Universal credit increase budget 2021

[LittleBirdy1]

Have I missed something with this announcement? Papers all reporting how people will be worse off and it makes no difference to peoples pockets. I think the changes should make a big difference to people, tapper rate lowered to 55p work allowance up by £500 a year.
500%12=41 41+293=334 new work allowance if you rent.

Take home pay of £2500-334=£2166
2166x0.55=£1191.30
£2000

• £1191.30

—————- £808.70 universal credit

Old workings out
£2500-293=£2207
£2207x0.63= £1390.41
£2000-1390.41=609.59

Based on a family of 2 adults, 3 dc, rent of £595 take home pay of £2500

@selflove not everyone eligible for warm home discount will be awarded it. There's only a relatively small amount available.

@CelestialGalaxy

Wooaah...you can have take home pay of £2500 and still get universal credit?!?

No!! That would be very very rare and would only be someone renting in an area with really high rents.

Can anyone help explain if I'll benefit from the uplift please? I work full time, earn £15,500 a year after tax, single mum of 1 DC. No rent or mortgage to pay, only ground rent and service charge. Don't receive CMS but her dad pays for school dinners. I'm not in a bad position but like to be able to plan my finances. I can't get my head around how the UC system works or whether the change will affect me.

Wooaah...you can have take home pay of £2500 and still get universal credit?!
No!! That would be very very rare and would only be someone renting in an area with really high rents.

Actually not very very rare, actually quite common in a high rent areas with high childcare costs combined.

I've calculated our entitlement with the new work allowance and taper and it's more than the covid uplift. Has anybody found the same with their calculations?

@WhiteMochaExtraCream yes, I have found that. Think it was £120 a month. Dh works full time, I’m a carer so our entitlement is quite high because ds gets severe disabled premiums.

@Alessandra87

That's not true. I take home £2,700 a month and if I was to become single tomorrow, with my circumstances as they are in terms of my children and childcare costs etc, I would be able to claim in the region of £300 towards childcare costs. I live in a low rent area, too.

@WhiteMochaExtraCream

With the changes coming into effect in December my hypothetical single claim becomes £200 extra per month.

It's not just about the APPARENT Increase op it's about how it fits within an economy with rising cost of living beyond what many can afford and how it does VERY little to alleviate that.

Economics experts are saying that in real terms it's either "breaking even" or putting folk in a loss situation when the cost of living is factored in.

They've done NOTHING to address the cost of living, NOTHING for social housing, NOTHING For carers, NOTHING for the sick/disabled, and most surprisingly of all (cos it's shooting themselves in the foot mainly!) NOTHING for pensioners!

Even the usually Tory supporting press are pointing this out!

They really haven't a clue and/or don't really care

They are far too confident that people will keep voting Tory NO MATTER WHAT

At this point it's almost like they are thinking "who can we piss on next and they'll STILL vote for us?"

It's insane!

@selflove you seem to have a rather odd and may I say misplaced resentment and ire towards those of us unemployed and on benefits

I am 49, too sick/disabled to work, live alone:

I would say though that the disabled/carers/those not working already benefit from:

Free prescriptions - I live in Scotland so prescriptions are free anyway, but the sick/disabled are generally on more serious even life saving medication than antibiotics! Often lots of them too. As of this week I will be on 6 different meds daily plus a further 4 are as needed

Free dental treatment - IF you can access it! Only the basics are covered on the nhs and many dentists don't take on nhs patients now

Free school meals - my dd is an adult now so no longer need or benefit from these, but when I did they helped a little but not a huge amount of difference

Free eye tests - again free in Scotland anyway

School uniform grant - as fsm but I have to say they maybe covered 1 full set of uniform at start of school year certainly not beyond the first term. It's also not available everywhere as it's council administered so it depends whether you have a decent council or not

£180 winter fuel allowance - not unless you're over 66!

Council tax benefit - varies how much help claimants get with this

We still have ALL the other living costs others have PLUS perhaps additional costs incurred by caring responsibilities/our own ill health. I'm not as badly off as others (yet) but certainly I need certain aids for doing things at home like cooking, also for mobility I sometimes need a crutch, certain products are easier to use than others for daft reasons like how easy they are to open or get the inside product out of - I can't manage stiff openings or bottles I need to squeeze hard etc, I have to shop online as I am
Mainly housebound but even if I was getting out I couldn't manage getting my groceries home myself, I need to use certain elements of energy more than others etc etc

I get pip but it doesn't cover everything!

AND we aren't in a position to save in order to take advantage of special offers or bulk buying options

You are directing your understandable anger and anxiety regarding your own situation at the wrong people!

The poorest have NO power to change things for you, the rich and powerful do! The politicians absolutely do!

