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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

UC Payment help

29 replies

OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 21:52

Hi, Not sure if this is the right place to post, but you have all been helpful in the past,

I currently claim UC as a single mum to 1.

I have just started a new job, when I get paid, I will receive 3 weeks pay, which comes to around £1100 after deductions.
Does anyone know if I would still be entitled to any UC benefits please? I have more going out than what I will have coming in.

On a normal month I think I will be coming out with around £1300

Thanks in advance for any help.

OP posts:
Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 21:53

Also. To add, I have gone on What am I entitled too, but it seems an awful lot so not sure it's right?

OP posts:
BrumBoo · 15/12/2020 22:01

I'm pretty sure uc claims go up to about 1800 a month? IIRC I think UC tops you up to what is considered a 'living wage', and when you reach a certain amount it stops. In annual terms I think it's about 25k a year salary, but again this is off the top of my head.

BrumBoo · 15/12/2020 22:02

By that, I mean i think the UC cut off is when you start earning over about 25k (ish), and of course child benefits still continue on that amount.

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:08

@BrumBoo

I'm pretty sure uc claims go up to about 1800 a month? IIRC I think UC tops you up to what is considered a 'living wage', and when you reach a certain amount it stops. In annual terms I think it's about 25k a year salary, but again this is off the top of my head.
Thanks for the reply.

So, What you are saying is that, in theory, Whatever I earn, So, this month £1110, UC will make it up to £1800? So, I should receive about £700 UC? That seems an awful lot, That's roughly what it said on what am I entitled to

OP posts:
BrumBoo · 15/12/2020 22:12

As I said, no expert but it sounds about right. The government make it so that working under UC is more beneficial than not, so makes sense. Of course, it still has to cover all the bills and if you work more one month then less the next, you could find yourself getting caught short by UC payments.

slashlover · 15/12/2020 22:16

Go to the entitledto website and enter your details, nobody on here can tell you without figures.

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:19

@slashlover

Go to the entitledto website and enter your details, nobody on here can tell you without figures.
I have and it says I will get nearly £800 a month on a £1300 monthly wage, It seems very high, that's why I was questioning it. I was hoping someone would be in the same position as me and could advise.
OP posts:
Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:20

@BrumBoo

As I said, no expert but it sounds about right. The government make it so that working under UC is more beneficial than not, so makes sense. Of course, it still has to cover all the bills and if you work more one month then less the next, you could find yourself getting caught short by UC payments.
Right, I understand, I think.

Thank you

OP posts:
TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 15/12/2020 22:22

It could be that much depending on what your housing costs are.

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:24

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander

It could be that much depending on what your housing costs are.
Housing costs? As in rent? My rent is more than the maximum my local authority pays?
OP posts:
SarahFrances89 · 15/12/2020 22:24

Bloody hell, UC is waaay more generous than I thought! A £25k wave, that’s great. Hope you can work out what you’re entitled to OP :)

MrsMomoa · 15/12/2020 22:26

I'm on UC. Single parent, two kids. I get £800 a month.

MummytoCSJH · 15/12/2020 22:26

You can always just apply and they'll tell you your entitlement. If you're not entitled to anything at that stage they'll just tell you that and close the claim, you won't be in trouble or anything!

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 15/12/2020 22:26

Yes as in rent.
If your lha is £100 per week (for eg) then they will base your UC housing element on that amount even if your actual rent is £150 per week.

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:27

@SarahFrances89

Bloody hell, UC is waaay more generous than I thought! A £25k wave, that’s great. Hope you can work out what you’re entitled to OP :)
It seems to be more generous when you are working, which I suppose is kinda the right way. It is a struggle when you are not working, you get no where near £25k a year when not working.
OP posts:
MummytoCSJH · 15/12/2020 22:27

Sorry I missed you're already claiming!! Entitledto is pretty accurate for me. Your statement should give you a breakdown about a week before your payments though :)

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 22:30

@MummytoCSJH

Sorry I missed you're already claiming!! Entitledto is pretty accurate for me. Your statement should give you a breakdown about a week before your payments though :)
It will, I just wanted to know if I was going to be ok. I don't get any UC till 9th Jan now, so wont know what I will get, if any, till around the 4th. I was just curious if I could spend any of my wages.
OP posts:
SarahFrances89 · 15/12/2020 22:36

*wage

marauder1994 · 15/12/2020 22:50

On a wage of £1117.14 I got £550 universal credit. I received £696 universal credit when my wage was £890

I am a single mum of 1 child

BrumBoo · 15/12/2020 22:52

@SarahFrances89

Bloody hell, UC is waaay more generous than I thought! A £25k wave, that’s great. Hope you can work out what you’re entitled to OP :)
You misread my post I think, @sarahfrances89. I reiterated that when your own wage reaches around 25k a year (pre tax and other dedication), then you are not entitled to UC anymore. After tax, pension, student loans, debt management or whatever, 25k is more like 20-21k. Of course the closer you get to this amount, you get a lot less in UC.

To be clear, being on UC never means a base 'wage' of 25k, working or not. Some don't even see half of that as an annual income, hence you know, awful poverty in the UK.

SarahFrances89 · 15/12/2020 23:09

That makes sense @BrumBoo - I was glad UC was a lot more generous than I thought, not meaning to be critical at all. It just didn’t seem to match with the stories you see of people struggling to eat and my general impression of the benefits system so I was (very pleasantly!) surprised!

Original poster
OhIGetItNow · 15/12/2020 23:31

@SarahFrances89

That makes sense *@BrumBoo* - I was glad UC was a lot more generous than I thought, not meaning to be critical at all. It just didn’t seem to match with the stories you see of people struggling to eat and my general impression of the benefits system so I was (very pleasantly!) surprised!
It is tough if you're not working and claiming UC, my outgoings matched my UC payment pretty much to the penny, but, that didn't include food or petrol so the stories you hear about not being able to feed the children may well be true, however, it does seem more generous to those who work, I am certainly better off working even though my wages match what I used to get on UC. Surely if benefits are needed to top up a full time job paying just over the minimum wage, then something is wrong somewhere.
OP posts:
Lachimolala · 16/12/2020 09:02

It’s reduced by 63p for every £1 that you earn so £1100 would be £693 and £1300 would be £819.

Don’t forget to minus your work allowance which will be £512 if not claiming housing element or £292 if you’re claiming housing element.

How much do you usually receive?

Lachimolala · 16/12/2020 09:05

@SarahFrances89 it’s very good for single people in work, however if you lose your job (like I did through redundancy) them very quickly you’ll find yourself picking and choosing bills and debt starting to pile up.

Obviously this is the aim to get more people into work but it doesn’t always work out like that for various reasons, disabled people especially have been penalised by the new system.

Blubellsarebells · 16/12/2020 09:12

Nobody here can tell you without knowing your age, rent costs and lha limit.
If you're on facebook there is a group there called universal credit essentials, it has the calculations there to work it out, it's quite easy when you know how.
Much more transparent and generous than tax credits in my experience.