To ask if anyone else is struggling on one low universal credit payment?

[Evasmummy2019]

I'm not working at the moment as I lost my job as a palliative care nurse while doing my 8th round of fertility treatment last March. I reacted pretty badly to the ivf drugs and overstimulated my ovaries making me really poorly. Thankfully I got pregnant. I then couldn't get a new job while pregnant as I had HG (constantly suck 30x a day) and then in and out of hospital for fluids etc then with diabetes, bleeds, too much fluid and at the end reduced movements. I had my daughter in December. My husband is self employed so took no paternity leave. He's only been self employed for just under a year and doesn't qualify for the 80% SE (self employed) benefit payment. We were living on £20 a week child benefit between March and April and have no savings as he only earns £1600 per month on average and it goes straight on bills. We've cancelled his van insurance, pet insurance for our dog and cat, reduced our energy bills, suspended our loan repayment and council tax break for 2 months . We get no benefits only child benefit for our daughter. We've been really really struggling. We applied for universal credit and was awarded £629 per month. That only got paid on the 6th of May so we've had to still pay all our utilities etc. And I hope our mortgage break continues as that money will be gone on the mortgage alone if it starts back up in June . Its been very hard indeed and our relationship has suffered. I also suffered a traumatic birth and pnd has crept in.

It's all very well on paper to say Why aren't self employed working? Yes they're "allowed" to but many trades are finding it impossible.
Let's say he's a ceramic tiler for example. People have been extremely hesitant to have workman in their homes, some of that is fear of mixing households or being vulnerable. In addition, most households are unlikely to be spending money on home improvements when their own financial situation is affected by CV.

Many self employed have been getting getting less or no work for the last 12 weeks.

If your dh is willing to change his employment or consider other jobs then your UC advisor can be helpful in navigating the job market and finding available work. You can ask for assistance on your UC online journal.
It sounds as though it's going to be difficult for him to build back up as a sole trader.

I didn't want my DH working and bringing anything home as our youngest hasn't got a great immune system.
However we can just afford to get by on my wfh salary. If we couldn't have afforded then he would HAVE to go back out to work in a key worker role and likely the children return to nursery or us juggle the childcare between us. I don't want anyone else to look after my kids either but sometimes needs must if you want to eat.

You should be entitled to much lower council tax, not just a deferral. Apply now because they don't backdate it. Go on your council's website and apply or call them. You need to submit your statement results from UC.
I think your DH needs to do his tradesman/construction work asap - regardless of whether you and the baby are vulnerable. The partner he was sharing a van with presumably wants to go back too? You can set up a system at the door where he removes clothes, cleans handles etc and takes a shower immediately. This is going to continue for months, if not years, so if he works in a ventilated area, maintains distance and keeps the van windows open, he'll be safer than front line workers or people working in closed spaces for extended periods.
Good luck OP.

There is a good website called Universal Credit Essentials
This puts the rules and regulations of Universal credit into normal plain language. There are calculators you can use to check the amounts you have been awarded and also information to make sure you are reporting all income in the correct way ( self employed/students/pensions etc).
Please take a look . From the information youve given so far I dont think youve been reporting the self employed earning properly which will have a big affect on the outcome.
If it is not right just put a message into your journal. They are now been looked at much more quickly to sift the rants and abuse from proper queries so you will get a response and hopefully a recalculation.

Oh dear - apologies for the typos.

I'm going to have to be straight here, though you may well think I'm 'being harsh' again. Going self employed when you're partner can't work, and relying on someone else to even get you to jobs because you yourself can't drive just sounds like a non-starter to begin with. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it really sounds like your husband should have put off having his own business until your lifestyle could accommodate a lower wage, or it not working out at all.

I agree with this but yes, OP you have to deal with the poor decisions you have made now and look forwards rather than backwards.

Like PP I do not understand why your DH isn't working? Builders have never been precluded from working. If he really can't for some reason then you will have to go back to work - as a qualified nurse you will be snapped up and should be able to earn far more than you would get on UC.

Can I just say thank you to those who have given good advice ie finances. My DH is a decorator in a domestic setting so goes in and out of peoples homes. They aren't having workmen in their homes and all commercial roles have now been filled. They don't have the money spare to pay for decorating and most people have done it themselves over the lock down period. It's easy enough to say why isn't he working. But that's why

@Evasmummy2019, again as I said what will happen if your husband can't pick up his business anytime soon? Surely the only realistic option is for one of you to look for other employment? It's understandable he can't go to his usual job, less so that he hasn't taken other employment when it was evident that UC was not of a livable standard for your circumstances.

People are starting to have workmen back in their homes for example boiler servicing. I think decorators could go back and be socially distant from the home owners. Or empty houses might require decorating.

OK. Why can't he work in a supermarket?

Why can't you work?

