Page 9 | That a single parent having her salary topped up to over £6k shows how unaffordable family life now is

TiredofLDN · 27/11/2025 08:19

Tryingtryingandtrying · 26/11/2025 23:37

I was reading about a woman, take home pay if £2800 and topped up by UC to over 6k. This must be £100k or thereabouts equivalent before tax. How can this be fair when earning that much actually loses you child benefit and free childcare? As she has 3 kids she will now be even more better off, not sure what the answer is though.

The answer is for rentals in London & other places where private landlords are absolutely gouging the market, to be subject to rent control, and for the government to subsidize childcare properly.

The money isn’t going into that lady’s pocket- it’s going to private landlords and childcare settings.

High UC payments are not because the state is generous, but because the fundamental systems we’re building society on are broken.

KingdomCome1 · 27/11/2025 08:18

Stillpoor · 27/11/2025 01:33

I dont care how many kids anyone has i dont have to look after them.
And with this have more kids get more money says more about the parents.

The change will stick around for a while then it will change again and leave a lot in povety, when the cuts come again and relise the mouths they have to feed will be to late.

Is there any parents out there that can say i pay for my child or children without any benefits help.
(Not even child benefit because thats still a benefit).

Er, yes. Absolutely not a penny here. And also wouldn't have child after child that we weren't able to comfortably afford. It's a thorny issue, this one. Nobody wants to see children living in poverty and you certainly can't apply a blanket judgement on all families, because everybody's circumstances are different. Children shouldn't be punished for their parents' feckless decisions and certainly not for their innocent misfortune. However, I do think there must be better ways to support families and alleviate child poverty than this. I also think that any lifting of the cap should apply to existing children only, not future children, to disincentivise some parents, the minority who make not working and having children a lifestyle choice, from having more children.

AllTheChaos · 27/11/2025 08:16

In fact, @Stillpoor, I am one them. Partially disabled and work part time, but still above the cut off. But I’m London so the amount left to live on after mortgage and bills is pretty negligible, and we don’t have much in the way of ‘extras’. I figure it’s an investment in my child’s future though. Though given how dreadful her school is on some things I am beginning to wonder.

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2025 08:16

Bushmillsbabe · 27/11/2025 08:05

Very easily. DH and my post tax income is around 5.5k per month. Our joint salary is about 100k per year.
I don't mind the full time working top up claims so much, as long as it's both parebts working, not an absent Dad passing responsibility for funding his children to others. It's the first family who are unemployed , 4 children and 1 on the way which is really frustrating. We wanted a 3rd but decided we couldn't afford nursery fees for 2 at a time.

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You are kind of missing the point - a dad could be paying £1000 a month for say3 kids - but if the mum is entitled to UC , that maintanance is disregarded for the claim amount - they can get full allowance plus the £1000 - this was a Tory initiative /vote bribe - Ithink it’s absolutely nuts - maybe it was intended to be a ‘get out to work and yep you can keep the maintenance kind of thing ‘ but I think reality is that most women with kids and not really a career will just work out the minimum they can get away with working to maximise benefits -

JustTryingToBeMe · 27/11/2025 08:15

CharlieRight · 27/11/2025 02:13

Me. I get nothing, not a bean.

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Me either but I’d like to have that sort of income. I could give my kids so much more than I do now 🥺

SoloTripSoloVibes · 27/11/2025 08:14

LeadBubbles · 27/11/2025 08:02

But all the research shows that changes in the 2 child cap, child benefits and etc. do NOT have an impact on how many children people have. It just means more or less kids in poverty. And let's not forget, we're all only a few pay slips away from poverty. The day you lose your job, your partner passes away, you come into ill health, etc.etc. and you're screwed.

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What are you waffling on about? I said nothing about the benefits caps. I said that when you have a child, you’re aware of the cost of childcare.

BurntBroccoli · 27/11/2025 08:14

DumpedByText · 27/11/2025 00:19

This can't be true, I take home £1793 a month. I used to get around £50 in UC as a single parent for one child and child benefit.

She's now 18 and just gone to uni, so I can't claim anymore.