Be pissed off! Be angry! But direct it at those that deserve it!

www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/eligibility

The lack of understanding of the reality disabled people face is staggering.

The amount of people who've not been on benefits/not been on them in the last 10 years who THINK we're rolling in it and think they know how it works is quite astonishing!

Warm home discount is finite and 1st come 1st served I've not yet managed this. You don't necessarily get this even if you apply. I've been trying for 5 years!

Just like the uc uplift was not applied to legacy benefits.

Yea I'm convinced that was deliberate to try and "encourage" people to switch to uc which is notoriously shite for most but esp sick/disabled

1. the "not working" poor who receive UC and are entitled to all those things I listed because they don't work

no we are NOT as pps have repeatedly pointed out to you and I am now too!

If you don't work and are on UC, the budget wasn't good news for you

Understatement of the decade!!

We STILL have to pay our bills the same as everyone else on an income that hasn't increased by more than a few pounds - less than £10 I think - in a decade!

@BlueBooby best way to get an ESTIMATE or if you could get anything is to try the online calculators

Turn2us
Entitledto

Are usually pretty accurate

Then if it looks like you may be you could double check/start a claim with help/support from your councils welfare advisors (they have different names across the country)

@Graphista you're spot on as usual.

I'm afraid that far too many think that those of us with no choice but to live on benefits are raking it in. And that we all (obviously) sit drinking and smoking our cash while watching sky sports on our 70inch TVs.

[quote ToastCrumbsOnAPlate]@Graphista you're spot on as usual.

I'm afraid that far too many think that those of us with no choice but to live on benefits are raking it in. And that we all (obviously) sit drinking and smoking our cash while watching sky sports on our 70inch TVs.[/quote]
I don't think people do think that at all.

The system is very flawed in that some people seem to be able to choose whether they work or not and 'play the system'.

Those who work and on benefits should get more help than those who don't. Those on PIP already get extra money each month. Those not entitled to PIP could and should be working.

Benefits shouldn't pay for sky tv, cigarettes, alcohol or any luxuries. That's what going to work pay for.

worriedandannoyed

Those on PIP already get extra money each month.
For most, pip is a small amount that does not cover the full cost of the extra spends they have due to their illness and/or disability.

Those not entitled to PIP could and should be working.
Many many who have lost pip or never been able to get pip are sick and/or disabled. Many have starved to death and died. This has been documented by many organisations including the government over the last ten years.

A little empathy would be good instead of begrudging those who are truly at the bottom of society.

As a disabled single parent unable to work, I'm just still screwed after losing £86 per months

@danni0509 The school uniform grant is a measly £20 and is only available in some areas. It's not guaranteed by any stretch

@worriedandannoyed Benefits shouldn't pay for sky tv, cigarettes, alcohol or any luxuries. That's what going to work pay for. - I don't buy any of those so called 'luxuries' but I am severely disabled and therefore on benefits. Does that mean I'm not entitled to ANYTHING nice and should therefore have the worst of everything?!?! Because I was born with multiple schlerosis, osteo-arthritis & EDS??? Thanks. Yeah thanks for that

@selflove Maybe educate yourself before posting bollocks on the internet.

This budget is designed to incentivise work and therefore automatically disadvantages carers and people who are unable to work due to disabilities or health conditions
Thanks to everyone who has posted helpful suggestions Re entitlements and how to access
I work for a charity (as well as being disabled myself) and so many people are sadly unaware of the bits of help they can get
Pity they are just ‘bits of help’ but that’s another story

@BlueBooby

Can anyone help explain if I'll benefit from the uplift please? I work full time, earn £15,500 a year after tax, single mum of 1 DC. No rent or mortgage to pay, only ground rent and service charge. Don't receive CMS but her dad pays for school dinners. I'm not in a bad position but like to be able to plan my finances. I can't get my head around how the UC system works or whether the change will affect me.

Should do. Not hugely but by about sixty quid a month. Divide your income into 12 take off £515 and currently they take 63p off your UC per pound above £515 but now they will take 55p.

I would say though that the disabled/carers/those not working already benefit from:
Free prescriptions I get these anyway due to a medical condition so to me personally not a benefit (I'm aware they are for other unemployed people though)
Free dental treatment which would be helpful if there was actually any dentists taking on NHS patients.
Free school meals not for college age DS1. He's still in compulsory education so I have to send him but no FSM. Which is fine. I chose to have him.

Free eye tests yes
School uniform grant have never received this ever. 2DC, been in education for 13 years so far, although haven't been unemployed for all of that.
£180 winter fuel allowance I assume you mean the winter fuel payment which is £140. My provider do it, but I can't apply because my account number/postcode are recognised when I try online and they won't let me apply over the phone.
Council tax benefit I get a whole £7 discount on mine.

