Does this entitled to calculation seem correct?

[Nananananana]

Trying to work out how we could manage financially with a child.. i entered my wage based on dropping down to 25h over 4 days, meaning we'd need a day less with a childminder, I entered my partner's usual wage and hours.
Entered a rough cost of a childminder per week and a baby who's 3 months old (I only get statutory maternity pay so I would be going back to work quite early on unfortunately, not taking the full year)
1 bed flat.. we'd be entitled to £226 per week in UC and child benefit, on top of our 2 wages.
This seems a lot? We could manage more than ok with that plus my partner full time and me part time, just seems too good to be true almost?
On 25 hours a week I'm on around 17100 a year and partner on around 16000 a year for his hours.

I'd be working Monday to Thursday office hours then just till lunch on Friday. Partner various shifts

I can't help with that one but maybe try a few more benefit calculators to check they're in the same ball park? Good luck!

If your partner is only bringing in 16,000 then they aren't working full time. Minimum wage for 37.5hrs a week is £18,525.

Are you sure you've entered their earnings correctly as that could've skewed the calculation.

I wouldn't do it if you're going to have to rely on government help, as that could be cut / removed at any time, and life is getting more expensive every day. Could you wait a while and save up, get a buffer behind you? You'll want a bigger home too eventually - what would be the plan for that?

Ridiculous! You’re more likely to lose your job than have the government remove your benefit entitlement. On the basis that you can’t predict the future, no one should have kids ever, by your reasoning.

@GrumpyDullard and then you can get another job, but you might not be able to replace the shortfall of benefits being cut so easily.

It's wild that the concept of supporting your family yourself is so alien nowadays

EntitledTo is fairly accurate.

What will be bumping yours up will be child minding costs and rent if you've entered that in.

Universal credit is pretty useful for working people. It's a shame if some people are too proud or otherwise deluded and don't claim it.

There's Nurses that claim UC and just about every nursery worker, elderly care worker, hospital porter and many more. Without it, there's many many essential jobs that just wouldn't get done. If someone is happy to make use of people that claim UC, then they shouldn't be looking down their nose at the people that claim it..

I'll wait for the thread in 18 months when OP comes back to complain her UC has been cut and they can't afford to move out of their 1 bedroom.
It's not insane to suggest someone save up a bit before starting a family.
The next year is going to be a financial shock to a lot of people and it's sensible to try and plan for that a little bit?

Agree with op, what kind of savings have you got before relying on government handouts. I see in here all the time women/families saving for maternity.

Why so catty?

Well for starters if she is in a 1 bed flat actually she'd be entitled to join the council list for a 2 bedroom property.

People lose their jobs and end up having to be on benefits. She said she is going back to work but needs a top up. She's entitled to help and if it's there why not take it? That's what it is there for to help low income households. That's exactly what they are.

OP, the calculations are usually pretty accurate but don't go off them 100%. They can go up or down. Roughly CB is about £80 something a month for your first child.

Your UC would probably also have a housing element.

Why are you reducing your hours when your partner is the lower earner? He should be taking the hit as you add more to the family pot and presumably have more opportunities for promotion?

I'm not being catty, I'm being realistic. Most people I know, including myself, have saved up before maternity leave. OP Would maybe then be able to make more than 3 months off - which I think she may appreciate.

From other posts, the OP is young - a year of saving before TTC is not going to set them back fertility wise and would make their lives a lot easier once the baby comes along.

Just because you could do it, doesn't mean you should. OP hasn't suggested she is currently pregnant and therefore the situation is an imminent decision, she is thinking about TTC. I am suggesting it would be sensible to wait a while, save a bit, maybe try to increase incomes and she can decide if she'd like to move somewhere bigger before a baby comes along. None of that is a radical suggestion!

Welfare Rights advisor here:

In the last 10 years there's been a massive restructuring of the benefits system which is now more or less complete (give or take the delay to transitioning "legacy benefit" claimants onto UC). It has been a hugely expensive hassle all round.

No government is going to start tinkering about with the benefit system again for a good wee while.

Let alone the current government who are the architects of the system we now have and presumably happy with their work.