There is no way one person would be getting that much!

Similar figures here.

Peridoteage · 27/11/2025 08:14

How do you get 100k before tax from 6k/month?

You don't get taxed on most benefits. To achieve 6k per month after tax, a working person not receiving UC would likely need to earn over £100k before tax.

Christmascarrotjumper · 27/11/2025 08:14

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2025 08:07

I suspect by the way that Thea in the article probably had a perfectly suitable home and partner at some point and it went wrong and hence the 1 bed flat with 3 kids - we read lots of posts on mumsnet about people need to LTB, get out etc and when they do then this kind of situation does happen, and will happen more and more particularly in south east with people in rented , no equity etc -

This isn't her first foray into the media. Pretty sure there's been no unfortunate change in circumstances. Just Google her name.

AllTheChaos · 27/11/2025 08:13

Stillpoor · 27/11/2025 01:33

I dont care how many kids anyone has i dont have to look after them.
And with this have more kids get more money says more about the parents.

The change will stick around for a while then it will change again and leave a lot in povety, when the cuts come again and relise the mouths they have to feed will be to late.

Is there any parents out there that can say i pay for my child or children without any benefits help.
(Not even child benefit because thats still a benefit).

All the parents I know personally earn far too much to receive Child Benefit let alone any other benefits.

Crazybigtoe · 27/11/2025 08:13

Cucy · 27/11/2025 08:00

You don’t think people earning £30k a year work their butts off??

I think you don’t live in the real world.

Less than 5% of people make over £100k a year and the majority of those people are men (usually single or have wives to do everything for them or come from wealthy backgrounds).

The average salary is £33k.

Just because someone is not in the top 5% of earners doesn’t mean they don’t work their butts off.

This woman works full time and raises 3 kids alone (I don’t believe she receives as much as OP says) but she is not the one you should be looking down your nose at.

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I found it hard to believe it too. But chuck in the figures into 'entitled to' and it is absolutely possible.

One of the reasons some roles are paid more than others is level of responsibility. Not always granted. But I imagine it would be easier to find more jobs paying £45k that are 'easy' versus £100k jobs that are 'easy'.

cannotmakedecisions · 27/11/2025 08:12

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2025 08:07

I suspect by the way that Thea in the article probably had a perfectly suitable home and partner at some point and it went wrong and hence the 1 bed flat with 3 kids - we read lots of posts on mumsnet about people need to LTB, get out etc and when they do then this kind of situation does happen, and will happen more and more particularly in south east with people in rented , no equity etc -

I think you’re probably right.
To all those basing her on here, what shoukd she do?

banananas1999 · 27/11/2025 08:12

Tryingtryingandtrying · 26/11/2025 23:37

I was reading about a woman, take home pay if £2800 and topped up by UC to over 6k. This must be £100k or thereabouts equivalent before tax. How can this be fair when earning that much actually loses you child benefit and free childcare? As she has 3 kids she will now be even more better off, not sure what the answer is though.

Thats not right, you dont get even half of that with 5+ kids and anything over uc cap earned on salary gets deducted.

TiredCatLady · 27/11/2025 08:12

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2025 08:07

I suspect by the way that Thea in the article probably had a perfectly suitable home and partner at some point and it went wrong and hence the 1 bed flat with 3 kids - we read lots of posts on mumsnet about people need to LTB, get out etc and when they do then this kind of situation does happen, and will happen more and more particularly in south east with people in rented , no equity etc -

She’s been in the media for a number of years. Always a single mother but with an increasing number of DC. Ostensibly always in a 1 bed flat.

Wowsersbrowsers · 27/11/2025 08:12

Wow, those are some interesting examples. I've been in the situation of paying for 3 children, 2 in childcare, and a home whilst my husband was temporarily unemployed so we couldn't give up the nursery place. I think I was earning about 80 or £90k and we had to use our savings to top up over £500 a month so we could pay bills and eat. We would have been a lot better off and less stressed on benefits. Thankfully we got through that period but it was really hard.

