Page 15 | Can you get universal credit for being a SAHM if husband works f/t?

faultywiring · 2023-04-11T11:25:59+00:00

I am a SAHM and dh works full time, only min wage but he does about 50 hours. Would I be able to get Universal credit and stay at home dc are 5 and 7 both at school. I don't want job seekers as I'm not looking for jobs but just wondering if UC was an option or if I'd be expected to look for work?

MrsSamR · 11/04/2023 19:36

stayathomer · 11/04/2023 19:28

It's not about being a SAHM as people have said a million times - it's about expecting working people to fund your lifestyle choices. There is no criticism of SAHMs whatsoever - but it should be a mutual decision between parents and funded by themselves, not the taxpayer.

People saying ‘get off your arse’ and talking about people sitting and watching This Morning- if you were a sahm would you not think everyone is assuming you’re lazy?

I'm currently on mat leave with my second DD and my eldest is in nursery 3 days a week. The days I have both girls is hard work. I don't doubt being a SAHM is hard work. But OP's children are at school all day! She is not a SAHP anymore. That ship has sailed. She is unemployed. Why she thinks she should take money from hardworking people to look after school aged children is baffling to me. If you are a genuine SAHM that is an entirely different thing. As I keep saying this thread is not about bashing SAHPs. It's a full time and very difficult job. Believe me I know.

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 19:46

MrsSamR · 11/04/2023 19:36

I'm currently on mat leave with my second DD and my eldest is in nursery 3 days a week. The days I have both girls is hard work. I don't doubt being a SAHM is hard work. But OP's children are at school all day! She is not a SAHP anymore. That ship has sailed. She is unemployed. Why she thinks she should take money from hardworking people to look after school aged children is baffling to me. If you are a genuine SAHM that is an entirely different thing. As I keep saying this thread is not about bashing SAHPs. It's a full time and very difficult job. Believe me I know.

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Do you claim UC help with childcare?

Needanewadventure2021 · 11/04/2023 19:55

You can see why these threads attract angry posts.

It honestly baffles me what some can earn and still he entitled to help. £40k plus earnings and still get UC. I earn 16k and get a small top up. My annual household income is no more than 20k and it's a struggle! On UC it would be less! I am a single parent, work full time. I have a child who has been denied DLA despite medical intervention from various agencies and within school and home. Somehow they believe he is like his peers despite professionals evidencing he isn't. Because his DLA has been denied I am having to fund his equipment etc privately. I get no help.
I do not have housing costs as I am mortgaged therefore UC is a very unfair system for me and clearly so when some how households with incomes of double what I do and get way more benefits than I can. Simarly with my elderly parents. One in receipt of state pension, and one unable to work due to severe mobility issues and awaiting double knee replacements. They cannot get UC either as they have been told they can live off state pension. This has been checked by Welfare Rights too!

People can say 'why shouldn't we claim it when we are entitled'. But then you have to expect the negative comments when there are many other with incomes no where near as high and get told they can't claim anything!

wellnowthisisembarrassing · 11/04/2023 19:55

faultywiring · 11/04/2023 12:58

We do manage fine with dh earnings. I just wasn't sure if there was something I could have been claiming and wasn't.
We do get child benefit.
It's the logistics of it all, my parents are nearly 80 and have health issues so are not able to look after the dc and dh family live hours away.
The dc never seem to be in school.
6 weeks off in the summer holidays
Half terms
End of terms
Easter hols
Xmas hols
Inset days
Days sick
And lately Strikes
It's easy to say the dc are at school but they never seem to be and any jobs I have had in the past have ended because I can't get child care, especially for flexible work which is the field I work.
I don't know any Childminders who will just have dc as and when you need them.

Welcome to the world of being a working parent. Seriously, get a job if you want more money.

MrsSamR · 11/04/2023 20:01

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 19:46

Do you claim UC help with childcare?

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No I don't. My husband works full time. I was working full time until I had my eldest daughter when I moved to part time (3 days per week, hence her still being at nursery 3 days a week). I'll go back to working 3 days a week in October and then back to full time once my youngest starts school. Why do you ask?

CandlelightGlow · 11/04/2023 20:07

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 12:40

Sorry i should add you would both be expected to work unless you have a health condition which prevents you from going so or you are a carer.

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Sorry to quote you @Babyroobs but do you have a link for this info?

