Do Universal Credit rules require work when you have young children?

[Chezza1990]

Does anyone know if there are any rules with having to have a job when you receive universal credit and have children? To put it into context I have 3 children aged 4 and under, my partner is self employed and im currently employed, however im struggling to maintain a healthy work life balance.

The reality is that now the cap has been lifted even with them both working they may still be eligible to claim some UC depending on circumstances. It's a pretty generous benefit for families with the generous work allowances and taper rates.

And just to add in the past mothers stayed home and they paid way less tax then we do now! Don’t let older people guilt trip you about receiving what amounts to a tax rebate. If you as a family unit are putting in more than you receive you are not scrounging

Your husband has to be gainfully self employed and your household income must be above a certain point. There are benefit calculators you can use.

UC isn't supposed to enable people to have a 'better work life balance'. It's supposed to help people who have very little money. It's not so you can just say you fancy working less hours so you can do something fun.

@Choososyou know that the government pot pays for far more for families than just whatever you get in benefits, don’t you? NHS, schooling, for example?!? I think every birth costs the government something like £8000. It is extrenely rare for parents of young children to be contributors to the pot, (including the costs of their child) rather than takers.

OP does have a job ...

It will depend on how much your partner earns and even then, I'm not sure if it will be different because he is self employed.

Generally, if your partner earned under the earning threshold and you have children 3+ then you'd be required to look for work.

I assume that having children was a choice.

We are all struggling to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Why should other people work and pay taxes to support your choices?

So under 3 they don't, IF one parent is working a sufficient amount of hours/ earns sufficiently.

I would recommend that you donate benefits calculator such as entitled to.

I suspect your kids and household would be much happier if only one of you worked, at least until they're school age.

If you can afford it, I think you should do it in a heartbeat. You'll never get this time back.

The biggest cost to the pot is old age care, if you have no children you will most likely be reliant on other taxpayers to care for you in your old age, other people’s children to look after you in the care home.

Im sure you’re probably one of them on here who think the solution is to just bring millions from abroad as if you really think you’ll be treated well in the care home when all the carers think you’re a privileged oppressor who colonised their ancestors.

You people really don’t think this through

I have kids and fully expect to be reliant on other people's kids to take care of me in my old age!

I think if you’re partner is self employed it won’t count towards the amount you need to earn as a couple
i think it’s around 1600 a month

It depends on what he's self-employed in, how long and how steady the income is. If he's an electrician for example with his own company for the last 5years and a steady income then it counts. If he's an odd job man, only works a few hours a week, doesn't make minimum wage and has only been doing it a year, then it won't.

Yep.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more tbh.

That’s the rules apparently but mine are teenagers and I’ve been sitting on it for 6 months no questions asked!

Do you have a partner?

Adult social care is about 2% of UK state spending. I’m not sure where you got the idea that it’s “the biggest cost to the pot” but you’re wrong. Possibly you’re confusing total spending with local spending. Adult social care is the largest part of the local authority pot, paid out of council tax.

That’s incorrect. Self employed earnings do not count towards the AET

a healthy work life balance is a luxury that many don’t have. UC is a safety net not a lifestyle choice (or it shouldn’t be), there are some relaxations for younger kids but randomly quitting your job is unlikely to be tolerated.

@Kirbert2

Yes he works full time. I’m currently getting housing element and child element for 3 kids. No one has contacted me in 6 months.

Background context - I was working as a teaching assistant for years via an agency. I went to one school and received a malicious allegation so I was barred from working whilst the investigation went through (for obvious reasons). I was left with no income so applied for UC.

To my absolute astonishment I was receiving pretty much the same on UC as working full time as a teaching assistant. The investigation didn’t take too long and I was cleared to work but I had a few months off.

Make of that what you will.

I start a new job on Monday, I couldn’t actually cope with the boredom in the end. But the rest was nice.

I don't know the rules with self employment but if your partner earns over the AET for normal employment you don't have to work when the youngest is three. Might be different for self employment? However I wouldn't completely give up the job as it isn't easy to get another.

You have 3 children aged under 4. The only work you need to be doing is mothering.

Absolute nonsense. She has 3 children aged under 4!
There are no work requirements on UC until the youngest turns 3.

It will be because your partner earns over the AET. If he earned under it then you would've heard from them.

In the future, if we followed through on the idea some have on here that if you can’t pay for private health care and schooling you shouldn’t reproduce.

Anyway as I said we pay more in tax than we receive in uc so I will not feel guilty for receiving it. I consider it more of a tax rebate.

Older people can complain about people receiving uc all they want but back then women stayed home and they weren’t taxed like we are now. Anyway I get it’s frustrating that there’s families where both parents don’t want to work but complaining about every family receiving UC is purity spiralling