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.

@Viviennemary

I would be amazed if you are entitled to any UC on £47K per annum. Its considerably above the average salary. And the child maintenance won't be taken into consideration.

Have you read any of this thread apart from the OP?

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

To answer your other questions.

In order to pay off my joint debts with my current partner I would have to remain living with him and financially embroiled with him for many, many more months. I don't want to do this for my own mental health.

I could move closer to school, yes; which would save me £60 on a school coach every month. But it would in the process incur additional fuel costs because my eldest daughter's school is around 10 miles north of where we live, and my workplace and childminder are 15 miles south of where we currently live. Hence why she gets a school coach. Thus, if I moved, I'd be saving one cost to add another.

Here you are @Lulu2021

Single adult: 324.84
2 children: 519.58
85% of childcare: 644.58
2 bedroom lha rate: 378,95

Total entitlement: £1864.95

Less deductions, take home pay (not including student loan) £2719 - 293 work allowance= 2426 x 0.63 = 1528.63

1864.95-1528.63= £336.32 UC payment

I’ve amended the childcare costs because I saw you said it was £175 a week so I’ve done 175x52/12 to get a monthly rate and then taken 85% of that

@BrutusMcDogface

Oh dear god, please ignore me! You can’t claim UC as well as tax free childcare. My heart is in the right place, I promise! 🙄💐❤️

It's ok

Not rtft but just wanted to say, I hear you. It's HARD, even on that salary, or more.

Doesn't mean anyone else's situation isn't worse, but it is difficult. I get it x

@Standrewsschool

I think people are surprised that she is entitled to have anything when she has a more than decent salary.

And they keep coming ........

@QuestionableDanceMoves

Here you are *@Lulu2021*

Single adult: 324.84
2 children: 519.58
85% of childcare: 644.58
2 bedroom lha rate: 378,95

Total entitlement: £1864.95

Less deductions, take home pay (not including student loan) £2719 - 293 work allowance= 2426 x 0.63 = 1528.63

1864.95-1528.63= £336.32 UC payment

I’ve amended the childcare costs because I saw you said it was £175 a week so I’ve done 175x52/12 to get a monthly rate and then taken 85% of that

Thank you - so you calculate I'd be entitled to around £336 per month?

@honeylulu

Agree about the nasty comments. So many threads I've seen where a SAHM splits with her partner and finds herself struggling for money and is lambasted for not marrying or keeping a career/financial independence. Here we have an OP who has sensibly done just that and she is "told off" for daring to have a decent salary. A mother's place is in the wrong evidently!

I'm utterly flabbergasted at the nastiness that's been aimed at me for daring to earn a good salary and just struggling with childcare costs. I'm trying to get away from a partner who is badly affecting my mental health, I come here for advice. And this ends up affecting my mental health too. I give up.

I'm beyond thankful to the helpful and supportive posters x

@QuestionableDanceMoves

Here you are *@Lulu2021*

Single adult: 324.84
2 children: 519.58
85% of childcare: 644.58
2 bedroom lha rate: 378,95

Total entitlement: £1864.95

Less deductions, take home pay (not including student loan) £2719 - 293 work allowance= 2426 x 0.63 = 1528.63

1864.95-1528.63= £336.32 UC payment

I’ve amended the childcare costs because I saw you said it was £175 a week so I’ve done 175x52/12 to get a monthly rate and then taken 85% of that

Agreed all correct. The only difference may be if you need to take an advance when you first claim, this will reduce the amount a little as it is paid back over 12 months usually. If you have a bit of money/ savings behind you to tide you over until your first payment then you wont need to take an advance.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

For clarity - my particular field of work requires a minimum of two degrees (the first and most recent ones). The MSc I did in between these was optional, I'll accept. But that's all paid for now anyway, so it's irrelevant as it doesn't have any bearing on my current financial situation.

Op I think people just see the big salary and don't realize the reality of what you actually come out with and what you actually have to pay out of that amount.

@Lulu2021 I do yes, based on childcare costs of £758.33 per month and lha rate of £87.45 per week

It sounds like you’re still in this relationship at the moment and I applaud you for trying to improve your mental health by getting out.

You mentioned about having to wait until your youngest is at school to get out if you can’t make the figures work but remember when they reach 3, the term after you will be entitled to 30 hours free childcare as you work over the required hours. That will significantly improve your out goings on childcare.

Lots of other people know lots more about UC than I do but hopefully a shorter end date on huge childcare outgoings may help you with planning.

Op you might be entitled to some UC for childcare but you will be on a lower income after rent and childcare than you are now, and might need to renegotiate some of those credit agreements, or sell/return the goods to clear them, or look at things like pausing your pension contributions for a while to get by. You are in a better financial situation than 90% of single parents and wouldn't be the first to end up putting nursery fees on a credit card occasionally.

If this is a domestic situation that you need to get your teenager and baby out of then do that and then work out the finances. In a year or three your childcare costs will fall and your teen will be an adult. You just have to get by until then.

@Rooberoobe

It sounds like you’re still in this relationship at the moment and I applaud you for trying to improve your mental health by getting out.

You mentioned about having to wait until your youngest is at school to get out if you can’t make the figures work but remember when they reach 3, the term after you will be entitled to 30 hours free childcare as you work over the required hours. That will significantly improve your out goings on childcare.

Lots of other people know lots more about UC than I do but hopefully a shorter end date on huge childcare outgoings may help you with planning.

Yes good point about the 30 free hours.

I don't understand this im single with no very young children just a student son who is at uni who im trying to help and I also suffer from mental health issues. I earn £1400 and get nowt threads like this make me feel bad.