I definitely saw that the AET rule for couples was changing too but at the time, it had no date for the change and now I'm googling, I can't find anything about it! All the links I'm clicking on just relate to an increase but they're all from January.

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 20:13

Needanewadventure2021 · 11/04/2023 19:55

You can see why these threads attract angry posts.

It honestly baffles me what some can earn and still he entitled to help. £40k plus earnings and still get UC. I earn 16k and get a small top up. My annual household income is no more than 20k and it's a struggle! On UC it would be less! I am a single parent, work full time. I have a child who has been denied DLA despite medical intervention from various agencies and within school and home. Somehow they believe he is like his peers despite professionals evidencing he isn't. Because his DLA has been denied I am having to fund his equipment etc privately. I get no help.
I do not have housing costs as I am mortgaged therefore UC is a very unfair system for me and clearly so when some how households with incomes of double what I do and get way more benefits than I can. Simarly with my elderly parents. One in receipt of state pension, and one unable to work due to severe mobility issues and awaiting double knee replacements. They cannot get UC either as they have been told they can live off state pension. This has been checked by Welfare Rights too!

People can say 'why shouldn't we claim it when we are entitled'. But then you have to expect the negative comments when there are many other with incomes no where near as high and get told they can't claim anything!

The poster who had an income of 40k and still got £800 in UC does so because she has a disabled child and this brings with it a lot higher UC award ( as it rightly should). The disabled child element when on higher rate DLA is something like an extra £450 a month and then you still get the normal child element and a carers element which can make the award add up hugely. I think there was maybe a bit of a drip feed earlier on. When people say " we have an income of 45k and still get hundreds in UC " there is a reason why and it's usually because they have a severely disabled child or multiple disabled children and/ or high rent. Most people would not get anywhere near this amount on 45k of earnings. UC will not pay towards a mortgage but you do get a significantly higher work allowance when you do not claim rent costs and this has just gone up even higher, so people with a mortgage do benefit a little more that way. If your child is awarded DLA even at middle rate, then your UC award would go up significantly with addition of child disability element and carers element.

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 20:19

CandlelightGlow · 11/04/2023 20:07

Sorry to quote you @Babyroobs but do you have a link for this info?

I definitely saw that the AET rule for couples was changing too but at the time, it had no date for the change and now I'm googling, I can't find anything about it! All the links I'm clicking on just relate to an increase but they're all from January.

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I'm sorry I don't as I don't think the finer details have been announced yet. I only know from facebook UC sites who have been discussing it. If you want to have a look at the martins money savings website threads/ forum there has been quite a bit of discussion about it there so there may be links as some of those posters are real experts. From what I have read the AET is going up to 18 x nmw per week for each of a couple. I think this is from september but on some of the other forums, UC claimants have been saying they have been called into the job centre already and told they need to look for work when their partners earnings had previously meant they were in light touch group. To be honest I have struggled to find links myself but there does seem to be a general consensus form experts on other groups that this is definately going to be happening later this year. I guess it could all change again when we have a general election if a different party gets into power. I will do some further digging to see if I can find any links ! Sorry I probably shouldn't have posted the info without links.

CandlelightGlow · 11/04/2023 20:29

@Babyroobs Ah no it's okay, you are right it was mentioned!

I can only find a single reference to it here with no date mentioned:

Spring Budget 2023 factsheet – Labour Market Measures - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I wonder if they will back track at any point as it seems the least fleshed out part of all the changes.

Spring Budget 2023 factsheet – Labour Market Measures

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2023-labour-market-factsheet/spring-budget-2023-factsheet-labour-market-measures

monicagellerbing · 11/04/2023 20:33

So with the new rules my 14 hour job isn't going to be enough? I earn £10.50 ph. My husband works full time at 11.50ph. So will I have to look for a new job?

MathsNervous · 11/04/2023 20:55

Weefreetiffany · 11/04/2023 15:31

@IamKlaus except all the working class women I knew of my grans generation gave up work when they started a family so they could wife and mother. Only the most dire straights meant taking in sewing etc. so no, the way modern society works for ABCDE jobs post ww2 is very much based on that 40 hour working week. Mileage may vary though, for example if your family ran a business like a shop or pub etc. and in former third world countries where they are “catching up” with our society, both parents working in a medical field for example can afford a housekeeper/cook/childminder to be that stable home life provider, or rely on their mums who want their girls to have career options and do the unpaid labour of home. The labour doesn’t go away we just reshuffle it and shame women who choose it rather than their own 40 hour work week and then do it on top.

