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.

Are you not claiming child benefit? That would be £35.15 a week in total for both children. That’s £140 towards childcare. Have you looked in tax free childcare? I think that means the gov pays another £140 towards childcare. Which means you would only need to be paying £420 a month for childcare.

you should contact CMS for maintenance for your youngest if dad is alive/resident in uk

He would swindle / avoid it.

935 without food, childcare or commuting?? Is some of this debt because it seems an awful lot?

[quote Lulu2021]@ANameChangeAgain

"Most families" might not have studied and worked their arse off for over a decade to be professionally where they are, making multiple sacrifices along the way. Sorry but your comment has infuriated me. [/quote]
OP you are completely wrong on this point

Plus

Someone on a high wage doesn't mean the work harder than someone on minimum wage. Have a think about that

Also have a look of there's things you could cut back on ? UC is for families who are really struggling not to top you up because you still want to shop in Waitrose

@Thadhiya

How does someone on 47k qualify for UC!? That's financial assistance for those in need, not bonus payments for people earning far, far above the national average.

And before you get all righteous, I'm not far off that salary myself and would never dream of taking from the public purse when I didn't need to.

It might be a good salary but I couldn't afford £700 a month for childcare.

@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.

Someone in my team earns less than what you earn and is entitled to nothing so I'd be surprised if you were - that is a large salary

What are your other expenses for £935 a month?

700 a month is what childcare costs find a way those who are not on UC and are on far less than you manage and should be respected

@TedMullins

£800 rent + £700 childcare leaves you £1k left over for everything else - why on earth do you think you’d need UC? Honestly I don’t think someone with a grand to play with after housing costs should be entitled to benefits.

Because my other bills and outgoings come to £935. Before food or fuel to commute to work

@Lulu2021 it’s still worth contacting CMS, they can do an attachment of earnings if necessary. He fathered a child, he should contribute to their upbringing.

You also can claim child benefit as you earn less than 50k

The universal credit rate includes tax credits as well as housing benefit, so while it sounds like a lot to some who say they aren't entitled to UC on a lower income, they may be forgetting the tax credits part.

@Pedalpushers

935 without food, childcare or commuting?? Is some of this debt because it seems an awful lot?

A small proportion is debt yes. Some of it car finance, school coach to get my eldest to school (we live quite far from her school), phone contacts for both myself and eldest daughter, Internet, usual household utilities, school meals for my eldest....

Can everyone stop piling in saying OP earns too much, shouldn’t claim etc it isn’t helpful- she asked a question, she doesn’t need criticism. If you feel the system is wrong then take it up with your MP
If she lived in my area she’d be entitled to around £588 per month UC
Have you had any luck getting your lha rate @Lulu2021?

[quote QuestionableDanceMoves]@Lulu2021 it’s still worth contacting CMS, they can do an attachment of earnings if necessary. He fathered a child, he should contribute to their upbringing.

You also can claim child benefit as you earn less than 50k[/quote]

He has another child and they have determined he qualifies for "nil rate" for that child. Despite him sometimes taking home 3k a month. He's found a way to swindle it because of a loophole. I don't expect anything from him.

Your salary also seems low - have you got pension, etc deducted from gross pay?

Life is hard !

Have you asked the father of your youngest for cms ? Has he proved he is u reliable. If so then get a detachment of earnings providing you are being honest about him not paying and you have giving him the chance to.

Let the father and you pay for your child not UC

@QuestionableDanceMoves

Can everyone stop piling in saying OP earns too much, shouldn’t claim etc it isn’t helpful- she asked a question, she doesn’t need criticism. If you feel the system is wrong then take it up with your MP If she lived in my area she’d be entitled to around £588 per month UC Have you had any luck getting your lha rate *@Lulu2021*?

Thank you xx

@BritInUS1

Your salary also seems low - have you got pension, etc deducted from gross pay?

Pension, tax, NI and student loan

@BritInUS1

I should be taking home £200 more than that, but I still have a year left of paying a student loan

@BritInUS1

Your salary also seems low - have you got pension, etc deducted from gross pay?

A 47k salary is in the top 15% of earners in the U.K. (check the IFS salary scale tool if you don’t believe me). Or did you mean her take-home pay seems low compared to gross salary? If the latter I agree as I earn slightly less than OP but my take home pay is more.

I don't understand how you can claim any UC at all on your earnings. I couldn't even get tax credit when i earned half what you do

@TedMullins

I think that poster means my take home is low relative to my gross. But that's because of a £200 student loan payment I'm still making

Sorry, yes I meant net pay - the student loan makes sense

Freeze the debt and offer to pay £10 a month
Give your kid a packed lunch
Rearrange hours so you can drive kid to school saving on the bus
Get rid of phone contracts and pay £10 a month for giff gaff

List all the other expenses in the £955 you have left and cut them to the bone

It sounds like you can afford to stay where you are ... moving is really expensive

Do you use tax free childcare? The government will pay 20% of childcare costs (up to a max of £500 every 3 months). It’s easy to set up and definitely worth doing if you don’t already.