@missymayhemsmum

Op you might be entitled to some UC for childcare but you will be on a lower income after rent and childcare than you are now, and might need to renegotiate some of those credit agreements, or sell/return the goods to clear them, or look at things like pausing your pension contributions for a while to get by. You are in a better financial situation than 90% of single parents and wouldn't be the first to end up putting nursery fees on a credit card occasionally. If this is a domestic situation that you need to get your teenager and baby out of then do that and then work out the finances. In a year or three your childcare costs will fall and your teen will be an adult. You just have to get by until then.

No point pausing pension contributions, that will mean less UC as it's calculated after pension contributions.

I think a lot of posters aren't realising where you live and circumstances play a big part. I live in the north west when DH was made redundant last year it seems us earning anything over £30000 with two children and no childcare meant we did not qualify.
If depends if you rent or pay a mortgage (UC won't take into account mortgage cost), the cost of rent, if you have childcare cost, whether you come under the 2 child rule or not.
These are all very very rough figures but OP will be entitled to
£500 single person element
3* £200 child element
£600 rent
85% of £700 childcare this all together equals £2300. UC credit then reduces after the first £500 68p for every £1 you earn. I'm not the best at maths but I definitely think you will be entitled to something. I have always found the entitled 2 website when filled in correctly quite accurate. I would try that OP if you haven't already or maybe ring them to go through it.

@Babyroobs

The £646.35 figure is the max amount of UC reimbursement, it actually works out to £760.41 of cost per month so as op said she pays 35 per day assuming 21 to 25 working days in an assessment period op should get the full amount. I know this because I pay the same and get the full amount when I pay for full days, (which is was before dd went to nursery and during summer holidays.

The way uc childcare works is that the total amount paid is divided by the number of days in the childcare period and then apportioned between the assessment periods the childcare is in. But it is only apportioned if paid in advance if paid in arrears it is paid in the assessment period it is paid in.

So 760 paid from 1 to 31st is divided over 31 days (regardless of days that are actually attended) and a daily rate of 24.51 used. My assessment period is 11th to 10th if I paid for the childcare before the 10th the childcare would be paid up to the 10th on one assessment period and the rest from 11th to 31st in the next assessment period. If I pay for it on or after the 11th then it is all paid for in the next payment.

@Lulu2021

No one will give you a figure over the phone, they will only direct you to the calculatiors you have already used, we cannot give you an accurate figure until the day it is calculated a calender month after you apply. A lot of things can change before then. As we have already worked out that you will only get paid if you submit childcare - any month where you don't submit childcare in time or enough childcare you won't get any. But then again any month you are paid less you may still get childcare, it depends on so many things that change

@Tevion28

I don't understand this im single with no very young children just a student son who is at uni who im trying to help and I also suffer from mental health issues. I earn £1400 and get nowt threads like this make me feel bad.

Yes because of a number of reasons. You have no dependents - your da is at Uni and presumably has a student loan to live off as he is an adult. Single people on Uc with no dependents do not get a work allowance unless they are limited in the amount of hours they can work due to illness or disability. Do you have rent to pay ? If not then unfortunately you will not get UC.

have you informed council tax department that you're the only adult living at the property, anyone who lives in a property as the only adult over 18 gets a 25% discount

make sure you tell tax online or phone them

Also just to say instead of attacking OP. Let it show how ridiculous the cost of things are that people struggle on such wages.

[quote Musereader]@Babyroobs

The £646.35 figure is the max amount of UC reimbursement, it actually works out to £760.41 of cost per month so as op said she pays 35 per day assuming 21 to 25 working days in an assessment period op should get the full amount. I know this because I pay the same and get the full amount when I pay for full days, (which is was before dd went to nursery and during summer holidays.

The way uc childcare works is that the total amount paid is divided by the number of days in the childcare period and then apportioned between the assessment periods the childcare is in. But it is only apportioned if paid in advance if paid in arrears it is paid in the assessment period it is paid in.

So 760 paid from 1 to 31st is divided over 31 days (regardless of days that are actually attended) and a daily rate of 24.51 used. My assessment period is 11th to 10th if I paid for the childcare before the 10th the childcare would be paid up to the 10th on one assessment period and the rest from 11th to 31st in the next assessment period. If I pay for it on or after the 11th then it is all paid for in the next payment.

@Lulu2021

No one will give you a figure over the phone, they will only direct you to the calculatiors you have already used, we cannot give you an accurate figure until the day it is calculated a calender month after you apply. A lot of things can change before then. As we have already worked out that you will only get paid if you submit childcare - any month where you don't submit childcare in time or enough childcare you won't get any. But then again any month you are paid less you may still get childcare, it depends on so many things that change[/quote]
Thanks for the clarification on how the childcare element is worked out.
I agree that no-one from Uc is able to give a figure without knowing exact earnings etc.
It's a shame the advisers that you get to speak to on the UC phonelines aren't all as knowledgeable as you Musereader. From my experience, many would benefit from some training even in the basics. I have one wonderful contact at the DWP now who is so helpful, I email her with any client problems and bypass the general helpline !

Sorry not read the whole thread as there is a lot of it. Just a few points. Firstly student loan repayment is ignored by UC so finishing paying it won't affect your entitlement. I'm sure about this as I'm on UC and repaying a loan. I can well believe you're entitled to some UC because of your childcare costs, despite all the bad press it's got I find it much better than the tax credits system.

Regarding child maintenance, the CMS did eventually manage to pin my slippery ex down my threatening to take him to court and remove his passport/driving license but I really had to push them to do and provide as much info as I had about him. If yours is employed it should be much easier.

Good luck OP, it's a shitty situation to be in