People on universal credit - how much do you get a month?

[VodkaCranberry2]

Just been approved for UC for me and my DP and my new baby however baby isn’t registered on there yet due to his birth not being registered yet (been told to wait 21 days because offices have not been taking appointments). We got an advance of £1,244. But won’t find out how much we get a month for 5 weeks. I’m just wondering if anyone else is getting it and what sort of figure we can expect to get?

Me - self employed, ending maternity this week
Partner - works in a supermarket

Thank you and sorry for posting here wasn’t sure which topic to post in.

The ones with large awards are either disabled or living in areas with extortionate rents. My neigbour is an unemployed single parent with a 4 year old. I know after rent and CT is paid she is not raking it in. We both live in social housing so our rent is the same £380 a month.

I work part time now 22 hours and I bring home £1400 a month after deductions. I get some tax credits and child benefit. I used to work full time and I got a lot more help because of my childcare costs even though my salary was good. But my poor daughter was dropped off at 6am to my Mum who then took her to breakfast club at 8am and I would pick her up from afterschool club at 6pm. She was shattered constantly so I decided to cut my hours. It is easy for people to judge but as a single parent it is hard. I have always worked. My ex on the other hand left the army after 20 years and has not paid a penny towards our daughter and is now on benefits. He is the plague in society not me.

criticising landlords and calling all landlords greedy

If landlords aren't greedy how come the rents are so high? How come people on benefits can't rent them? How come pets aren't welcome? How come some refuse decorating?

Rents aren’t “so high” they are proportionate to the area.

As for pets not being allowed? Well pets can cause damage - and if that’s the rule of the home owner then so be it.

Rents aren’t “so high” they are proportionate to the area.
And who drives up the area? Couldn't be supply and demand could it? As in the demand is far higher than the supply so landlords can push prices up? Could it be that? Could it be an agent telling a landlord,
"You could get £500-600 for this" and the landlord picking £600 instead of saying, "actually, £450 is fine"

As for pets not being allowed? Well pets can cause damage - and if that’s the rule of the home owner then so be it.
Landlords home, landlords rules, don't damage as it costs to fix. No wonder renter's never feel at home and landlords need laws to stop them being dicks.

Homes get damaged and need maintenance. When someone else is paying your mortgage and putting “now” money in your pocket to pay off your mortgage quicker or subsidise your current lifestyle you can surely let them make their place their home in exchange?

I'm really lucky with my landlord. I've been here 10 years now. We have a saying 'it's her house. But it's my home" She doesnt care how I decorate while I'm here. As long as its returned in a nice condition - clean and fairly neutral.

Landlords also have to deal with nightmare tenants as well. And the law is very much not on our side.

I didn't say all landlords are greedy.
Luckily for me mine isnt.
I said blame the greedy landlords and employers not the poor people that cant afford to live on poverty wages.
People need top ups because rents are too high in lots of areas and wages are too low.
Ive always worked.
Unfortunately since i spilt with my sons dad ive had to claim benefits as a single parent, some of them enabled me to work such as as child care element of working tax credits.
Might have looked like i was getting a lot but 6k went straight to the nursery and another 6k straight to the landord.
I can assure you im not living the high life by any stretch of the imagination.

Just to be clear ive never been entitled to 12k im benefits.

My landlords are lovely. Would rather have long term reliable tenants than over price and have people leaving every 6 months.

Several of the conversions in my courtyard are rented but mine is cheaper because they don’t go through letting agents (another layer of rip off) but are members of the landlords association and conform to all standards such as your deposit being guaranteed etc.

In return their last tenant was here for 6 years and really took care of the place. I’ve been here for nearly 2 years and will be here for at least another 5 whilst my son finishes school locally.

They are well aware that I’m their pension and count down to when the mortgage is paid off and the rental income plus pensions will mean they can fully retire.

There’s mutual respect and they would never imagine there won’t be wear and tear and damage on a lived in house. It’s part of the expenditure side of having people pay you a monthly income with a humongous bonus payout at the end of 25 years.

People saying they should just give up work to go on UC as we’re so much better off need to get off their high horses. I’m going go to be starting work again but I will most definitely take the UC because I would like to not be using food banks and living month to month right now. And even if people who are on UC have never worked - what exactly is it to you? Go do the same if you’re that worried about it. And those who have said UC is taking ‘their’ tax money. Lol. I’ve paid £150 a week in tax for the past seven years. That’s £54K in tax. So excuse me if I take some of that back because I need it right now.

Disabled single parent of one child (just from Universal Credit, I also get PIP & Child Benefit)

£1,575.82

I should point out that being disabled, I'm exempt from the benefit cap

Dougal - So possibly over 2k in benefits per month then?

@Mirrorxx Don't forget, those who are renting this will include their rent money

Landlords also have to deal with nightmare tenants as well.

I've been there and know it well.
Isn't it odd that landlords tar tenants with the same brush as the tiny percent of bad ones. Just like some people tar all benefit claimants with the same brush as the tiny percentage of long term claimants.
Weird.. almost bigoted in a lot of ways.

Are you renting Dougal?

@PorpentiaScamander If you're already on UC you can't claim ESA, just the UC equivalent (currently called LCWRA) which is a measly extra £400 per month

@Dougalthesyrianhamster thanks. I didnt know what it was called. Ive applied for it, at least I think that's what it was. I need to check. £400 sounds like a fortune to me right now. Although unless getting that means the benefit cap doesn't apply then I won't actually be any better off!

Dougal - You can still claim new style ( contributions based) Esa alongside UC, but it is deducted pound for pound.

@Thehop These people??

Oh an FYI - I'm on UC because I have Multiple Schlerosis and cannot work despite a degree and a career behind me which I was passionate about. Please stop it

Ok I’m on the other side of the fence but I wouldn’t call £400 a month extra measly

@2007Millie As below - I'm on UC because I have Multiple Schlerosis and cannot work despite a degree and a career behind me which I was passionate about. Why shouldn't I receive as much as if I had a full time job?
Besides, I've paid enough into the system and I did not ask to discover a disability in my twenties

Case study for all the faux outrage pearl clutchers.

Legacy benefit- income support for a single disabled person. 26 payments of £330 a year

Tax credits for 3 children, one seriously disabled. £260 a week.

Pip for IS claimant £560 monthly

Pip for child £560 monthly

Rent £480 monthly

Carers £240 monthly

Child benefit for 3 kids £170 ish ?

Loads of money. Take off £300 ish monthly if you fancy driving a brand new car.

Loads of money. LOADS.

But tbh I reckon its nicer to be able to actually go to work and not worry about your short life expectancy, constant pain and leaving your disabled kid without a lifetime carer. Or worrying about chemotherapy and losing your hair at 35. Or your child being put in a home when they say you can't cope with their complex needs that they inherited from you . But on the outside you wouldn't know this person was even sick. But you all judge anyway.

But loads of free money!! So lucky 💰

@PorpentiaScamander No the benefit cap won't apply at all. You're exempt if out of work for health reasons. The point of the cap was to prevent UC becoming preferable than working