To ask you to help me work this out?

[Lulu2021]

My head is a mess as I'm going through some relationship difficulties with a young baby and I'm trying to make sense of my entitlement to financial help.

I've done a UC calculation a few times but it comes out with an amount that i think is an overestimate.

My details are;

• FT salary of £47,126, net monthly income £2,516 after deductions.
• 2 DC (ages 15 years and 6 months) - no childcare costs for eldest, costs of £700 pm for youngest when I go back to work from mat leave.
• child maintenance of £120 pm for the eldest child only.
• private rented property
• no other benefits claimed
• no significant savings

It's telling me I'd be entitled to in the region of £650 pm as a single parent. Does this sound right? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

@HalzTangz

Oh dear! I've had every estimate from nothing to £600 a month. I think I'll just need to call them on Monday and find out for definite. To be honest , the cold hard facts are that I can't afford to leave him if I can't claim a little bit of help in the interim to get me through. Which leaves me in an emotionally abusive relationship until such a time as my childcare costs are no more (when my 6 month old starts school), or it means I give up my career that took me over a decade of hard graft plus a lot of student debt and three university degrees. I'm so lost.

[quote Strangevipers]@Pea22ches

Obviously my comment hit a nerve with you . How dare I suggest the PARENTS of a child pay for their child themselves not UC

We all have different values and are raised differently you have your opinion ion and I have mine

[/quote]
I agree with your opinion

Universal credit is compiled of different segments

For example

Standard Living allowance - £250

Child allowance - £150

Rent - £500

Total - £900

Obviously I'm using numbers as an example they are not necessarily accurate.

But I would expect if you ask them for the breakdown of payments, they should be able to show you exactly what payments your main payment is compiled of.

I tried the benefit calculator with (roughly) your figures and it gave me just shy of £180 a month in UC.

You've been getting a lot of snippy comments on this thread due to your salary but I think you're doing great OP! You're leaving an abusive partner (often the hardest thing) and are trying to work out how to support your family.

You've studied hard and worked hard in order to get your salary but a number of complicating factors and financial commitments mean that you're going to struggle on your take home pay.

I really hope you can use your ex-partners NI number to get him to contribute. My ex doesn't pay for our daughter either. All his money is offshore so not much I can do about that!

I really hope the collective advice on this thread will help you. Do you want us to help with suggestions on bills/reducing them and other outgoings?

Thanks everyone (except of course the bitter nasty posters who just fancied kicking a vulnerable woman when she's down). I'll come back to update my entitlement on Monday when I've spoken to them. Fingers crossed!

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but are you already claiming child benefit? That’s around £140 a month for two children I think. That might be included in your calculation that you got? If you don’t already claim it, you can put in a claim online x

I am on UC. I have a partner and a teenager - no childcare or CMS. I get Child Benefit, DP gets maximum PIP of £600 pm. My rent is £1075 and I take home £2300 pcm in wages.

I get £300 (now no uplift) I was amazed at this! I used the turn to us calculator.

It is there because you need it. I have never claimed benefits before until dp got suddenly disabled.

I don't know why people are being shitty about her claiming UC. She works and is entitled to it. I'd rather it went to help put someone who worked as opposed to funding the lifestyle of someone who couldn't be arsed to work.

[quote Lulu2021]@HeyArnoldHey

"A bit rude"?! When someone wishes that a newly single mum going through a really shitty time would struggle financially? That poster literally said "I hope it's wrong". Why?! No need. [/quote]
I read this comment less as being personally directed at you, and more at the idea that benefits are paid to high earners- which you are, circumstances not withstanding.

I understand your personal circumstances have changed, and agree a safety net should be in place. The general idea that someone on your income should receive benefits paid with tax raised from other people who are also struggling to get by, is problematic.

That's mad, I'm off to apply for UC earning nothing like your salary

On £47k a year how are you struggling financially ?? I hope that calculation is wrong too because I earn a lot less than you and get peanuts in benefits !!

I'm not sure on the amount but you are definitely entitled to it. Rent costs make a difference

Hi OP

I haven't read the full thread, so not sure if it has been mentioned but if you do get the childcare element it is paid in arrears, so make sure you have the first month available. Good luck

Also with your situation, do what you can to get yourself and your kids out of there. There's no shame in claiming if you need too. And as much as the father should jolly well be paying the bills, court is a lengthy and expensive process to make him pay if he is refusing, and your priorities
Right now are to keep yourself and the kids fed

There are some appalling comments on this thread. The ire and outrage that a single mum should dare to earn 47k a year and assumptions that she's living a self-indulgent, luxurious rock star lifestyle as a result and stealing from the mouths of the less privileged.