It’s gross to suggest being a stay at home parent means sitting on your arse, or wanting to do so. And why should women be expected to work their fingers to the bone to justify a choice that improves their family’s quality of life? Spending power isn’t everything, as long as bills are covered etc.

so many people on here speak like they’re proud to work all hours at their bosses beck and call and see their kids 45 minutes a day, and think that’s a brilliant family set up and personal moral triumph. SMH. Personally I’m happy to pay tax to let the next generation of kids have access to a full time parent. But women who want to work and misogynists are lining up to shit on SAHP to justify their own choices. Crabs in a Thatcherite barrel.

Great post 👏

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 20:59

monicagellerbing · 11/04/2023 20:33

So with the new rules my 14 hour job isn't going to be enough? I earn £10.50 ph. My husband works full time at 11.50ph. So will I have to look for a new job?

I wouldn't worry about it for now. You wouldn't be far off the amount you need to earn when the new rules come in. It also depends on the age of your youngest child. I honestly can't see them making people look for a new job, you would probably just need to try to pick up a few extra hours or just show you are looking for extra hours. Not sure they have ever been very strict on enforcing these things except for people who don't work at all and really aren't making any effort.

MathsNervous · 11/04/2023 21:06

Snaaaaacks · 11/04/2023 16:05

If you give up work until your children are 12/13 ish, have 2 children a couple of years apart that's 15 years out the workforce. 15 years not keeping up your practice/professional development, in that time industries can completely change. You return from 15 years away and you are starting back at the bottom (if you can get back in) and have 15 years missing from your pension contributions. Once children reach school age childcare costs drop massively, continuing to work those 15 years you might be forking out on childcare but you are continuing to progress your career, you aren't left behind, in fact you'll be working your way up. You'll have 15 years in your pension pot and once childcare costs stop you'll reap the rewards as you haven't sacrificed your career to have kids.

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Not everyone lives long enough to claim their pension. Personally I don't think I will live long enough to see a pension so being out of the workforce for years isn't really worth worrying about.

monicagellerbing · 11/04/2023 21:07

Thanks @Babyroobs I'd be gutted to leave my current job I love it!

MathsNervous · 11/04/2023 21:15

Itsaboutdamntime899 · 11/04/2023 16:27

You could work weekend night shifts.

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Not everyone works 9 to 5 Monday to Friday. Perhaps OP's husband does shifts and they change constantly.

I used to do ten days on, four off etc years ago when I worked for the NHS.

signalsnap · 11/04/2023 21:17

MasssiveSalad · 11/04/2023 13:18

@berksandbeyond @drpet49 Is stay at home parent only when your children are at home like 2 years and under? What if they are at preschool? I thought stay at home mum means you're in a relationship where the other parent works and you're at home and have children under 18.

SAHP, stay at home PERSON, when you stay at home and children are in school all day. And nothing wrong with it at all...if you can afford to support yourself doing it.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 11/04/2023 21:20

Lots of people manage to work and have children... I worked full time as a single parent with no help. You just pay for before and after school clubs and book your children into clubs during the school holidays. It's hard but perfectly doable! I'm not sure how you think you're any different to all the other working parents around you. If you get UC when you're choosing to stay at home I'll be gob smacked.

Saltired · 11/04/2023 21:28

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 20:13

The poster who had an income of 40k and still got £800 in UC does so because she has a disabled child and this brings with it a lot higher UC award ( as it rightly should). The disabled child element when on higher rate DLA is something like an extra £450 a month and then you still get the normal child element and a carers element which can make the award add up hugely. I think there was maybe a bit of a drip feed earlier on. When people say " we have an income of 45k and still get hundreds in UC " there is a reason why and it's usually because they have a severely disabled child or multiple disabled children and/ or high rent. Most people would not get anywhere near this amount on 45k of earnings. UC will not pay towards a mortgage but you do get a significantly higher work allowance when you do not claim rent costs and this has just gone up even higher, so people with a mortgage do benefit a little more that way. If your child is awarded DLA even at middle rate, then your UC award would go up significantly with addition of child disability element and carers element.