OPs Universal Credit will not be "cut in 18 months"

OP those figures don't look too outlandish but double check your imputs for wages and child minding costs and run it through one of the other online calculators just to be sure.

A good dose of old fashioned benefits bashing on MN I see.

I imagine it's correct @Nananananana as your partners wage is very low. Are you sure you entered the correct rate? Could he up his hours to full time to compensate for the shortfall?

Hilarious, benefits bashing? There threads everywhere about how financially difficult life is becoming and what people are cutting back on.

Then threads saying 'sure, go ahead and have a child you can't afford. Don't bother saving up, just have one and the UC will sort it out 👍'

Well lucky you that you had the privilege of being able to save up before having a baby. Should pregnancy only be allowed for people affluent enough to save up for a year before hand? Many people don't have that luxury. Are you really saying they should have to wait until a time when they might be able to? Even if that time doesn't come?
You have no right to police another woman fertility and that's not the advice that the OP was asking about.

Not going to comment on the benefits stuff as I don’t know much about it but I do agree with the previous poster who suggested it makes more sense for your partner to work p/t than you since you earn more.

@DjoChateaux the privilege? Yeah the privilege of working hard. OPs partner doesn't even work full time.
I'm not policing her fertility, I was suggesting taking time to save. If you can't afford to save even £50 a month then no you probably can't afford a child and I think it's irresponsible to bring one into the world when you know that. Yes life can change but when you know it's going to be a struggle before you even begun? Why not try to set yourself up for a better and easier time by saving up a bit and improving your earning potential and home environment before the baby comes along?

the privilege? Yeah the privilege of working hard

So people that claim benefits don't work hard?
Only you work hard? Hardest worker ever right?

The care workers, shelf stackers, truck drivers, hospital cleaners etc they all just lazy?

Come on your poors, just work hard...

@AyeUpMeDuck the OPs partner doesn't work full time, maybe he could work full time and then save that?
Nothing wrong with working one of those jobs but if you're not working full time when you could be, and claiming benefits, that's a bit silly.

@berksandbeyond 😆 hard work doesn't equate to having more money/higher pay/more saving potential! You sound a bit thick so I'm not going to engage with you any more. @AyeUpMeDuck made some very good points.

OP don't let any ignorant wankers on MN make you feel ashamed to claim benefits you are fully entitled too.

You're all off your head. Can't believe suggesting to save money before having a family and try not to rely on government top ups is such a ludicrous suggestion 🤣
No wonder so many families are struggling!

With all due respect, the advice to "save a buffer" is really only appropriate for people on higher incomes.

I'm a regular saver and have never had so much money in savings that I could rely on it to support myself for any length of time. It would see me through until a benefit claim could be processed. Or it could cover an unexpected emergency. Or it could be dipped into for holidays or Christmas.

That's more than most people have. The idea you could accrue enough savings to live on for months or years at a time is something I've only ever seen on mumsnet.

For people on lower incomes, financial advice is much more about controlling fixed costs and maximising income through benefits.

If you think this is in any way immoral you should reflect on what you would pay for childcare or gardening or cleaning if the people doing that work had to rely entirely on what you pay, to support themselves and their.

Or on the demographic problems that might occur if the entire working class decided to put off having children until they could "afford it"

You know nothing of his situation..
He could be working a 4 day week in foundry in a starting position slinging 20 tonnes of steel a day...

OP.
It's derailing, it always does.
You can almost play bingo on benefit threads.
Hard work
My tax
Millions never worked
Loads of kids
Council house.

Eventually you'll get a full card..

Run the entitledto a couple times, it's the one the Job Centre and Employment agencies use more often than not. It's pretty accurate. When you've got the information.. IGNORE EVERYONE... And do what you believe is best for you and your family. If people want to look down their noses they will, they'll always find a reason to be unhappy with others.

Fwiw. I've been on UC for several years. It's only had 1 cut and that wasn't really a cut, they took a way a temporary uplift. The taper has been altered for working claimants that means they have more. Base rates have also gone up this year with another rise, I believe, coming.
Once your on it, you can work more and it goes down or work less and it goes up. Very flexible and gives a bit of a safety net.

Good luck OP.
😁