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.

You cannot unless you fall in particular circumstances. For example having children under 3 I think. After you need to either work 30 hours or prove you are looking for a job.
You are however exempt from working 30hrs a week if you are a carer.

I think people are getting confused over work requirements. If you are quite well paid you can reduce hours as long as you don't fall below the earnings threshold. It's done on income not hours. Which is why you get lone parents hounded to work more while people with partners can claim the same amount of benefit while not working based on their partner's income and are left alone. It's an unfair system.

It is different. I have to earn the minimum floor which is around £1600 a month which is 30hrs at nmw

maybe as I’m self employed it’s different ?

if I don’t earn that I get harassed and get 2 week video calls

as sometimes have the odd week or two inbetween jobs

if single and no kids then only having to earn £952 which is just under half what I have to - how can that make sense ?

I have two jobs, 3 kids, no father support and still receive UC top up. Can’t do any more than that

You should look into it. As a PP said check on entitledto. My brother and his wife both work and get UC. They do have 3 children, but UC credit only pay for 2 currently.

Imagine arguing that learning to swim isn't a necessity when we live on an island.

Yes SE is different.

I wonder why

so as se single mum of primary age child - and I don’t claim for childcare

I have to earn almost double what a single no kids employed person need to earn

how on earth can that be fair

Guess it is to make sure your business is viable whereas it was a bit lax under tax credits?

I have 10 grand in savings and on uc

They work longer hours, rather than expecting other people to pick up the tab.

I was never on tax credits

went on uc after splitting with dh

You must be joking 😂😂😂😂

I speaking generally. It did happen. You would be better off being employed.

No I am. Swimming is important.

No I wouldn’t. I earn more se and my work , works around dd

if I was in employed I would have to find and pay for childcare (yes 85% is paid) but not if you can’t find anyone for childcare as before /after school club fully booked and waiting lists and all the cm are full who pick up from my school

and never spent anytime with my child

it’s why I went into nights 15yrs ago

for some yes maybe

I just think it’s really strange I have to earn almost double what a single employed person does

Not joking I mean.

I'm always surprised when people say I can't afford netflix.
You do realise the cheapest netflix plan is £5.99 a month?
Maybe you need to budget better?
I mean most people have 1 or 2 coffees a month
There's ur netflix plan 😊

one of the issues this thread has highlighted is that minimum wage (the living wage they call it if you’re over 21…ha ha ha) often does not enable you to pay housing costs. Hence UC.

I think the crux of the issue is that it is extremely difficult to run a household with DC on a single (especially female, part time) wage.

But this isn't actually new, it's always been hard. The kids from 'broken homes' (as we called them when I grew up in the 70s) were mostly very poor and had zero luxuries, especially where the father didn't pay maintenance.

The difference now is the volume of single adult households. Only one child in my class in primary school didn't live with her mum and dad, it really was unusual.

If UC is the substitute for the second adult's income and the number of parents living separately increases massively, it's inevitable that there will be a strain on the public purse.

Benefits should be the absolute minimum only. No coffees or netflix.

Are you joking?

Are you allowed Netflix if you're on benefits but don't buy yourself any new clothes for a year?

@sunshinestar1986 I don't have Neflix as it is a "luxury" and I use that to prioritise other more important things. We could say "It's only..." to so many things.

Have you actually tried claiming?