Have you seen the contact tracing jobs advertised recently seeking nurses etc with nmc registration? revalidation requirements have been extended. There are many of these work from home positions with excellent rates of pay and benefits. It seems def worth applying for these in your current position !

I could physically work yes. But mentally I am not well at the moment. I don't sleep as my daughter stops breathing in the night. She is very dependent on me and I also breastfeed my daughter through the day. My husband is good with her but leaves me to do her medications and I know what doses and times she has medicine with feeds etc and I administer the medication also. I left my daughter with him to help a friend a few weeks ago and he didn't give her her medication correctly and also does not feed her correctly with her special bottles. I am applying for work yes and if I am lucky enough to be offered a role I will accept it and go back to work full time. I'd just worry about my daughter

Just to add, I applied for a bounceback loan. I planned to go fully self employed from beginning of march. Brilliant timing as it turned out and if course not eligible for any income support on that basis. However I have decided to get a bounceback loan to undertake further training which will enlarge my business. The form took 2 minutes to complete and was approved within 2 days. Maybe he can get a loan to get driving lessons or a van or something?

And yes my husband theoretically cannot work from home but neither can he gonto work in other people's homes. It's hard.

Hi sorry life is so tough right now.
So atm you are on UC getting couple + child amount is that right ? You can see each element on your statement.

If that's correct and your child has a disability or illness you need to apply for Child DLA (different dept) .... also apply /add / report change of circumstances to your UC claim that you have a child with disability and you are a carer. They won't be able to play you extra immediately until DLA is in pay but if you apply now it can be backdated. I'd also recommend noting it in your journal so there is a record of your circumstances. You should also report your health circumstances and if possible get a Drs note to that effect. Again noting in your journal.

@Evasmummy2019, why can't your husband look for other work if you are your daughter's main caregiver?

I think your last post will cause a bit of a reaction on here. It's basically saying that you need more money to stay at home because the father of your child is incapable of caring for her correctly. That won't sit too well. I can understand how it all adds to your anxiety and the general wretchedness of your situation though.

Your DH sounds pretty useless really.

Why can't he get another job? Or are you saying you don't want him to?

I’m sorry your DD is sick
It’s also frustrating to see others get benefits in the form of ‘furlough’ which is a finite measure to stop half the population being destitute

But I stand by my and others advice which is one of you needs to get a job and fast

You both have transferable skills

I get that’s it’s shit when you have a vulnerable child

But so do many others sadly

Good luck

Firstly congratulations on the birth of your daughter. I am sorry you had a difficult pregnancy and have had difficulties since too.

Regarding PND: is you GP offering phone appointments? I'd try to get one booked, so that you can get some support in place. I don't know what that would be but at a guess, I expect there will be online/phone talking therapies in your area and/or medication you might want to try. It's worth looking at this asap because PND will make everything harder, of course!

Going on to the finances: Was your UC claim made when you were on the mortgage break, and therefore excluding what you usually pay for mortgage? Perhaps they might cover some of your mortgage if the break comes to an end but I have no idea how that works.

£1600 plus £629 seems very do-able, especially if you are not paying your mortgage at the moment. But do you mean that since COVID your husband's business has suffered a lot and he is no longer receiving the £1600? If so then yes, £629 for everything is tough but it is do-able. I manage on about £520 per month as a single parent after rent but before any other bills and do have enough for little treats etc if I budget. Go on Moneysavingexpert and make a strict budget. It could help you to feel more in control and to be working together on a budget plan, maybe.

Another thing I can think of is a thread on here with ideas on making money from home. I've not tried myself but here it is: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/3782849-so-anyone-up-for-an-earn-10-a-day-2020-thread The "matched betting" referred to isn't gambling, btw.

@Evasmummy2019 I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with so much “what about-ery” and snippy responses.
AIBU is the fiercest side of mumsnet, other boards are more supportive.
Get yourself a notebook, spend some time here and there checking out all the options on the internet to see if there are any benefits, schemes etc you could be entitled to an apply for. Keep a list in your book so you know where you’re up to if you forget, get interrupted, or are doing it at 3am.
Also see if you can get some support for yourself as a new mum to a child with complex needs, whether specialist internet support or local groups (by phone I guess) so you have a network to help you.
I do think that DH needs to look at applying for work, as he is a decorator I guess he’s physically able to do some jobs.
I’m not sure you could work at the moment but you might want to start “training” him on administering meds etc as what if you got ill? He would have to do it then.

PS just wanted to add sorry I missed your previous post clarifying you don't have a salary at at all at the moment.

And to say I know a decorator who has turned to gardening and is making some money that way? Is that something your husband could look into?

I think the 1600 is what he was getting before the lockdown, hence why they have no savings?

Is he handy? —ooerr—

Could he advertise on FB to go jobs for people, outside taps, repointing flags, that kind of thing

Can I just add, we don't get £1600 salary pm and £629 pm on top in universal credit. We just get £629 including child benefit