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Not necessarily true, our household income was about £43k (two part time incomes) and we got £600 per month universal credit. We were right on the upper earning boundary though, and were only eligible for childcare costs (1 year old in nursery)

Ans before anyone thinks I’m a benefit scrounger; it was only for a period of less than 6 months while on a waiting list for full-time childcare after maternity leave - I’ve now had a pay rise and also returning full-time so no longer get any support - my baby has just turned 1)

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 21:35

Saltired · 11/04/2023 21:28

Not necessarily true, our household income was about £43k (two part time incomes) and we got £600 per month universal credit. We were right on the upper earning boundary though, and were only eligible for childcare costs (1 year old in nursery)

Ans before anyone thinks I’m a benefit scrounger; it was only for a period of less than 6 months while on a waiting list for full-time childcare after maternity leave - I’ve now had a pay rise and also returning full-time so no longer get any support - my baby has just turned 1)

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Sorry yes I should have also included childcare costs as the other scenario where the Uc award would be bumped up high enough to qualify.

Saltired · 11/04/2023 21:42

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 21:35

Sorry yes I should have also included childcare costs as the other scenario where the Uc award would be bumped up high enough to qualify.

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I think the childcare element is different though - you need to provide receipts and pay a whole month upfront. It’s not like regular UC. Unfortunately though; you don’t have to prove that you are using the childcare for work purposes - so my child could have actually gone to nursery for 5 days and I could have quit my job 😳 kind of defeats the purpose! I do think if UC are funding childcare for under 3’s you should have to evidence a need for using childcare. Be that work or due to having maybe another child with additional needs, parental health or similar.

Daisydu · 11/04/2023 21:53

Needanewadventure2021 · 11/04/2023 19:55

You can see why these threads attract angry posts.

It honestly baffles me what some can earn and still he entitled to help. £40k plus earnings and still get UC. I earn 16k and get a small top up. My annual household income is no more than 20k and it's a struggle! On UC it would be less! I am a single parent, work full time. I have a child who has been denied DLA despite medical intervention from various agencies and within school and home. Somehow they believe he is like his peers despite professionals evidencing he isn't. Because his DLA has been denied I am having to fund his equipment etc privately. I get no help.
I do not have housing costs as I am mortgaged therefore UC is a very unfair system for me and clearly so when some how households with incomes of double what I do and get way more benefits than I can. Simarly with my elderly parents. One in receipt of state pension, and one unable to work due to severe mobility issues and awaiting double knee replacements. They cannot get UC either as they have been told they can live off state pension. This has been checked by Welfare Rights too!

People can say 'why shouldn't we claim it when we are entitled'. But then you have to expect the negative comments when there are many other with incomes no where near as high and get told they can't claim anything!

It’s not unfair. No one is going to pay for you to own your home. So you definitely should not get housing help. You do get a higher work allowance though which helps

Babyroobs · 11/04/2023 21:57

Saltired · 11/04/2023 21:42

I think the childcare element is different though - you need to provide receipts and pay a whole month upfront. It’s not like regular UC. Unfortunately though; you don’t have to prove that you are using the childcare for work purposes - so my child could have actually gone to nursery for 5 days and I could have quit my job 😳 kind of defeats the purpose! I do think if UC are funding childcare for under 3’s you should have to evidence a need for using childcare. Be that work or due to having maybe another child with additional needs, parental health or similar.

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You both have to be working to claim the childcare element and it is paid as another element of UC as part of your total award so I can't see how it's not regular UC, it is part of the overall award ? They don't just pay childcare for people to stay home ( except when they are already paying it and a parent is on mat leave ). They are also changing the way it is paid so that people can claim it upfront. This was announced in the recent spring budget so will hopefully make it easier for people to start working without having a huge childcare bill to pay upfront.

Needanewadventure2021 · 11/04/2023 22:29

@Daisydu my post was not saying I felt it was unfair that my mortgage wasn't covered. I've never expected it to be but then some could argue that UC is being paid to cover the rents of those paying privately which in many cases is covering someone's mortgage.

But my point is UC is, and I stand by my opinion, unfair for alot of people

Itsallok · 12/04/2023 01:08

I stand by my opinion that once kids are in school - barring excessive caring responsibilities for elderly parents or severely impacted children - having no paid work is lazy. It might be a choice - but it's lazy. There is a big range between full time work and working at all. And if something happens to the one working parent then you are stuffed.

Beezknees · 12/04/2023 06:33

Depends on his wage and your circumstances.

Wouldn't bother me if you claimed UC if you're entitled to it. I'm a single parent working full time and get UC. I think lumping people into categories of who is "deserving" of benefits is a dangerous road.

Can you get universal credit for being a SAHM if husband works f/t?

Interested in this thread?