I’m a single mum claiming a UC top up AMA

[cadburyegg]

There’s a lot of negative press and misinformation about benefit claimants so thought I’d start a thread. I work nearly full time and have 2 children. Ask away.

@cadburyegg do you find you are judged in real life for claiming UC? Or is it mostly from people online (and I mean on MN!)?

You say one pot but in a previous post you commented about what " you" pay for hence why I raised it.

Indeed we will have to disagree about swimming lessons not being essential. To me that is ludicrous and an excuse by you for justifying the claim. As I said " you seem to have a handle on this"

You continually disregard the fact that you SAVE monthly for your children. In my opinion there is something wrong in a system whereby someone is on benefits and is able to save money.

So anyone who gets child benefit shouldn’t be able to save?

UC claimants have no say on what they get paid.
If OP, and anyone on UC, pays all the essentials like bills etc, and has some left over then fair play to them. They can blow it on drugs, or save it. Or use it for swimming lesson and Netflix.
There is a Gov saving scheme just for working people on UC. So even the government encourages people on UC to save.

https://www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income

I don't agree with unlimited child benefit either. Why should tax payers have to pay for people who have loads of children ?

Child benefit has been capped at 2 kids for years now.

Small minded benefit basher, got it.

As I said before ridiculous.

Take that up with the Gov, and not the people who are doing nothing wrong by claiming UC or using the savings scheme.

If you would begrudge people on low incomes, and the disabled, some extra help... then you need to take a long and hard look at yourself. You could be in that same group just a short accident or medical episode away.

Small Minded because I don't agree with paying benefits for masses of children ? Well that's your interpretation. It wouldn't be nice though if I accused anyone on here of being a " lazy stay at home mum who has loads of kids because she gets benefits to do so" . That's just the same kind of insult in reverse.

No I wouldn't be.

You added the disabled in yourself btw!

Where is the data about single women "pumping out kids" just for benefits?
I know a few single mums and not a single one had a kid for money.
Kids use up money, but also your time, energy etc. For YEARS.

Considering this website is aimed at mums, it is shocking how so many posters are so judgemental to women who had kids with a partner/spouse in good faith, and are now blamed for "bad choices" about men etc.

Being able bodied is temporary.

No it hasn’t

Yes it has. Since 2017

No it’s not.

People always confuse the 2

as long as income is under £60k every child a family has will get child benefit CB

• You get £25.60 per week for your first (eldest) child.
• ✅ You get £16.95 per week for each additional child (rates as of April 2025).

its universal credit UC that is capped at 2 children

Sorry, I meant UC.
No one is having kids to get the basic CB.

Yeah but don't say I referred to it in my post.

No. It hasn’t. You can confirm this for yourself by googling it.

I did

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-claimants

That is for UC’s child element, not Child Benefit. Different thing.

Again, what women are having kids for less than £30 a week?

Why have you directed that question to me? I haven’t posted anything about women having kids for less than £30 a week.

Because you made the distinction between UC child element and CB.