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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask how people will cope with Universal credit cut.

999 replies

ponyexpress22 · 10/09/2021 13:25

Surely they aren't going ahead with cutting it by £20 a week? I'm shocked that the government could stoop this low. What the hell are they doing. Angry

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Anon778833 · 11/09/2021 13:27

Minimum wage jobs don’t mean you’ll be stuck there forever, often it’s a launching pad. Sure some people will stay on minimum wage but many don’t.

Of course, I don't dispute this.

Gimlisaxe · 11/09/2021 13:28

What’s to stop a parent working PT within school hours to bring in extra income

Those jobs are like hens teeth in my area.

Brokensunflower · 11/09/2021 13:37

Are you advocating a 2 tier society where only well off people should be able to have families? That's not pleasant. In fact it's fascist ideology IMO

Of course not. BUT. maybe Make sure you are in a long term relationship. Maybe only have 1 child. Maybe get some savings behind you first. Don't have multiple kids on different relationships.

notanotherjacketpotato · 11/09/2021 13:54

I'm not sure I understand the queries about "where is the money going?"

£800 housing benefit
£330 personal allowance (without uplift)
£280 child allowance
£80 child benefit

= £1490

1200 rent
120 council tax
60 gas/elec
20 water

= 1400

Leaves £90 a month for EVERYTHING else. It's not poor budgeting that's the problem or some big problem like drink, drugs, gambling or anything strange or broken about a person who can't manage to put food on the table with that.

notanotherjacketpotato · 11/09/2021 13:58

I'm okay now because we're in council housing and dd gets dla. But those days were dark and I resent being told I should have budgeted better.

Blossomtoes · 11/09/2021 14:02

@notanotherjacketpotato

I'm okay now because we're in council housing and dd gets dla. But those days were dark and I resent being told I should have budgeted better.
You can only budget properly if there’s enough money there in the first place. It’s nearly 50 years since I lived on benefits and I still remember how tough it was - and they were relatively more generous then. It must be an absolute nightmare now.
Easyvision01 · 11/09/2021 14:29

notanotherjacketpotato - fair point, those are impossible sums when rent is that high Sad However I’ve just looked at Rightmove for where I used to live, and 2 bed terraces are £400 a month, so not everyone’s housing costs are quite so horrendous.

Akire · 11/09/2021 14:31

The max housing benefit /element pays is only 30% mean for your area. So already 70% of rents are out of your reach. Great if live on social housing but millions who can’t get one and need private rent then it’s using living element of award to top up landlord.

liveforsummer · 11/09/2021 14:31

@Easyvision01

notanotherjacketpotato - fair point, those are impossible sums when rent is that high Sad However I’ve just looked at Rightmove for where I used to live, and 2 bed terraces are £400 a month, so not everyone’s housing costs are quite so horrendous.
The contribution towards the rent will still be less than the actual rent though so figured still not matching even if not quite as bad
notanotherjacketpotato · 11/09/2021 14:33

@Easyvision01

notanotherjacketpotato - fair point, those are impossible sums when rent is that high Sad However I’ve just looked at Rightmove for where I used to live, and 2 bed terraces are £400 a month, so not everyone’s housing costs are quite so horrendous.
This is very true. I think the housing element limit is way off especially near to london.
sst1234 · 11/09/2021 14:34

@notanotherjacketpotato

I'm not sure I understand the queries about "where is the money going?"

£800 housing benefit
£330 personal allowance (without uplift)
£280 child allowance
£80 child benefit

= £1490

1200 rent
120 council tax
60 gas/elec
20 water

= 1400

Leaves £90 a month for EVERYTHING else. It's not poor budgeting that's the problem or some big problem like drink, drugs, gambling or anything strange or broken about a person who can't manage to put food on the table with that.

Part of the problem is living in areas that people can ill afford. Housing costs are higher where there are high earned incomes. Benefits are not designed to compete with high earned income. In most parts of the country outside the Southeast, there is housing available for less than £800 per month. Yes that would require people to move but that is not unreasonable as people not on benefits have to make the same choices.
BigThumb · 11/09/2021 14:36

These mystery part time jobs perfect for in school hours don’t exist where I live. Big city, plenty of places to work you’d think, but every job listing (part time or otherwise) demands flexibility, weekend hours, shift work. I don’t see how a single parent without access to childcare would work those jobs or squeeze them in around school hours.

As for starting a business as self employed, do people understand how hard that would be to navigate on UC while building up a client base? Or even just finding the start up costs for something small, even a cleaning business? Transport costs to get to multiple clients? The examples of self employed positions someone posted above are so out of reach for the majority that it’s a joke to suggest them. Childminding? Well that’s cheap and easy to set up, isn’t it! Vague working from home jobs? What jobs? Care assistant work that doesn’t require travel, access to a car, or long shifts? (As an aside, every care assistant or HCA position advertised round here wants own transport, flexibility and full day shifts).

