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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why Universal Credit is so terrible? (Not goady)

406 replies

evilharpy · 22/12/2017 19:13

I've seen several threads (one today about food banks which I can't seem to find now) where people have had some strong things to say about Universal Credit and the feeling seems to be that it is contributing to the poverty problem and forcing people to rely on food banks and causing more problems than it's helping with.

I'm wondering what exactly makes it so terrible and why it's so much worse than what came before it. Google hasn't been much help as most of the results are just official links on how to apply for it etc. But it seems to be that it's paid monthly rather than weekly or fortnightly and there's a long wait to get it?

I would just like to understand a bit more about it. And I don't mean this to be in any way insensitive or goady.

OP posts:
Gilead · 22/12/2017 19:49

Disabled people are included in universal credit, they too are waiting six weeks or more when they're swapped over from ESA

Original poster
evilharpy · 22/12/2017 19:50

Annelind 35 hours per week jobhunting! I had a period of unemployment about eight years ago. I was desperate to get back to work and applied for everything within about a 40 mile radius, first within my area of experience and then anything I thought I might have a chance at getting. And I couldn't have filled 35 hours a week doing it. There are only so many jobs and only so many times you can apply for the same job.

OP posts:
ethelfleda · 22/12/2017 19:52

but why is this a bad thing? if she gets 30 hours of free childcare a week and relies on benefits to be a Sahm, then going to work with a 3 year old is not really cruel, is it?

Yes because everyone knows that suitable jobs grow on trees Hmm

Annelind · 22/12/2017 19:52

Benefit fraud is only 0.7% over all. UC is purely an enslavement tool to keep people anxious and endlessly searching for more hours of work.

Annelind · 22/12/2017 19:54

Yes evil. Pure Tory malice.

Original poster
evilharpy · 22/12/2017 19:55

Thank you all for the replies.

It really does sound pretty shite. Almost as if it was dreamed up by people who had never had to count pennies or worry about where the rent money was coming from this month. And it's fine having a 6 week wait to be paid in between leaving job 1 and starting job 2 when you have a nice pot of savings to keep you going so the folk relying on benefits every week should be fine too, yes?

OP posts:
justicewomen · 22/12/2017 19:57

Evilharpy

As an employer it also creates problems because people are applying for everything, whether or not they are qualified; and we have to waste our time reading through them.

Much more sense doing what the Germans do and fund meaningful, high quality retraining for unemployed people. Here a lot of unemployed people cannot afford to retrain.

Terramirabilis · 22/12/2017 20:00

That makes sense @Vladimir.

Original poster
evilharpy · 22/12/2017 20:01

justicewoman my husband has just been recruiting for a position requiring a particular area of experience and got absolutely tons of completely irrelevant CVs. He wondered why, I guess this would explain it.

OP posts:
TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 22/12/2017 20:03

Slightly OT but how many food bank donation drops did you see in supermarkets 10-15 years ago compared to now? Things have got progressively worse, anyone who denies this is a fool.

RestingGrinchFace · 22/12/2017 20:07

It's designed to make it harder to claim benefits and also to reduce the amount of benefits paid. Essentially it is aiming to make reliance on the state less of an issue by making the state less reliable. Unfortunately it goes against the whole point of welfare in the first place which is to provide a safety net for our society's most vulnerable. On paper is seems fair enough to aim to deter people from extended periods of unemployment or from having children that they cannot possibly afford but in reality, unless such deterants are not applied to those who have already put themselves in a bad position, the result is that many people will suffer, many of them being blameless children who are punished for their parents' irresponsible choices. Such methods may work in the long run but a six week period of non-payment isn't going to somehow turn a long term unemployed person into an investment banker overnight, it's not even likely to help them get a job. It may prevent people from entering a state sponsored lifestyle but for those who are already reliant it will do nothing to benefit and will only punish them.

Original poster
evilharpy · 22/12/2017 20:08

I don't ever remember seeing a food bank drop anywhere until about five years ago.

There were several pleading emails at work for donations to our local food bank and a drop installed at our reception. At first it was specified items but later it was please give us anything, we need it all.

