer and where the info comes from so I could check it.

I was also told I would be sanctioned for not looking for work when heavily pregnant and caring full time for a disabled child who was refused a school place by the LA as no school could meet his needs. But he wasn't officially diagnosed at that point and was school age so I had to work no debate. I could not find any childcare to take him. That was why I needed financial support I was self employed and could work had there been school/childcare for my son. Went in for the meeting about it and took my son with me. I cried at the poor woman while my 6 year old ran around climbed everywhere and shat himself and took it out his pants tried to smear it on their sofa. I never got sanctioned after that

Bryonyberries · 07/02/2025 22:55

cadburyegg · 07/02/2025 18:47

Benefits are public money, our own taxes, I’d rather they were overly bureaucratic and follow the rules than to make it “easy” for people to claim and potentially abuse the system.

I've claimed my UC top up for 4 years. It's been very easy for me. I've never had to set foot in a job centre. All I'm asked to do is provide proof of my childcare costs every month which takes 10 minutes of my time.

I think your comment just proves you don't fully understand how the system works. Despite it being easy for me to claim what I am entitled to, it would be very difficult for me to claim fraudulently. I wouldn't be able to claim more childcare costs than I get because I have to provide proof of these every month. I couldn't pretend to have a tenancy agreement/rent because you have to upload proof of that too. I couldn't pretend to have another child because I couldn't provide another birth certificate.

Yes, i'm very grateful. But it just shows it CAN be easy to do whilst still providing people with what they need.

When my mum was working, she worked in a field that meant she could write reports / provide evidence to help some people claim DLA for their children. She said the amount of time it took and how complicated the system was for people to get what they need was utterly ridiculous. And some people needed the money so they could make their homes accessible for their children to, you know, live in.

It's correct that I am not a net contributor. But most people aren't unless they are high earners.

Not financial net contributors but we are all labour contributors. Without those in low income jobs doing very necessary roles in society there wouldn't be a society. It isn't the workers fault that their role isn't valued highly enough that they aren't paid enough to live on without help from UC.

Covid showed that many of the most vital roles are also low paid roles. The people who care for others be that children or the elderly are paid far less than their role deserves. They are definitely contributors in every other way for society. Nursery workers allow everyone else to work, elderly carers allow their families to work. Without people in roles such as these there would be a very different dynamic.

Bryonyberries · 07/02/2025 22:43

I've been fortunate not to have too many issues with them so far. However I has a voluntary call to discuss them helping me earn more (coincidently coinciding with a couple months lower pay due to parental leave followed by sick leave). I waited for my call, completely prepared and 20 mins after they were meant to call I had a message to say due to unforseen circumstances they couldn't call that day. I'd arranged my morning to be available for the call. The date they arranged for call back was fine until I got norovirus overnight and was poorly. I messaged early to say I was unwell and could we rearrange. Got a snotty message say that I had rejected help to earn more money! Was fine when they kept me waiting 20mins but wasn't fine when I was unwell and messaged hours ahead of time. Fortunately it was voluntary so no problem for me from that but if I'd been in a situation where I could be sanctioned it seems they would have, just because I had norovirus. I guess the lesson is take the call whatever if sanction is a possibility. I was annoyed by the tone of the message though.

CdcRuben · 07/02/2025 22:29

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XenoBitch · 07/02/2025 21:00

TempNameUC · 07/02/2025 20:01

The system is terrible but people keep voting to punish the poor under the guise of 'fairness'... I get UC despite working full time, having no dependents and not having had a rent increase for 15 years. And I'm not on minimum wage either, I'm a Universal Credit work coach.

Ah, from what I have read on here, I was under the impression that only parents had their wages topped up by UC.

Alltheyearround · 07/02/2025 20:54

Hammy19 · 07/02/2025 20:21

Not to be pedantic but, tax credits are HMRC, not DWP

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Sorry, yes you're right. Different name, same old shit though!

They got in trouble about the lack of response on their phone lines. Not sure if it is any better now.

Dealt with DWP also, when I claimed for PIP. Capita did the 'assessment'. It was just lies, I got the transcript. Too ill to go down the mandatory reconsideration route so I abandoned it.

Hammy19 · 07/02/2025 20:21

Alltheyearround · 07/02/2025 18:32

Same when you ring DWP up - if you can get through after a 5 hour wait - in one week both DH and I rang on separate occassions (tax credits era) and were told different things. They also didn't make a record of the calls so right hand deffo did not know what left hand was doing. I work in a library, and we are under strict orders to maintain consistency with our users. We have note fields in each account to log phone conversations so all the team know what the history is.

I cannot believe that if a flaming library can organise themselves, the DWP can't. Really? Something has gone dreadfully wrong and is wasting a lot of money and time through mismanagement and inefficiency.

I think we should have Dragon's Den but for failing NHS managers, DWP etc. Let Alan Sugar loose on them (not to privitise just to point out shortcomings). If I was making the programme he'd have to appear for free, in the national interest of transparency.

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Not to be pedantic but, tax credits are HMRC, not DWP