AIBU to be surprised someone on £34,000 receives Universal Credit?

This. While everyone is bashing people on universal credit no one seems bothered by the fact people are working full time and still not making ends meet. Yet millionaires/billionaires are getting wealthier at our expense.

This. Plus if they live with a partner with a job, they get nothing at all, except a few months of minimal contribution based ESA, or whatever its called now, under £100 pw. Their partner is expected to support them, whether or not they can afford it.

Half of MN “a whopping 34k?!”
the other half “no I can’t live on less than 100k, anything under that is an awful salary”

You are obviously clueless.

Your figures are wrong. It's still not much but under 25s get 338.58 a month and older adults 424.90. plus the housing costs which don't usually cover private rent though social housing tenants get all of the rent. Young people who live with parents can usually manage but it's tough for those with rent liability.

Unless it is a property you don't live in, regardless of equity/money you could take out, you can indeed claim universal credit. I don't know what gave you the impression otherwise, you just can't get the housing cost element.

I received universal credit as a single mum for 2 children different sex’s so the element for example for housing benefit would include 2 separate bedrooms for them but only after the age of 10.
I worked from when my daughter was 6 months part time then full time when kids were 6 and little one 2.( so I’ve always paid the system as it were) I earned about £55k.i went to private school all my life funded myself through university and have a professional job. Had an ex husband who didn’t always contribute what he should have done and if he had contributed more maybe I would have not had to rely on the system. I had cancer at the age of 30 and still carried on working when I could though the treatment stage and had help from grandparents with the children.

I wouldn’t have been able to live close to family and supported my children if I hadn’t received universal credit.

there something fundamentally wrong if someone is earning £55k to survive. We didn’t have glamorous holidays and I was very organized with food and the costs.

i hope this had given you an understanding of how universal credit can help

Telling someone to calm down is very condescending and rude. There are other ways of making your point without telling someone to calm down.

I agree with you . We need to stop blaming people and actually increase wages

Why would you believe Google or AI over actual humans who work in this sector (like me)? Please please don't let the robots win.

I earn more than that and I receive it too

Thank you @SimplySooand others. Google thinks it does so I’m not sure who’s right. I wouldn’t want to falsely claim it. I can’t find anything about it on the gov website. I’ve posted a screenshot of google so it might not update immediately

I genuinely think there are lots of people on this thread who should be claiming UC but didn't realise they could.

Use the Entitled To calculator.

Or ask Citizens Advice if you think your situation is complicated.

Yes, you can claim if you live in a property you own (with a mortgage). But you don't get help paying the mortgage on a monthly basis (unlike rent). @arethereanyleftatall If you live in the property you are talking about then it's disregarded as an asset/capital.

You can look up benefits calculator. The one I looked at was called Turn to us or smth similar

Having children isn't a detail here. If for example she's a single parent of two young children, her salary won't go far.

Wow when I was a single parent in 2022 I earned just over £25K or may have been £26K can’t recall, I was working reduced hours as my daughter was young and I was entitled to nothing. Or does it depend on how much your rent is and what area you live in? I have a mortgage rather than rent which isn’t huge due to earning way more before deciding to have a kid. I mean I got by, but struggled at times and I still have the credit card debt. I thought I was loaded when my salary went up to over £34K again! 🤣

I earn 33k, I get 600£ a month UC. I work full-time have 2 dc under 16, single parent. We uss food banks and I have 2nd job.
Its fairly normal.

I think the main issue is the rent and mortgage prices and perhaps energy bills too of late. Taxes here aren’t much higher than most European countries from what I understand.

I moved to an area with cheaper rent and it changed my finances completely.

To be clear I’m not saying everyone can or should move, but my point is housing costs are the big drain on finances.

I don’t know your situation so father of your children may not be able to pay child support for valid reasons, but on the whole it’s shocking that men can’t be relied upon to provide for their children. Another problem in your circumstances is that you have one fairly modest income to provide not just for an adult but two kids.

I earn more than that and receive UC.
im a solo parent to 2 young children. No other financial input.
my rent (on a 2 bed property/very small) is £1000pcm. My council tax is £184 with a 25% discount. My gas/electric is nearly £200. (I’m careful) my water bill has doubled since last year. Food and petrol (we live in a remote place no shop etc) costs several hundred per month, no extra circular , nothing. I can’t afford to move or save.
my wage isn’t enough to provide the basics after the standard bills.
if government didn’t tax and NI us so much and cost of living was reflective of a living wage, perhaps we wouldn’t need a ‘top up’

I personally think the system is wrong. The government is currently financing big business to make even more money because the min wage is so little, therefore top up. They should remove UC to existing workers, increase min wage and reduce business tax (to allow business to pay better salaries), that would incentivise more people to get jobs.

Same, I earn just under 52k and receive more in UC than the example OP’s talking about. Maybe if our wages were better we’d be able to afford raising children while renting without support from the state. Ten years ago my current salary was a dream, now it just covers the bills.

I am more surprised that a single unemployed person who is actively seeking work, is left to live on £324.34 a month after they have paid their rent.

I could say it is quite fortunate that they are not under 25 years old, or it would be £238.02 a month after their rent is paid.

Being unemployed when you don't have DC or disabilities is financially crippling!!

The person I know who is attempting to exist on £324.34 a month has worked for the last 38 years in a low paid job, so no opportunity to save, and is quite creative with their finances but even they are finding it a complete grind to even afford to eat!!
They lost their job unexpectedly when the company went bankrupt.
Obviously, they are prepared to do anything at all but no luck in 2 months now, not even an interview!!

There but for the grace of God!

Well prepare to be further stunned.... I earn 52k, single parent of 4. I get some UC too.

When I was much younger I thought 50k was a massive wage. Get that and be on easy street. Maybe a few years ago but certainly not now. I'm aware we're far from being on the breadline but I don't exactly live a life of luxury 😅 34k really isn't a massive wage nowadays. YABU.

She must have be a single parent,£34k isn’t a lot for a household with children.As far as I’m aware maintenance payments don’t get taken into consideration when UC amounts are awarded

Trainee social worker on £34 thousand. Salary will increase on qualification so the benefit may well disappear. Surely there are children's benefits too.