Universal Credit - how can this be right?

[beentheretoo]

I’ll admit I know very little about Universal Credit apart from what you hear on the news thankfully (touch wood) never had to claim).

A friend recently got a new job 2 days a week I congratulated her and said it’s the type of job they are always looking for people I bet they’ll be offering you more days in no time. She then said oh I don’t want more days it’ll affect my UC, I’m allowed to work up to 16 hours before they take money off me and besides I’m really looking forward to having 3 days to myself once the kids are back in school. She’s a single parent her DH left her when she was a SAHM she was on full UC for a bit then had another PT job now this new one (she has a degree but doesn’t want to go back into that field).

I was thinking about it how can they be right that if you work 16 hours you get full UC but if you work 20 you get money taken away? Where’s the incentive to work more hours? My friends DC are older so doesn’t need childcare and I’m sure loads of people would love 3 days to themselves I bloody would.

Am I getting it correct then?

Yes
Better for working people

You would need to speak to individual nurseries.
The one my son went to you paid for a morning afternoon or both.
So if you need say 10 til 4 it wont be free because you would have to pay for 2 whole sessions if that makes sense.
I only got 15 hours and cant remember how it worked now.
Later I moved him to the nursery at the school and paid a childminder.
So glad I dont need to pay that fortune anymore.

@MrsBerthaRochester

Feel free to give up the job op and see how fun it is living on benefits. Universal credit is a disgrace to this nation but obviously we should just go back to the workhouse system......

I was a single parent on benefits working part time and having a partner while working full time (no benefits) . I had more money and free time while when being on benefits. Everybody's situation is different but people should not end up having less money because they work more. Actually the most difficult thing for me while claiming benefits was feeling like I would be penalised for trying to increase my hours and provide for my child. Many single mothers would love to get a better job and work full time as it gives them better pensions and career prospects but they can't because the system doesn't work in their favour.