New UC rules to force both partners to work ??

[Citrusmuffin]

I can’t find anything online about this but have heard it’s being changed as previously there had to be a certain number of hours worked but this could be by just one partner but now it’s being changed to make both work even though the total household hours don’t change??

This seems very unfair and taking away choice for some families in difficult circumstances. I just can’t find the official guidance is anyone able to link to it ? Thanks

Why the reticence to properly pay carers to make it an attractive CAREER for people who'd love to work in that area but can't live on the shit wages?

Carers should be paid more. But it still isn't an excuse not to work and rely on benefits instead.

Uh, did you miss the massive issues there are currently with the government pay for "free" childcare not actually covering a lot of nurseries and childminders costs? And you don't get minimum wage as a childminder, you have to pay at the outset to set yourself up and buy toys and stuff.

Twice over the last few years locally we've had a nursery go under with about a week's notice. Both times with dozens of panicking parents calling everyone possible to look for spaces.

No. That's pure nonsense.

There would be more care workers now if it wasnt for the vaccine mandate. That was Government policy .

Well lets find out shall we?

One thing I think isn't being mentioned is there are an awful lot of women with blokes who really don't want to have to look after children for anymore than the minimum on their own and hence many women try and find jobs to fit round school or school holidays without 'inconveniencing' their partners too much by doing weekends/evenings etc. this often means doing restricted hours. I certainly experienced this in my first marriage and I expect for many that it's still the same.

The other thing is we need to get an immediate grip on good quality family sized social housing- of course people struggle when they are on low incomes and paying £900 plus rents factoring in child care etc- it's not right at all but it's easy to see that unless you are on very decent money (family or single with children) it almost doesn't pay in a monetary sense to work, especially if you rent and have young children.

Ah yes. The beatings will continue until morale improves always works so well. 🙄

Why part of @Jonei 's posts aren't making sense to you?

I get it. It takes much less effort to stamp your foot and say "Omg, just DO IT!!" that to critically analyse why people aren't doing that.

I mean it doesn't help anyone or the situation but I get why you don't want to have to think about the rental market, why people can't just hop on a bus and move cities, get their kids straight into a new school, get an affordable rent, get a job for their partner so they have this reciprocal childcare, or otherwise leave their partner and get wrap around childcare, ignoring the issie of insecure contracts or shitty landlords, crazy rents, peoples preference to live together as a family etc.

Perhaps we could get all employees to provide a dorm above the workplace so staff could literally just move in.

@Crikeyalmighty Ive noticed that with friends of mine. And i really dont think men will step up housework wise either.

No but it addresses the point made up thread about "just get a carers job".

Surely you've been on MN long enough to know that you should have picked better, should have been able to predict all future behaviour, even if they said they'd do it, did it for a while, you should have instinctively known how his behaviour would change, Inc things like him cheating etc. You should have picked better. Apparently.

Her belief that if only you try hard enough a solution will automagically appear perhaps?

She's had explained to her multiple times why "just move house" is not always an option. There are literally no housing in some areas that are available in a reasonable price range. There's other good reasons too; I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I don't need UC but if I did I couldn't move area if they demanded it because I have a medical situation which means I occasionally need emergency overnight childcare and family is the only option for that. (Before it kicked off a year ago I did in fact have moving plans which were reluctantly abandoned because I can't afford to be 100 miles from family if I get abruptly called to hospital). I am not counted as disabled.

But no, "if we just act meaner to poor people they'll stop making excuses" would clearly make all issues go away.

I feel like you just worded someone's election slogan
if we just act meaner to poor people they'll stop making excuses

Well having explored further, it looks like it's coming for you to move towards getting into work and away from topping up money with UC anyway. Or benefits potentially being docked. It's not hypothetical. Best start incorporating that into future planning. Rather than complaining to me that it's not going to be possible for a billion and one reasons.

@Crikeyalmighty -you raise a good point on rent, but if given housing benefit, this issue literally disappears. I have a real issue with housing benefit. It enriches landlords and it is awarded indefinitely though there are some basic checks. I would make it time limited, and start make most benefits contribution based. Other countries do this and people receive a better level of benefits because they have paid in. I think that is what the UK needs.

Not coming for me it's not. Being that I had critical illness cover which means when my health crashed precipitously which means, as stated previously, I am not on UC.

But shockingly I have the ability to understand that this is down to luck and have empathy for others less lucky. You might try it some time.

Great. You sorted yourself out. It's good to take responsibility.

Is making sure you're adequately insured down to luck? 🤔

These excuses are getting more and more outlandish. Everyone has times when they are sleep deprived while they have young children. It's not an excuse not to have a job!!

Ah! Got it!

No one is complaining to you, just pointing out that stamping your foot and saying DO IT! isn't an answer.

Which is why if they stop people's benefits say 6 months after the first claim you'll find
SOME people will go into genuine work,
some will survive working cash in hand and
some will just become impoverished because they won't have the cash to just uproot and move cities (removal vans, rent up front etc) let alone the skills to navigate the logistics of all that plus new schools etc.,
some will neglect their kids because the only option is to work overlapping hours so the kids will surely be fine without a parent alone for a few hours
some will see an in increase in domestic violence in the home
some will turn to illegal activity - prostitution, drugs etc.

But I'm sure you'll get your tax bill cut, don't worry.

It's totally normal yo have periods where you have to function on little sleep when you have children. Because of my children's disabilities, unfortunately for me it wasn't just for a few years and goes on. I can understand how you wouldn't necessarily know that is par for the course as a parent as you don't have kids, but it's normal and anybody having a child should expect this. It's not a reason to not work!

Completely predictable tbh.

But the context wasn't about one off tiredness, it was about taking the only time a parent gets to sleep because of being up all night with a disabled child and expecting them to work it, or having a work / childcare pattern that just doesn't allow for sleep.