To rant about universal credit

[rollingonariver]

Universal credit have fucking let us down again.
We only claim childcare but the whole process is ridiculous. You have to call them every time you make a childcare payment (even though we pay the same amount, on the same day each week). it's at least 45 mins on hold to get through and I have a boisterous toddler to look after!

You then send them 'receipts' every now and then but when you call them they can't give you a straight answer about 1. What those 'receipts' are and 2. How often I need to send them. We also can't send them receipts by email and we live in the middle of nowhere and don't drive, so I have to find a postbox - a harder task than people realise.

We get paid the same amount each month and pay the same amount of childcare and yet this month they've decided to only pay us £100, we have bills that come out today and they've fucked us. It's not the first time either.
I'm so. So. Stressed and upset. We don't need this. It's so fucking depressing they can't get their shit together and just pay us what we need to survive. Fuck.

If you want your childcare paid you have to follow the system. It's not their fault you don't drive, don't appear to have a local post box etc.

Be thankful they are giving you free money for a choice you made. You can always not claim if you begrudge the phone calls.

UC sucks arse. YANBU

@BoxsetsAndPopcorn I do send the receipts? I didn't say in my op I didn't send them, I said it was difficult to send them. I have always followed the system - the point is they still haven't paid me?
I'm trying not to be on full benefits, just have help with childcare but with this system I'd imagine there are lots of mums who just give up and stop working. I'd be better off if I wasn't working.

It does sound needlessly complicated - could you do tax free childcare/childcare vouchers through work instead? It's a much less faffy system.

Sounds like a lot of pointless paperwork, why can't they just do it the same way tax credits do? Needless stress. Checking with the childcare provider at the start it would be the same for X period...hopefully with time things will improve.

I am dreading it coming in for the self employed when people transfer over, imagine the paperwork there.

What a lovely answer from Boxsets.

I feel for you op. It’s a terrible system. Would people prefer you didn’t work?! Crazy.

For people with children with disabilities the whole thing is a nightmare too. Contact (the charity for parents with disabled children) delivered a petition to Downing Street yesterday as people with disabled children who change onto universal credit will be at least £33 a week worse off than they are under current tax credit rules. These are some of our most vulnerable, low income families who often cannot work to improve their situation due to disabilities and caring duties - I know because we are one of those families.

Universal credit is a disaster.

Link here - contact.org.uk/news-and-blogs/contact-delivers-petition-to-stop-universal-credit-cuts-to-10-downing-street/

Sounds like a nightmare.
The HMRC tax credit phone waiting times are enough to tip me over the edge as it is.
I think I'll be stuck on UC in a years time. Dreading it.

there is meant to be transitional protection for those being managed over onto UC from tax credits though, not sure how it will work in practice. Disability premiums and the like.

Boxsets Be thankful they are giving you free money

It's not free money. We all pay in when we can, and we get some back if we need it. It's not called National Insurance for shits and giggles.

Of course everyone could just stop having children until they'd saved up 18 years of child-related costs. There'll be no one to wipe our arses when we're too old to do it ourselves but I suppose we can just hope someone's invented a robot to do it by then.

Boxset she HAS followed the instructions. She’s done exactly what they have asked, despite it being a massive pain in the arse (seriously, why can’t the receipts be emailed? Get with the times UC!) and still they haven’t done their job correctly by giving her the moneys she is entitled to.

I also claim childcare through universal credit. If you sign into your account online you should be able to to take a picture of your invoice and receipts for the month and upload them all in one go. PM me if you need more help 🙂

If it bothers you that much don't claim it, that will show them! Free money but still complaining...the mind boggles

What childcare do you claim for?
The OP states they live in the middle of nowhere, don’t drive and it’s difficult to get to a post box
How exactly is childcare being used?
Does someone pick the child up and drop them back?

I might not bother if the paperwork is going to be that horrendous once it changes over where I live. As I am self-employed. I can do without the stress and just rely on my own income if need be. It would be a struggle but that's life.

Presumably the money is being used for bills as she said she has bills coming out today ?

Indeed I agree- don’t claim it then if it’s such hard work. If you don’t want to have the the free money for having children, then don’t.

If she didn't claim her 'free money' her childminder would need more 'free money' to top up her wage and OP would need to leave her job so wouldn't be paying any money into the 'free money' pot. And would also be entitled to more 'free money'.

I'm not sure that's a solution the hard of thinking would approve of if they thought about it.

Yes I thought you were supposed to upload things yourself. Is this not the case? Or is it not mobile friendly?

I'd do anything for money to be given me on a plate. As it is I'm half dead from working a stupid job and still haven't got enough money. Hey ho

What awful people in this thread. You don’t know how many hours the OP works or any of her circumstances. If you’ve not noticed wages in some sectors are very low and have not changed in 10 years so people are paid lower wages. Sorry OP it sounds overly burdensome and more expensive to run anyway. I hope you get sorted!

Do universal credits deliver childcare money to you on a plate? I always assumed they paid it into the bank like tax credits do. No wonder it's such a shit storm if their employees are expected to hand deliver money on plates to people.

As it's childcare money, I'm guessing (and it's a massive assumption, I know) that OP and her DH work and pay tax . Of course, I could be wrong.

Is everyone in the UK on some sort of childcare welfare? I am not judging, just trying to understand. If the childcare cost for the majority of population is underwritten by the government, it explains the exorbitant nursery fees - a deep pocket syndrome.

@Nanasueathome I cycle 45 mins to work. And my childminder drops my DD home. There's no post box in the next two towns ? There's a post office but it's only open 12-3!
@user1469032438 we're sadly not in a full service zone yet - I think it's called live service area? Thanks for the advice though! Is it much easier in a full service area? I'm hoping we'll switch over soon.
@Whatshallidonowpeople if I didn't claim it then I wouldn't be able to afford to work. I could still claim universal but wouldn't have to call them all the time etc? Would you prefer that?