People just don’t seem to be able to consider that not everyone is the same as them ie some people don’t have the experience, qualifications, money, family support, etc that they do when they make these random suggestions.

Easyvision01 · 11/09/2021 14:36

Moving costs an absolute bomb though!! That’s before factoring in moving away from support networks etc.

sst1234 · 11/09/2021 14:36

@notanotherjacketpotato

Living in or near London is not a right. Live somewhere cheaper if you cannot afford London. People not in benefits have to make this choice all the time.

BigThumb · 11/09/2021 14:37

[quote sst1234]@notanotherjacketpotato

Living in or near London is not a right. Live somewhere cheaper if you cannot afford London. People not in benefits have to make this choice all the time.[/quote]
Are you going to cover the removal costs?

sst1234 · 11/09/2021 14:39

I think you are running out excuses to back up your argument now.

CiaoForNiao · 11/09/2021 14:39

So people on benefits (most of whom work) are meant to spend money they don't have to move to a cheaper area away from their job and support network. Who's going to do the minimum wage jobs that now have no staff because they've all left? And usually the cheaper areas are cheaper because they don't have jobs available. So now we have areas with no staff to do the minimum wage jobs. And areas full of unemployment because there aren't enough jobs for all the new comers.
Perfect solution. Hmm

SpittinKitten · 11/09/2021 14:41

@CiaoForNiao

So people on benefits (most of whom work) are meant to spend money they don't have to move to a cheaper area away from their job and support network. Who's going to do the minimum wage jobs that now have no staff because they've all left? And usually the cheaper areas are cheaper because they don't have jobs available. So now we have areas with no staff to do the minimum wage jobs. And areas full of unemployment because there aren't enough jobs for all the new comers. Perfect solution. Hmm
Don't forget all the private landlords in the area they move to who can't/won't let to people on benefits...
notanotherjacketpotato · 11/09/2021 14:41

You can't move children away from their other parent.

sst1234 · 11/09/2021 14:42

@CiaoForNiao

So people on benefits (most of whom work) are meant to spend money they don't have to move to a cheaper area away from their job and support network. Who's going to do the minimum wage jobs that now have no staff because they've all left? And usually the cheaper areas are cheaper because they don't have jobs available. So now we have areas with no staff to do the minimum wage jobs. And areas full of unemployment because there aren't enough jobs for all the new comers. Perfect solution. Hmm
Who’s going to do those jobs? Wage rates would be higher, it’s supply and demand. In work benefits actually fuel the low pay culture. If employers couldn’t workers subsidised by benefits, they are forced to pay more.
BigThumb · 11/09/2021 14:44

Have the people recommending moving tried it themselves on UC?

The people who received UC who would even want to try moving are trapped. They can’t save for removal costs (even self hiring a van if they can drive), they can’t save for a deposit, and then they would struggle to find a landlord who would take benefits if they managed to do the financial side.

Let’s have a practical example from the experts. @sst1234 how would you manage the costs and landlord issue?

notanotherjacketpotato · 11/09/2021 14:44

I just had a look out of curiosity as it's been a while since I did. A 2 bed flat in a really shit area away from where I am but close enough that I would be allowed to move my dd there (as in, her dad would allow it) is cheapest £925 and most expensive £2700. There aren't many available but the majority are £1150-1250. There aren't enough cheap houses for everyone to move in to one.

Easyvision01 · 11/09/2021 14:52

So really, if the sums provided by notanotherjacketpotato unthread are correct, then people’s questions shouldn’t be “I never got an extra £80 a month, why should anybody else?” And more “I couldn’t fucking live on just £90 a month when my basic bills are paid, why should anybody else?” Christ. And so then if people do have that left over for food, spends that crop up throughout the month, transport etc. how exactly do they save a months extra rent and moving costs out of that?

MUM2TJ · 11/09/2021 15:02

Can I ask a question? And before anyone jumps in and says I'm bashing anyone I'm not but how much income does a single person get from work to still be able to claim universal credit?
Just on some posts people are saying both they and thier partner work and still claim universal credit on top..again not bashing anyone just genuine question?

Gimlisaxe · 11/09/2021 15:03

[quote sst1234]@notanotherjacketpotato

Living in or near London is not a right. Live somewhere cheaper if you cannot afford London. People not in benefits have to make this choice all the time.[/quote]
I live in the south east, I am desperate to move, I have one child with DP, he has an older child who lives 10 minutes away.

Which child should he pick?

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