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AIBU?

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Original poster

Am I worse off than someone on on UC??

166 replies

Underduvet33 · 18/02/2022 20:12

AIBU here to be annoyed? I recently heard someone say that they get £1300 in Universal credit per month and work 12hrs a week earning approx 300 pounds per month- plus they get all their childcare free as on UC plus require less childcare as only work 12 hours a week

That leaves them with 1600 to spend on rent etc (do they get help with this too??)

I don’t get any benefits I have 2 children in nursery full time- so I can work full time. Even with one of my children receiving 30 hours free - after childcare costs are deducted from my take home salary I’m left with 1100 a month to pay rent bills etc. i am in a good job with a good profession but it seems I’m worse off than someone on benefits?

Have I got this all wrong? If I quit my job worked and worked a small part time job claiming benefits of get more money per month in my pocket and spend more time with my kids?

I really think I must have misunderstood because I don’t get the impression that people on benefits are living the high life?

What have I misunderstood??? Were the numbers I told incorrect??

OP posts:
Danikm151 · 18/02/2022 21:23

Single parent here, £400 rent. Work full time with a take home of £1550. I get £925 UC due to the childcare element. Without childcare I would still get £279 UC.
It’s worth doing the calculator. With the new taper rate and work allowance, a lot more people are eligible.
Those with children born before April 2017 actually get more as the child element is higher for them.
It’s a support system in place, rent element depends on local housing allowance. Higher LHA means higher UC.

vodkaredbullgirl · 18/02/2022 21:24

Blimey this is the 4th benefit thread I've seen this week. Its lucky you have a supportive family, have you looked into UC.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 18/02/2022 21:24

Unless they mean the free 15 hours but everyone gets those when child turns 3.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 18/02/2022 21:29

They certainly won't be getting that much in UC unless their rent is high - you have to be working 16 hours minumum to get the working tax credit element. If they're only working 12 hours they will get the child tax credit element (£60pw ish for the first child) and a small amount of income support, plus child benefit and housing benefit towards the rent.

I'm a single parent working 28 hours a week at just over min wage. I get child tax credits which is just over £60pw, and working tax credits of £40pw. I have a mortgage so no rent help.

Musereader · 18/02/2022 21:31

You just have to be employed, no minimum hours to qualify for childcare on UC.

Everybody gets free hours when dc are 3 -5, it is possible the friend does has just enough free hours to cover the childcare for work.

Musereader · 18/02/2022 21:36

@Waxonwaxoff0 there is no minimum hours for the working tax credit element of UC, it works nothing like tax credits.

UC is all the elements you are entitled to added together, minus deductions for earnings and other things. There is no minimum hours for any element, no element added or taken off for working or not working. You have to be working to get childcare and a work allowance (money disregarded from wages) is allowed if you are working, that is all.

LightfoldEngines · 18/02/2022 21:38

If you’re a single parent then you should be claiming UC. It’s your choice not to.

LightfoldEngines · 18/02/2022 21:40

Also OP, if you’re paying childcare for 2 full time children and are still left with £1,100 then you obviously have a very high paying job.

For fucks sake, wind your neck in.

Northernsoullover · 18/02/2022 21:40

I was on in work benefits for quite a while until I upped my skills and increased my earning power..I'm on an ok salary but I'm probably not much better off than before. However, I do have a pension that I'm paying into now which I'm going to have to hammer a bit extra into (a lot extra). I do wonder how people claiming uc will cope once the children are 18 and everything stops. It will be a pretty miserable retirement too.
You are always better off in work paying into a pension than not so try not to feel too bad.
Also I can do an extra job now without it being deducted from benefits.

MintyFreshBreath · 18/02/2022 21:40

YANBU. Back in the days when I was a single parent, before I went to uni, I was loaded. I’d somehow hit the magic number of hours for working (20 i think). Then with housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit and DLA on top (plus occasional maintenance) I was sorted. This is going back 15 years but I easily had £850 a month left after paying every bill plus food for the month.

Pandoh · 18/02/2022 21:42

@Ponoka7

My DD has two children and has never got that. She got around £1k a month. You don't get any other money towards your rent, that's it. Your example is very lucky to have her child care covered, a lot of nurseries give set hours, if you are talking about her 15 free hours. Every two year old gets that. You don't get free childcare on UC, people on low incomes get 30 hours for a 3/4 year old.
People on low incomes get 15 hours at 2, everyone else gets it at 3 and it can be bumped up to 30 if you work a certain amount of hours.
Foolsrule · 18/02/2022 21:45

Half of these problems would be solved if every man who fathers a child is made to pay for that child! Why should the state step in when these men are working, but just don’t want to pay for their offspring? And the mothers are always left living from hand to mouth. It should be a criminal offence to father a child and then fuck off. 50% salary contribution should make many a man wanting a quick shag think again!

