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

No it isn’t just because women work

What has also changed since the 1980s is that most women now work so housing costs have risen steeply because households have two salaries. Blame feminism!

What has also changed since the 1980s is that most women now work so housing costs have risen steeply because households have two salaries. Blame feminism!

Exactly it’s housing. People forget in the 80s there was 5.5m council homes.

Why the need to be rude? I said I was working, so yes, I obviously missed that detail. It’s easy to be unpleasant from behind a keyboard.

Going to get flamed here. But when someone on £34k gets topped up to the equivalent of a nearly £50k pre-tax salary, aren’t we admitting that £50k is the minimum amount needed to live on if you have kids? So what does that say to a teacher, nurse, midwife who works for 20 years and never earns more than £50k? Isn’t it crazy that someone who earns £34k actually earns the same as some on £50k? It feels like the world of salaries has gone mad.

Why the need to be rude? I said I was working, so yes, I obviously missed that detail. It’s easy to be unpleasant from behind a keyboard.

The average rent where I live is £924 for a one-bed and £1,506 for a 3-bed. LHA rates are £920 and £1,450 respectively, so not a huge gap.

However, that's across the whole district council area. I live in the most expensive town in the district, so they're probably a fair bit higher here. I've seen a 1-bed flat in a letting agent's window at a rent of £1,100 a month.

I was actually quite surprised, as they've built a lot of flats here over the last couple of years, which I thought might have slowed the increase in rents a bit.

It's housing costs that have gone mad, aided and abetted by government subsidies in the form of, firstly tax credits, and now universal credit. Basic economics of supply and demand and we've seen massive housing costs increase on the back of the government subsidising increasing rents - if the money is there, prices increase. At the same time, over the past few decades, we've had easy low cost mortgages, liar loans, low/zero deposits etc also increasing the supply of cash which fuels housing cost inflation.

When the whole idea of "tax credits" was introduced, some warned that it would turn huge chunks of the workforce into net benefit recipients.

Obviously they were ignored, because it was a great way to let companies avoid paying their staff. I mean why would you, if the government will ?

Not that it has much bearing here, where the only aim is to punch down, not up.

It's housing costs that have gone mad, aided and abetted by government subsidies in the form of, firstly tax credits, and now universal credit. Basic economics of supply and demand and we've seen massive housing costs increase on the back of the government subsidising increasing rents - if the money is there, prices increase. At the same time, over the past few decades, we've had easy low cost mortgages, liar loans, low/zero deposits etc also increasing the supply of cash which fuels housing cost inflation.

There are people on Facebook groups for UC advice who are asked to post their statements when they ask a question. The amount of rent some pay is ridiculous

Why the need to be rude? I said I was working, so yes, I obviously missed that detail. It’s easy to be unpleasant from behind a keyboard.

When the whole idea of "tax credits" was introduced, some warned that it would turn huge chunks of the workforce into net benefit recipients.

Obviously they were ignored, because it was a great way to let companies avoid paying their staff. I mean why would you, if the government will ?

Not that it has much bearing here, where the only aim is to punch down, not up.

I read the OP and knew it was nonsense. Thank you for confirming ☺️.

Going to get flamed here. But when someone on £34k gets topped up to the equivalent of a nearly £50k pre-tax salary, aren’t we admitting that £50k is the minimum amount needed to live on if you have kids? So what does that say to a teacher, nurse, midwife who works for 20 years and never earns more than £50k? Isn’t it crazy that someone who earns £34k actually earns the same as some on £50k? It feels like the world of salaries has gone mad.

Every public sector employer. I have always worked in the private sector generating wealth so I know this 🤥

The selling off of council houses by Margaret Thatcher is one of the neoliberal policies Burnham is attacking.

Why the need to be rude? I said I was working, so yes, I obviously missed that detail. It’s easy to be unpleasant from behind a keyboard.

Where the hell is all this going on? I'll leave my council and come work there 😳.

There are people on Facebook groups for UC advice who are asked to post their statements when they ask a question. The amount of rent some pay is ridiculous

All the sarky comments - how dare the OP suggest this is unreasonable - but there is the minor detail that the UK can barely cover it's debt interest payments. Eventually the shit will hit the fan.