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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be worried about Universal Credit

968 replies

idiuntno57 · 23/03/2013 20:21

I am in the lucky position of not needing to claim this but I am so worried about its implementation.

Its coming in in the Autumn and is going to be an online only, monthly, postdated payment. It will be paid to one adult in the family unit.

All well and did if you are god at managing your money, internet literate and in a stable relationship. But in the real world....

How are the most vulnerable in society going to have a chance with this?

Already the council tax changes are coming in and as far as I understand people are confused and shell shocked by it. UC is much bigger and no one is prepared.

OP posts:
Feminine · 25/03/2013 09:40

I want to do that , I want to start it and run it.

You wouldn't believe the opposition at the school though.

I might walk to the co-op, its a 45 min walk ( I'm fast) and do a stint there each day. That is all I can think of today!

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 09:40

the hours depend on the youngest DCs age.

Booyhoo · 25/03/2013 09:41

also feminine would you be in a position to set up a breakfast/afterschool club yourself?

Feminine · 25/03/2013 09:41

booy even with our youngest being only 5?

I can't believe that,

Well, I believe you ...Wink

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 09:41

femimine -what's the opposition? I have access to knowledge in this area.

Feminine · 25/03/2013 09:42

I have to get the bus now , the every 2 hr one.

I'll be back later. Thanks for all the ideas. :)

Booyhoo · 25/03/2013 09:43

ah xposting. i see you have thought of that.

Feminine · 25/03/2013 09:44

faster they don't want to use the school hall.

And its an area of very middle class/wealthy families , that don't see the need either :(

SneezingwakestheJesus · 25/03/2013 09:44

With the youngest being 5, the nominated carer, who is treated as a lone parent for UC purposes, would only have to work 20 hours and these would be allowed to be in school hours. Or you can not have a nominated carer and split the hours between you both. As long as you earn NMW x 55 hours between you.

wannabeEostregoddess · 25/03/2013 09:45

That would be a household income of £22k per year.

As a family of 4 we could live on that income alone. So its basically saying that the people who need the help most will just have to jump through ridiculous hoops to get it. And forget any notions of starting your own business if you have the sheer audacity to be poor.

Booyhoo · 25/03/2013 09:45

yes 5 is the age limit now (or will be very soon if not already) for you coming off IS and switching to JSA so you will be expected to look for work under the new UC system.

bochead · 25/03/2013 09:46

I thought I was doing well after many years of getting on my bike.Went back to full time work when my only child was 6 weeks old after my partner left me high and dry. I didn't factor in that child having ASD and the impact of an inadequate health/education system. No mortgage protection insurance protects you against eventualities like this.

Childcare does not exist at any price for children like mine, and frankly he's not even that severely disabled in the grand scheme of things. (Mainstream & only 21 hours 1:1 support needed). I've been hassling the local ptb about this for a few years now as I hate feeling beholden to the tax payer.

The combined might of Mumsnet must be able to do something to help Couthy? Free school meals are inaccessible for special diets, so she won't even have that minimal safety net.

Booyhoo · 25/03/2013 09:48

ooh thanks sneezing i had the figures wrong. good to know that it's fewer hours for the nominated carer. might make things a bit easier for some.

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 09:51

feminine - very middle class/wealthy families ok I understand what you are saying about school clubs, but they will also have money to spend which is useful to you.

you need to work out what they want and will pay for. the fact they are local means you wont have travel costs.

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 10:07

feminine - also don't wait for UC to get any closer before starting your plans. you want to build up your clients base and fine tune your plans before you get competition from anyone else who is in the same situation as you.

Oopla · 25/03/2013 10:37

Thanks for the calculator link, have used it but I really don't understand the figures it's shown :0(

Why is it all so complicated?

IneedAsockamnesty · 25/03/2013 10:42

Be very careful about doing anything self employed because if you suffer a loss due to related costs it won't count as work under uc

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 10:57

but if you earn than NMW it counts to more UC hours. so 1 hour at 1.5 x NMW = 1.5 hours towards UC.

if you earn less than NMW it counts to less UC hours. so 1 hour at 0.5 x NMW = 0.5 hours towards UC.

Isabeller · 25/03/2013 11:08

It is complicated because they wanted to design a simpler system but forgot to redesign the people being inputted Grin

FasterStronger · 25/03/2013 11:13

exactly Grin

Original poster
idiuntno57 · 25/03/2013 11:13

Grin Isabeller

OP posts:
OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 25/03/2013 11:20

No faster any hours where you do not earn nmw are not counted as worked.

Untill your unit earns the minimum amount they want. Then everything counts.

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 25/03/2013 11:24

And a Lone Parent with disabilities that render them unable to work (disabilities dxd AFTER the DC's were born...) is NOT going to be able to 'use their initiative' to make extra money during that period.

You DO realise that if you are on benefits, and you earn ANY money 'on the side', you are only allowed to keep the first £20 of it, and the rest is deducted from your benefit payments. That would only up my food budget for the first month of UC to a whopping 8p per person per meal.

With one DC that can't eat pearl barley because they need a GF diet, and another that can't eat lentils because they are anaphylactic to them...Hmm

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 25/03/2013 11:24

And if you earn anything while you are on benefits and you don't declare it, you are committing benefit fraud...