I earn the same as you, OP, and I'm also a single parent who dares to get nominal/no financial from my DC's father (according to some posters, that also seems to be all your fault!) I would love some posters to walk a day in my shoes and catch a glimpse of the easy life they seem to assume a single parent has just because they're earning above the average wage.

What really pisses me off quite frequently is the lack of notice given to the fact that there are many households with two parents in bringing in two incomes that equal or exceed this, and that these households are more likely to be entitled to certain things that we are not.

I worked so hard and did so many hours one year and got child benefit taken off me. Would this happen if I earned less even if I had a lovely, and also rich partner who earned over the threshold? No, just single parents who are trying to do their best for their children.

The OP wasn't knocking anyone who earns less than here but because she's in a position which earns her a good wage she seems to be fair game for horrible comments.

I know plenty of people who bring in the equivalent of your wage after deductions in large part due to benefit income.

Well done for staying strong for your children, keep going.

£700 childcare is also over the maximum amount for childcare that Uc will pay for one child. I'm assuming this childcare is all for the baby as your other child is a teenager. It is 85% of £646 for one child. Unless of course if you have 2 children but don't claim for one you still get the 2 child maximum but I would suspect not !

@whistleryukon

There are some appalling comments on this thread. The ire and outrage that a single mum should dare to earn 47k a year and assumptions that she's living a self-indulgent, luxurious rock star lifestyle as a result and stealing from the mouths of the less privileged.

I earn the same as you, OP, and I'm also a single parent who dares to get nominal/no financial from my DC's father (according to some posters, that also seems to be all your fault!) I would love some posters to walk a day in my shoes and catch a glimpse of the easy life they seem to assume a single parent has just because they're earning above the average wage.

What really pisses me off quite frequently is the lack of notice given to the fact that there are many households with two parents in bringing in two incomes that equal or exceed this, and that these households are more likely to be entitled to certain things that we are not.

I worked so hard and did so many hours one year and got child benefit taken off me. Would this happen if I earned less even if I had a lovely, and also rich partner who earned over the threshold? No, just single parents who are trying to do their best for their children.

The OP wasn't knocking anyone who earns less than here but because she's in a position which earns her a good wage she seems to be fair game for horrible comments.

I know plenty of people who bring in the equivalent of your wage after deductions in large part due to benefit income.

Well done for staying strong for your children, keep going.

I think the thing people get most cross about is that there are so many shit absent parents out there who contribute nothing to their kids upbringing whilst the state has to pay. As I said earlier though even if op's ex was to pay £1000 a month in CM, it would not change the amount of Universal credit op receives.

How is the childcare element paid, do we submit the invoice and proof of payment to UC and they work out what we are entitled to?

I've read online that the childcare amount you get via UC can differ every month due to reasons even if your earnings are the same.

A lot of envious hyenas out tonight , sad really

I think it's worth you double checking with either the CAB or someone at the local job centre. Whilst you might be entitled to £650 based on the figures entered, what also happens is that universal credit MIGHT reduce the amount actually paid by 63p for every £1 earnt.
You have an amount that isn't affected - for one child it is £293 per month, then the UC is reduced by the .63 per £1 earnt. So it sounds a lot and actually isn't.

Ignore the nasty posters, you prob pay more in tax than what some people earn. I speak from experience as my part time wage is less than what my husband pays in Tax... you’ve paid into the system until now so why not get a little help if you can, it seems everyone else does. Doubt it will be £600 but just ring them and find out. On £47k a year your paying approx £575 a month in tax so if you do get £180 you’re paying in more than you would be receiving anyway. X

@louloubelx

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but are you already claiming child benefit? That’s around £140 a month for two children I think. That might be included in your calculation that you got? If you don’t already claim it, you can put in a claim online x

I am yes - thank you though x

@Twatterati

I think it's worth you double checking with either the CAB or someone at the local job centre. Whilst you might be entitled to £650 based on the figures entered, what also happens is that universal credit MIGHT reduce the amount actually paid by 63p for every £1 earnt. You have an amount that isn't affected - for one child it is £293 per month, then the UC is reduced by the .63 per £1 earnt. So it sounds a lot and actually isn't.

It doesn't matter how many kids you have, the work allowance does not later. If you have the rent element on your claim and you have kids the work allowance is £293. If no work allowance then it's £513.

Sorry that should say does not alter.