LightfoldEngines · 18/02/2022 21:46

@MintyFreshBreath

YANBU. Back in the days when I was a single parent, before I went to uni, I was loaded. I’d somehow hit the magic number of hours for working (20 i think). Then with housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit and DLA on top (plus occasional maintenance) I was sorted. This is going back 15 years but I easily had £850 a month left after paying every bill plus food for the month.
DLA would have been at least 1/3 of that, no? So it’s not a valid comparison.
WonderfulYou · 18/02/2022 21:49

Definitely claim UC if you haven’t already.
I’m a single parent working FT and get about £200 to top up my wages which is a massive help.

I have been on just benefits and i am definitely better off working.

Her rent and everything will be taken from that amount.

If people were better off working a few hours a week then everyone would be doing it.

LifesABotch · 18/02/2022 21:49

People on benefits are most definitely not living the high life! Unfortunately, jealousy and grass-is-always-greener attitude always seem to creep in when people post about benefits.

TAKESNOSHITSHIRLEY · 18/02/2022 21:49

well im a single mother with a disabled child in a 3 bedroom(did have another son but hes recently moved out)
my uc had different rules to normal uc as i cant work because im a carer and home educator(i know H.E s not a valid reason not to work but as i dont have a child in school and a single mother im his 24/7 carer)so i get left alone and dont have criteria to do

between us both via various benefits i get 2167 a month
before my other son moved out out it was an extra 685 a month on top

i also get 140 a year warm home front for the gas and 25 a week if its below 0

my rent is 500 and i get 480 which is included in the above amount, my council tax is fully paid, which i dont know how much a month is as its automatically paid to the council

quite Frankly i haven't worried about money since 2012 when my 17 y old was diagnosed at 8 then in 2015 my 11 y old was diagnosed at 5.

when my ex was living here(left sept 2020) between 2 adults on carers allowance and 2 kids on high dla and full rent and council tax paid we were getting 750 a week

where i live thats really good money

EDIT i read this back and im not boasting at all even though it sounds a very boasty, braggy post, im just saying it as it is as that's been/is my circumstances

Waxonwaxoff0 · 18/02/2022 21:53

[quote Musereader]@Waxonwaxoff0 there is no minimum hours for the working tax credit element of UC, it works nothing like tax credits.

UC is all the elements you are entitled to added together, minus deductions for earnings and other things. There is no minimum hours for any element, no element added or taken off for working or not working. You have to be working to get childcare and a work allowance (money disregarded from wages) is allowed if you are working, that is all.[/quote]
I see. I'm still on the old style as when I did the calculator I'd be worse off by £100pm if I changed to UC.

hibbledibble · 18/02/2022 22:00

Yanbu to be annoyed you are worse off working.

Are you using tax free childcare/childcare vouchers? Are you entitled to any UC, have you checked?

On the plus you do get career progression, and pension contribution. You are staying in the job market, which might be difficult to re-enter if you left. You are also setting a good example for your children by working, and they have the social and developmental benefits of attending nursery. You are doing great!

LightfoldEngines · 18/02/2022 22:07

And OP has a lot of family support which I assume comes in handy when her DC are sick, her friend does not and that’s probably the biggest factor in only working 12 hours.

FTEngineerM · 18/02/2022 22:09

but it seems I’m worse off than someone on benefits?

Financially in the short term yes.
But in reality in the long term you’re quids in.
You will be finished with nurser fees soon, or at least full time nursery fees anyway. You have a great job that will allow for progression and promotion so when they’re a bit older you won’t be earning minimum wage you can work half the amount of hours as them for the same money! That’s how I see it.
Someone who’s chosen to reduce hours and take a low paid part time job to max out on benefits isn’t going to be able to get a mortgage in 1/2/3 months time, are they?

I know it’s tough to save a deposit but if you could, when you can.. they can’t.
Then add in your pension, any additional company benefits like bupa private health care for you family.

RandomMess · 18/02/2022 22:11

One of your biggest assets is your pension tbh

MissMaple82 · 18/02/2022 22:12

You are being unreasonable. UC is different fir every person. She probably has high housing costs. It's really nine if your business, stop being so jealous of someone needing benefit support

Loveandlimpets · 18/02/2022 22:15

The thing about benefits though is that government policy could change at any time. People on benefits can never fully rely on it continuing as it currently is. You're far better off working.

Embracelife · 18/02/2022 22:18

In long term.m you will be.much better off and have a pension
When dc are teenagers you will be laughing and off on nice holidays with them

SaySomethingMan · 18/02/2022 22:23

I don’t know anyone personally in UC but have read countless on these threads and on other baby boards how much worse off people would be if they worked full time or upped their hours. The overwhelming majority in UC are (most likely) better off on it.