I'm glad single parents and their children are being supported because that's the right thing to do. I've think I'm also probably more right wing now for having that experience myself.

monkeysox · 27/11/2025 08:11

hattie43 · 27/11/2025 06:55

I don’t begrudge her because she’s hardly living the life of Riley bringing up kids whilst living in a flat . I would however like to see more done to make dads pay more . Why do they get off so lightly in many cases .

Even if she gets maintenance it isn't taken into account.

InlandTaipan · 27/11/2025 08:11

LeadBubbles · 27/11/2025 08:02

But all the research shows that changes in the 2 child cap, child benefits and etc. do NOT have an impact on how many children people have. It just means more or less kids in poverty. And let's not forget, we're all only a few pay slips away from poverty. The day you lose your job, your partner passes away, you come into ill health, etc.etc. and you're screwed.

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Well the truth is you're a lot less screwed if you only have one or two kids rather than more. I do agree with lifting the 2 child cap though, for the reasons you state.

TeenagersAngst · 27/11/2025 08:10

Cucy · 27/11/2025 08:03

Where are you getting these figures from?

My friend is a single parent in London with 3 kids and her maximum allowance is about £2500 and then obviously as she earns this reduces.

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It’s in the mirror article linked above. Have you read it?

NotSayingImBatman · 27/11/2025 08:08

Labraradabrador · 27/11/2025 08:03

Imagine being on £100k and living the same while everyone tells you actually you are wealthy and so must be living beyond your means

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And the person on £100k will immediately have £2600 more in disposable income when their children finish nursery and go to school. Thea gets a temporary uplift that allows her to work but she won’t see any long term benefit from this.

EasternStandard · 27/11/2025 08:08

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 27/11/2025 08:04

Exactly. Why are the tiny violin brigade so quick to start playing a tune when it’s benefit claimants. Bizarre.

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It’s not surprising on here.

StatisticallyChallenged · 27/11/2025 08:07

Cucy · 27/11/2025 08:03

Where are you getting these figures from?

My friend is a single parent in London with 3 kids and her maximum allowance is about £2500 and then obviously as she earns this reduces.

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Use the turn2us or entitledto calculator and put in the circumstances described. It'll vary by postcode as the housing element is location specific but I was able to match it - close enough to validate anyway - very easily.

RainbowBagels · 27/11/2025 08:07

Bushmillsbabe · 27/11/2025 08:05

Very easily. DH and my post tax income is around 5.5k per month. Our joint salary is about 100k per year.
I don't mind the full time working top up claims so much, as long as it's both parebts working, not an absent Dad passing responsibility for funding his children to others. It's the first family who are unemployed , 4 children and 1 on the way which is really frustrating. We wanted a 3rd but decided we couldn't afford nursery fees for 2 at a time.

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They have a gofund me page too! The Mirror is a Labour paper. Surely they must be trolling putting those two feckless idiots down as an example of how great this policy is?

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2025 08:07

I suspect by the way that Thea in the article probably had a perfectly suitable home and partner at some point and it went wrong and hence the 1 bed flat with 3 kids - we read lots of posts on mumsnet about people need to LTB, get out etc and when they do then this kind of situation does happen, and will happen more and more particularly in south east with people in rented , no equity etc -

Bringemout · 27/11/2025 08:06

RainbowBagels · 27/11/2025 08:04

I agree. No mention of the father. We should be prosecuting men who don't pay maintenance and coming down hard on them. Automatic salary sacrifice, removal of benefits, imprisonment, whatever.

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I think we should use the US system, you can have your driving license removed, your passport removed, prison etc etc if you don’t cough up for your own kids.

Bushmillsbabe · 27/11/2025 08:05

RedTagAlan · 27/11/2025 01:24

How do you get 100k before tax from 6k/month?

Very easily. DH and my post tax income is around 5.5k per month. Our joint salary is about 100k per year.
I don't mind the full time working top up claims so much, as long as it's both parebts working, not an absent Dad passing responsibility for funding his children to others. It's the first family who are unemployed , 4 children and 1 on the way which is really frustrating. We wanted a 3rd but decided we couldn't afford nursery fees for 2 at a time.