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.

I am eligible to claim because of my circumstances which includes my total household income plus having 2 children in full time education.

Anyone else in the same circumstances as me would be able to claim the same. I don’t think a single person on that salary with no children would be able to claim. Maybe if they had high housing costs plus a disability plus carers allowance etc. Again, not an expert on the system, that’s my understanding though.

What really enrages me are the deadbeat dads who get away with spawning children they refuse to support or even raise.

Good question.

I think it’s a disgrace that my ex is allowed to work so little and therefore escapes child maintenance. I think there needs to be a better system to enforce maintenance and enforce NRPs to work.

I think employers should not assume when setting salary scales that those on incomes under a certain amount, will be supported by the tax payer / a partner / their parents.

I think there should be more support for those living in expensive areas. That doesn’t have to mean more money necessarily.

Also for single people- why is single person council tax discount only 25%? It should not be so expensive to be the only adult in the household.

Certain things should be nationalised or capped in such a way to prevent costs escalating every year. Like energy costs. No one should have to wait until January to put the heating on.

I don’t have the answers to how these things could be implemented btw just ideas.

You would be worse off financially if you dropped your hours even if you were claiming UC. UC always makes it worthwhile to earn more

I have about £200 saved. The last 2 years have been tricky ever since my exh stopped paying maintenance. I once had about £4k saved. That all went on divorce/solicitor and remortgage costs. Maybe a holiday. Everyday but bigger expenses like swimming lessons for the kids, servicing my car.

Lots of jobs requiring many skills and lots of experience pay minimum wage, and that’s not enough to support a home and children.

So you have £1930 left after paying your mortgage? Assuming bills and food are around £1k you have a decent amount left over. How come you aren’t able to save?

A combination of things.

My exh and I bought our first house when housing prices were a lot lower. We made 40k on it before selling it 4 years later and buying the house I’m still in. This house has also increased in value. My dad died a few years ago and left me some money which i used to buy my husband out of the house (this is all above board with UC). This means I have a decent amount of equity in the house which in itself reduces the mortgage amount, but also makes me a lower risk to lenders, so my interest rate is lower. I’m very lucky.

I haven’t done the maths lately as I have in previous months maxed out my overdraft which I am gradually reducing. I think about £450 a month left over. That will increase once my overdraft is at a more manageable level.

Not that kind of developer. It’s quite niche.

30 hours. Full time where I work would be 36 hours.

I believe the amount he is declaring to the CMS is correct. He may well be earning some bits cash in hand which he isn’t declaring.

He has the children EOW plus every Monday night. A bit more in the holidays. It works out about a 70/30 split (with me having them 70%)

Several reasons.

The availability of childcare here is an issue. When both of my children attended after school club they were on the waiting list for 18 months before they got a place. It is not taking any more bookings at all at the moment.

I need the flexibility that working reduced hours offers. Last week one of my children was off sick from school. I was able to mostly work around him from home that day but I had to catch up on some work on what would have been my non working day.

My oldest child has some issues (not diagnosed with anything at the moment) and struggles in school and with being away from me. I think forcing that would adversely affect him and his ability to attend school. He starts secondary next year when childcare options will reduce further but he won’t be old/mature enough to be on his own for hours at a time.

Mentally I am close to burning out as it is. I don’t have the mental strength to work more.

If your ex can't get a job he could at least do more childcare.😡

She is a single parent! Do you expect her to leave her children home alone at night like they used to?

You earn £10k more than me… can I claim UC?

I am not an expert on the system but I am not aware of many circumstances where people can get away with not working and claiming “thousands”. Maybe for those with multiple disabled children in which case I don’t begrudge them a penny, having a disabled child is really expensive from what I understand. A single person with no kids is eligible for about £400 UC per month excluding housing costs. If they are eligible for housing costs on top of that then they would end up with even less if the local housing allowance is less than their rent. Not exactly riches.

I think you are doing really well OP, the benefits system is also there as a top up-which I think some people don't get the idea of it. You shouldn't be working anymore than you already are or finding an extra job-that is just ridiculous as a single parent and would drive you into the ground. I'm glad that your mortgage is low and therefore not a source of huge stress. All the best going forward 🥰

Yes

When we got married and had children he was in stable work and seemed like a decent human being, I had no idea it would turn out like this

I find this very reassuring.
I was made redundant last month. I am a professional. There is not a lot out there for me. Lots of rejections. I do have about 6 months money but when that’s gone it’s reassuring to know I will be supported (lone parent, 16 yo in ft education).
I don’t want to obviously, but I am very, very low thinking about losing my home.

The OP answered my question. Does it sound like she is on mw? Maybe more people should be asking why people are not being paid enough to live on. Not everybody claiming UC in on MW, as you can clearly see.🙄

I don't have any questions @cadburyegg as Im also a single mum of 2, so know the system.

But for those asking the max you can earn and still claim... it depends entirely on your circumstances. DB and SIL warm nearly 50k between them. They still claim UC.

My bills are about £1000 although that does include some non essentials, strictly speaking. Like Netflix, I also save £25 for my children each which goes into an isa. It also includes some credit card debt and paying off some of my overdraft.

Over the last few months I have had various expenses like. £500 ish on car tyres and repairs. £300 on a new washing machine. £400ish on house repairs. £300 on housing estate management costs. All of these things have impacted on my ability to save. But part of it is not adjusting my expenses to account for lack of child maintenance, which I am working on improving my money management.

No, you use a babysitter.

Once she'd paid the babysitter the extra money would be almost gone though wouldn't it?

What's the going rate for a babysitter these days?