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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think saving on Universal Credit is extremely difficult?

663 replies

FirmGreyMember · 28/04/2026 20:42

It feels like Universal Credit doesn’t really leave much room for saving once basic living costs are covered. I know in theory people say to put even small amounts aside but in practice it seems very difficult when most of the money goes on essentials.

AIBU to think there’s very little opportunity to build savings on UC?

OP posts:
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5
PyongyangKipperbang · 29/04/2026 17:32

Locutus2000 · 29/04/2026 17:29

Someone will be along shortly to complain about you bettering yourself, whilst questioning why people don't better themselves...

Yeah, NMW workers should get better jobs but they shouldnt be allowed to do that via financially assisted education.

Its so short sighted because eventually that person will more than pay back that support when they are in a better paying job and therefore paying more tax!

I really do think that a certain type of person (many of them are on this thread) wants poor people to stay poor because otherwise who can they look down on?! Pathetic really.

Locutus2000 · 29/04/2026 17:29

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 17:16

I got my last degree funded because I live below the line and I did it part time

Someone will be along shortly to complain about you bettering yourself, whilst questioning why people don't better themselves...

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 17:16

youalright · 29/04/2026 17:11

This is why we need to stop pushing uni on everyone unless you have a specific career in mind that you will earn a reasonable wage for you're just wasting time and money. I work a slightly above minimum wage job and have no student loans because I made the decision to not waste my time and put myself in debt.

I got my last degree funded because I live below the line and I did it part time

youalright · 29/04/2026 17:11

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 17:06

Over 26k or so

This is why we need to stop pushing uni on everyone unless you have a specific career in mind that you will earn a reasonable wage for you're just wasting time and money. I work a slightly above minimum wage job and have no student loans because I made the decision to not waste my time and put myself in debt.

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 17:06

youalright · 29/04/2026 17:05

Do you pay student loans on minimum wage i thought you had to earn over a certain amount?

Over 26k or so

youalright · 29/04/2026 17:05

Tsundokuer · 29/04/2026 16:46

It isn't £5k a month take home pay on a salary of £60k.

At absolute max, it will be take home pay of £2100 each per month (so £4200 for two incomes of £30k) after tax and national insurance has been paid. If there are pension contributions or student loan payments, this will be reduced further.

Do you pay student loans on minimum wage i thought you had to earn over a certain amount?

Tsundokuer · 29/04/2026 16:46

youalright · 29/04/2026 07:40

I don't think benefits are as high as people think the average take home wage in the uk is just over 30k so 60k as a couple so thats 5k a month. benefits are absolutely no where near that not even close. So if a couple can't save anything with an income of 5k and people on benefits can save with an income of say 1k a month (thats more then i get in uc but tried to average it)which then thats a money management problem.

It isn't £5k a month take home pay on a salary of £60k.

At absolute max, it will be take home pay of £2100 each per month (so £4200 for two incomes of £30k) after tax and national insurance has been paid. If there are pension contributions or student loan payments, this will be reduced further.

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 16:45

Moonlightfrog · 29/04/2026 16:31

My dd is severely autistic and will never live independently or work. She has just started claiming LCWRA at the higher rate (before it changed to half) and tbh the cut makes no difference to people who will need adult services support a it’s taken off them to pay for care anyway. Getting the new lower rate just means there’s less to be taken towards care costs when it comes to filling in the financial assessment. We have just done this and they are taking most of my daughters LCWRA leaving her with not much left to do anything on the days she doesn’t have day service or carers. Halting the LCWRA just means less money will be able to go into adult social care services….which will likely result in more cuts for day services and support living.

But makes a great headline for people who think disabled people are scroungers I guess.

Moonlightfrog · 29/04/2026 16:31

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 13:42

I think the pp is referring to the TBI's report which suggested that people with "mild depression", ADHD and muscular skeletal conditions should lose eligibility to cash benefits. Basically pretty much what the government tried already and was forced to abandon. Let nobody say Mr Blair is yesterday's man - he's much further away than that!

The cuts to LCWRA are apalling and discriminatory. They'll affect people like my child, born with a genetic disability and not likely to be in a position to sustain themself through full time work. But hey, if you can't work, you must starve, right?

My dd is severely autistic and will never live independently or work. She has just started claiming LCWRA at the higher rate (before it changed to half) and tbh the cut makes no difference to people who will need adult services support a it’s taken off them to pay for care anyway. Getting the new lower rate just means there’s less to be taken towards care costs when it comes to filling in the financial assessment. We have just done this and they are taking most of my daughters LCWRA leaving her with not much left to do anything on the days she doesn’t have day service or carers. Halting the LCWRA just means less money will be able to go into adult social care services….which will likely result in more cuts for day services and support living.

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 16:31

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 16:18

Income inequality is a massive problem. If people weren't so blown away by others earning phone numbers, they wouldn't also have to complain about benefit claimants!

I had a friend 25 years ago who worked for the lottery board. She earned 80k a year then. She probably earns four times that now. I worked in a homeless unit as a manager and I earned around 23k which felt like a fortune to me then - she never made me feel bad about being poorer than her. I always paid my way on nights out

She got lucky. She's said that herself I don't mean that in a bad way. She was working in a project in the East end of Glasgow and the right jobs came her way at the right time - she was very good at her job. So was I but hers were more high pressure than mine. I couldn't have coped with that. My job was challenging enough as it was

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 16:18

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 15:58

Yes some footballers earn that in a week but plenty don't. The footballers at the team I support earn around 2k - 3ka week tops. Which is still good money. And that's an Spl club.