OP posts:
Awwlookatmybabyspider · 22/12/2017 20:08

Pull up a chair. Get the popcorn as this might take a while.
The waiting time is 5 weeks. Yes people can get a loan. However loans have to be paid back.
If you're with a private landlord rather than a social landlord. He'll start getting impatient waiting for his rent, and you can't really blame him. It's a source of his income.
Even people in work could face sanctions. If they can't find longer working hours. All because their bosses are allowed to pay them the NMW rather than the NLW. If people are going to be worried sick about sanctions while they're busting a gut going out to work in Hail, rain wind snow and ice they might as well stay on the dole.
As I've eluded to on another thread. UC is getting brought in to make people so impoverished they're forced to find a job.
However poverty and Theresa May spitting her dummy out will not make these jobs miraculously appear. Plus if that miracle does happen for then, that'll put all DWP staff out of work.
Housing benefit will be paid directly to the claimant rather than their LL. However what about those with additions. Who might spend their housing benefit money on alcohol or drugs, and before you criticsize these people are ill.

Notreallyarsed · 22/12/2017 20:13

but why is this a bad thing? if she gets 30 hours of free childcare a week and relies on benefits to be a Sahm, then going to work with a 3 year old is not really cruel, is it?

My youngest two get the 30 hours, it’s 8.40 until 11.40 Monday to Friday. Where, pray tell, could I get a job that would accommodate those hours (mindful of travel time as well)?

HerRoyalFattyness · 22/12/2017 20:16

I am terrified of the change over. I work a 45 hour week and have 3 kids. This is going to completely fuck up everything. Im trying to save up so I have money for when I have to claim uc, but it's hard when you're already skint and struggling to put a fiver on the gas to keep your kids warm.

chocolateiamydrug · 22/12/2017 20:18

Yes because everyone knows that suitable jobs grow on trees hmm

of course there will be not many term time jobs that will be covered by 30 hours. but then you pay wrap around. if 30 hours childcare/week are free free for 38 weeks of the year, then the added fees are not that much and couples on low income will get the childcare element on top.

or are you suggesting that women shouldn't be forced to return to work until the children are old enough to look after themselves in the school hols?

I have a severely disabled child (and went back to work when she was 1 despite no family support). I know the hardship that comes with finding suitable and affordble childcare but being a SAHM on benefits when you get that much free childcare provided neither mum not child are disabled? give me a break.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 22/12/2017 20:19

Excuse me stupidity but who actually pays for this "famous free childcare", because it has to come from somewhere.

Notreallyarsed · 22/12/2017 20:21

then the added fees are not that much

Not that much is relative, to some “not that much” could be a few hundred quid or thousand. To others “not that much” could be £1.

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 22/12/2017 20:24

It terrifies me too.

I left my violent abusive ex in january with my two children who are now just turned 3 and just turned 1. My three year old receives MRC dla. My one yesr old really suffers with his chest to the point he has had 9 courses of steroids in a year and is reliant on brown and blue inhalers daily.

I don't know how the hell to get back to work. I have worked since i was 13 but even family friendly employers can't handle my needs for appointments. In january for example every single week there is a min of 2 appointments and 2 weeks there are 4.

uc is a very bleak prospect

Plantlover · 22/12/2017 20:26

Chocolate

I have a disabled child and haven't managed to work.

How/ what childcare are you using?

Bluelonerose · 22/12/2017 20:27

What I don't understand is why don't they close the loop holes to make employers pay a living wage instead of putting it towards uc/ tax credits?

Same amount of money except far fewer people would be on any benefits coz it would be made up with their living wage.

If that makes sense?

chocolateiamydrug · 22/12/2017 20:29

Not that much is relative, to some “not that much” could be a few hundred quid or thousand. To others “not that much” could be £1.

but you will earn at the same time. For some people, it is just far easier making excuses not to work.

I disagree with UC on so many points but I don't get the outrage because parents may have to take some financial responsibility for their offspring once they turn three rather than relying on tax payers for decades.

crazycatgal · 22/12/2017 20:33

It's unfortunate that genuine people are being punished because of those few able bodied people who want to live off the state.

chocolateiamydrug · 22/12/2017 20:36

plant

combination. had to return to work when she was a baby (we didn't know back then that she had autism and severe learning diffs). She went to normal private nursery. at school we things got tougher but we found a club. I use all my annual leave in the school hols, max out unpaid parental leave.
It is tough as I never get a break. either working or caring..Haven't been out in years. I am not very well but I have to make it work to pay the bills. I totally get it I a parent with child with SN cannot manage to work. I will hit this point too in the future but it really annoys me when healthy parents of health children cry wolf if they are supposed to find a job.

myusernamewastaken · 22/12/2017 20:37

I am terrified too...my ex left me 4 years ago....im a lone parent with 3 kids....2 are at university so i get no help for them but still have them for weeks during the holidays...
On tax credits i can pay my bills and look after my daughter....Im not sure what will happen when we changeover to UC....does anyone know when this will happen in Norfolk?