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

[faultywiring]

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?

🤣

OP I agree with you the kids are not really in school much. In my experience people were both parents work full time have a lot of extended family help. We have neither and I cannot afford to work due to the cost of holiday and after school club for 3 kids outstripping my earnings massively.

It does make a difference form september as the AET is going to be individual from then so both will be expected to work.

We have no family help and both work full time.

We have to pay for breakfast club, wrap around and holiday clubs.

Lots of people have kids and work full time with no family support because they either want to or they have to!

We are only entitled to CB, CTCs and Scottish Child Payment for four DC.

Agree. despite working all hours around each other when ours were little ( I did nights and weekends, he did days ) , it was certainly easier because we had family close by to fill in the gaps. My dm died suddenly when my youngest was four though and we then had to just muddle through.

😂It had to be said!

And no you don’t have to look for work if your partners earnings are above the AET.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/what-youll-need-to-do-on-universal-credit/claimant-commitment-what-group/

If you live with your partnerYour earnings thresholds will be added together to create one joint threshold.
If your combined earnings are less than your joint threshold, one or both of you will need to look for more work. If one of you is earning more than their individual threshold, that person doesn’t have to look for more work.
Contact your nearest Citizens Advice if you need help with your earnings threshold.
If you earn below your earnings thresholdYou’ll be in the ‘all work-related activity’ group. This usually means you’ll have to find enough work to increase your earnings above your earnings threshold.
You won’t have to look for more work if either:

• you earn over £617 a month
• you live with your partner and your combined earnings are over £988 a month

This is known as the ‘administrative earnings threshold’.

The couple's locally have extended family support networks who do live locally which makes a difference. We have never had this so I have been a SAHM for almost 16 years.

Erm, because it’s right?

The OP asked if she could claim UC and not be expected to work - no.

Doesnt matter what her partners income is, she will be expected to work and if she doesn’t, she’ll be expected to spend over 35 hours a week looking for work and documenting it.

@LiliLil you are wrong. If her partners earnings are over a certain limit no she will not be expected to work…..

Ahh so it's not actually that you're concerned about your elderly parents - just that you're annoyed they can no longer provide free childcare. You really are something OP.

I worked full time from when DD was two months old. I have always been a sole parent with zero family help. Many people I know have done exactly the same with breakfast clubs, wraparound care, holiday clubs.

Until September, when both will be expected to work….

Well done to you both but in my circle only those that have lots of family help can afford for both parents to work full time. This is because in the area I live in unfortunately the cost of childcare compared to wages means it's not affordable otherwise. Average wage is about £22k max.

I think you would be required to look for work given the age of your children. Unless you have a child with a disability. You will be able to transfer your personal tax allowance to him. But you won't gain much.

@normajeans apologies if I am wrong but I believe if they do claim UC the non working half of the couple would be expected to be actively searching for work.
So my "no" wasn't a lie.
If it was true surely practically every sahp would be claiming ?
Maybe I am wrong.
All I know is my husband earns around £35 thousand, I am a sahp and we can't claim UC.

I can't believe this is real 🤣🤣

Don’t worry op. I’ll just return to work full time once my baby reaches 9 months old and juggle nursery drop offs and school holidays for my eldest (as is my plan) so that I can pay towards you staying at home and twiddling your thumbs whilst your kids are at school all day. Figure it out like the rest of us do

I’m a single parent to 2 school aged kids. How do you think I manage, OP?

I pay for wrap around school care and the holiday club run by the same provider. My oldest child will be in high school soon so he can just come home alone, and that will save me some money. But that’s just what you have to do. Pay for childcare. It is available around school hours and school holidays.

You can’t claim just because you’re a SAHM. You and your husband need to make a joint claim because it depends on his earnings but you will be expected to look for work and go to interviews and get a job.

100% this!!!

I can't get child care, especially for flexible work which is the field I work.

If your earning potential is greater than your husband's, could you work FT and he work PT?

I struggle to see why the state (ie taxpayers) should fund a lifestyle choice. If you want more income, look at ways you can earn it.

Many of us had no family help with childcare. I worked 3 evening/night shifts per week when my dc were small to fit around DH's hours. Other friends have done hospitality shifts, or Term time only contracts.

With the exception of the strikes children are in school for 195 days a year. Even out with this you have weekends/evenings or whenever your DH doesn't work. I know this sounds harsh but benefits are there for those who need it not those who want their lifestyle funded! If there were less people doing the latter there might not be as many hoops to jump through for those who really need benefits.

Welcome to the real world hun.

No actually it's just the earnings from one partner in a claim has jumped dramatically. You can still have one person at home if you earn enough post September.