Now add in to that that I am renting literally the only house I can afford in my town which is old and cold and costs a fortune to heat. Vs my Mum for eg who lives in a new build with decent heating and a new boiler. My heating bill for a 2 bed terrace is more than hers for a 4 bed semi detached.

Those not entitled to PIP could and should be working I'm not ill enough for PIP, yet too ill to work. I'm currently appealing the decision not to award me the LCWRA of UC.
Not receiving PIP doesn't mean you can work.

Now I'm not complaining about the benefits I receive at all. I'm glad we live in a society that has a welfare state. But it's not the life of Riley that some people seem to think it is.

@ToastCrumbsOnAPlate oh wow! Thank you

I don't even have a normal tv! It bust maybe 3 years ago? Couldn't afford to replace it at the time

@worriedandannoyed wow! Way to miss the point - and contradict yourself

I don't think people do think that at all... Benefits shouldn't pay for sky tv, cigarettes, alcohol or any luxuries. That's what going to work pay for.

I'm not saying should pay for huge luxuries but are you really saying we don't "deserve" the odd bit of something nice/fun when we CAN'T Work?

Fwiw I've never smoked, very rarely drink (like 2 or 3 times a year! Couple glasses wine at Christmas that kinda thing), can't drive on meds so no car, no tv though I do watch streaming services but quite honestly this gets me through the sleepless nights as an anxious chronic insomniac of 20 years!), I also don't have false nails or gamble or any of the usual tripe that's spouted - I don't even have a free goat!

@flirtygirl well said

My chronic/long term health conditions are :

Endo - born with this apparently, some of the effects inc losing 3 babies inc ectopic complication. Also several surgeries required

Asthma/eczema/hayfever - also born with

Mh issues - mainly due to a fucked up childhood inc csa

Physical disability - thanks to car accident in which I was stationary at traffic lights and a numpty texting hit me!

Various allergies to meds plus the delightful effects of dizziness, brain fog, memory issues etc

But yea...I'm just a lazy scrounger!

@flirtygirl

I'm a full time carer recieving £67 per week. (maybe £68)

My disabled daughter does not qualify for any winter fuel allowance. That's for the elderly. We have also never received warm homes.

Also there is no such thing as council tax benefit. It has been local government allowance for years now and every area can operate it differently. My daughter has to pay for council tax out of the £253 universal credit that she receives each month. As do many unemployed and disabled.

You need to get some professional benefits advice for you and your daughter.

Does she get PIP/DLA? If so she will be entitled to the warm fuel allowance. If you google it, you will find the details and you apply directly through her energy company.

Has she been assessed as fit for work?

they can still get their basic needs met regardless of the fact they don't benefit from the new budget - they don't have to worry about not being able to afford antibiotics or heating, or school meals or uniform for their kids, because those are already covered for them.

Am disabled and can't get basic need of safe home met so trapped in domestic violence situation that caused some of disability. Landlords don't want you if benefits and probably is cos housing part of benefits been frozen years and is lower than lots of private rents and no chance in some areas of council place. Some councils go out of their way to keep you off their housing lists or they put you in unsafe homeless housing away from support. You forever not safe cos of constant risk of being homeless. Disabled is punished for having disablity. Is poverty homeless trap cos some of us may have possibly chance of managing health enough for maybe part time job one day if with treatment helps. No guarantee but not chance at all if not allowed safe home and if only able to think about how to survive every day constant fear and worry of homeless, being able to afford heating, food especially healthy food and stuff like that. Fear takes over constant worry and makes health and disability worse. If was in Belgium, would've taken doctor suicide cos being disabled not safe in this country.

@WhiteMochaExtraCream i’ve calculated that mine & DH payment will increase by £210. I’m sure I’ve worked it out right but it seems high.

We have a take home pay of £2900 between us and we do get UC, due to childcare costs. We will have high rent from next month but that doesn’t make a difference as the LHA has us needed a two bed.

This change partially mitigates the impact of the UC cut for some people.

But the UC cut was wrong both economically and morally. Around half of those on UC will see no benefit from the taper rate change. Cost of living increases will cause real hardship.

The £1bn tax cuts for banks is obviously more important for Tories.

Importantly the government hasn't even bothered to model how much the coming inflation will affect children. Because they don't give a shit.

@ListenLinda our take home is slightly higher and we have a high rent LHA rate and childcare costs and I've come out with a similar figure which also seems high to me too.

@worriedandannoyed and that's fine. I'm assuming to enable this you fully support the government paying for professional carers for disabled people so their unpaid carers to return to work? Direct payment in our LA is £14 p/h with £10 of that being the carer's wage. 35 hours a week is £490 a week for the government fund to ensure their carers get back to work.

Or we could properly support carers/the disabled and not penalise them to a life of misery because you should not be allowed any nice things when on benefits despite saving the government a fortune?