The most I've ever earned even in a managerial job has been around 26k a year

I personally don't think any footballer should earn 400k a week - all that does is price fans from being able to afford to go to games

Side issue but it's something I feel strongly about because too many people can't afford to go to games. Even in my area where season tickets are relatively cheap

Income inequality is a massive problem. If people weren't so blown away by others earning phone numbers, they wouldn't also have to complain about benefit claimants!

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 15:58

Yes some footballers earn that in a week but plenty don't. The footballers at the team I support earn around 2k - 3ka week tops. Which is still good money. And that's an Spl club.

The most I've ever earned even in a managerial job has been around 26k a year

I personally don't think any footballer should earn 400k a week - all that does is price fans from being able to afford to go to games

Side issue but it's something I feel strongly about because too many people can't afford to go to games. Even in my area where season tickets are relatively cheap

youalright · 29/04/2026 15:51

PenelopePinkerton · 29/04/2026 15:41

Some footballers earn my yearly salary in a week. There are quite a few of my old school friends earning 7 figures in finance and corporate legal work too so I’m pretty much middling in my social circle.

Yeah i live in a poor area so this is a whole other world to me. As nobody is earning anywhere near that level, i don't particularly know many people earning more then minimum wage even . And yes you're right about footballers.

PenelopePinkerton · 29/04/2026 15:41

youalright · 29/04/2026 15:34

I think i live on a different planet i didn't think anyone apart from footballers and celebrities where earning that sort of money. I think its lovely that you help others out to. Id love to be able to help others like that.

Some footballers earn my yearly salary in a week. There are quite a few of my old school friends earning 7 figures in finance and corporate legal work too so I’m pretty much middling in my social circle.

youalright · 29/04/2026 15:34

PenelopePinkerton · 29/04/2026 14:33

I’m a director of a healthcare provider. We generally recruit NHS consultants who are becoming burned out from their NHS roles and we offer much better conditions.

I think i live on a different planet i didn't think anyone apart from footballers and celebrities where earning that sort of money. I think its lovely that you help others out to. Id love to be able to help others like that.

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 15:27

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 15:21

Because she was rude to another poster. FFS.

I wasn't rude to you so no need for you to involve yourself in making value judgements.

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 15:26

ilovesooty · 29/04/2026 15:23

As I said, if you feel something breaches the guidelines you're free to report. Any need for the "FFS"?

Yes, thank you so much, I am indeed free to report as you have now informed me twice. Good bye.

ilovesooty · 29/04/2026 15:23

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 15:21

Because she was rude to another poster. FFS.

As I said, if you feel something breaches the guidelines you're free to report. Any need for the "FFS"?

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 15:21

ilovesooty · 29/04/2026 15:19

Other posters might post things you don't like. Why the snide comment about "how delightful" someone sounds?

Because she was rude to another poster. FFS.

ilovesooty · 29/04/2026 15:19

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 14:49

Disagree with me about what? I have made no other comments.

Other posters might post things you don't like. Why the snide comment about "how delightful" someone sounds?

Locutus2000 · 29/04/2026 14:51

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 14:48

That's helpful, thank you Do you know what the conditions are?

This seems to cover it but it's very vague.

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2022-0860/137._Severe_Conditions_V3.0.pdf

GiaGia16 · 29/04/2026 14:49

ilovesooty · 29/04/2026 14:42

If you think the poster has breached the guidelines you're free to report. Otherwise accept that people are allowed to disagree with you.

Disagree with me about what? I have made no other comments.

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 14:48

Locutus2000 · 29/04/2026 14:42

They have also pushed basically everyone from ESA to UC (hence the huge rise in claims) meaning the Severe Disability Premium if on DLA/PiP no longer applies. Someone claiming tomorrow gets around £400 less in total than an existing claimant who transferred over and is covered by Transitional Protection.

With the LCWRA cuts it's worth remembering those who meet the 'Severe Conditions Criteria' will still get the full rate, this seems primarily aimed at the rise in MH issues in younger people post-covid.

Edited

That's helpful, thank you Do you know what the conditions are?

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 14:47

ForWittyTealOP · 29/04/2026 14:41

Odd. It's only showing up under your username in the quote history. No sign of the username paddleboarding whatever.

But apologies for any misunderstanding. Why did you continue to answer when it became obvious there was some kind of technical blip? I could have been arguing with someone else all that time.

Actually scratch that. You answered the question I asked the other poster as if I had been asking it of you! I didn't notice you'd done that. No wonder! 🤣

Locutus2000 · 29/04/2026 14:42

SpryTaupeTurtle · 29/04/2026 13:38

Labour aren't just talking about it. They've already cut the amount new claimants on lwcra get by half

They have also pushed basically everyone from ESA to UC (hence the huge rise in claims) meaning the Severe Disability Premium if on DLA/PiP no longer applies. Someone claiming tomorrow gets around £400 less in total than an existing claimant who transferred over and is covered by Transitional Protection.

With the LCWRA cuts it's worth remembering those who meet the 'Severe Conditions Criteria' will still get the full rate, this seems primarily aimed at the rise in MH issues in younger people post-covid.