To not understand how can you live on £60 a week?

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19 year old DD's social worker has arranged for her to have chaperone at her UC appointments which means she can now claim. She has severe anxiety and cannot leave the house without another person much less speak to a stranger.

I've just helped her fill out a form on Entitled To to check how much she would get.

£60 weekly.

How the fuck is she meant to survive on £60 a week?

Does this mean HMRC still expect me to fund her?

Obviously I will but if I refused what the feck is she supposed to do? how can she eat and clothe herself on £60 a week? What about contributing towards gas and electric? Paying for her mobile phone? Accessing social activities?

I just don't understand how this can be deemed enough to maintain any kind of standard of living?

They asked for my income so I assume they've taken this into account. They didn't ask if I was related to her so would a friend also be expected to feed and clothe her?

It’s heinous.

So sorry for everyone impacted.

I pray that Johnson’s replacement will improve things but I realistically know that won’t happen.

For UC those single under 25 with no housing costs or children receive personal allowance of £264.31 every 4 weeks.

Which granted is a pittance.

You say DD has issues and needs a support worker is she in receipt of PIP?
Also when she claims UC she needs to complete a UC50 form as she has ill health/disability as this could mean extra element of up to £354.28.

Is she still living at home? If so that will be the reason, until she is 25 anyway.

Sadly, young people are shafted by current policies. If they work, they aren't entitled to the full minimum wage. If they're on benefits, they don't get much either. And yes, parents are expected to provide financial support even though they're adults.

Definitely worth applying for PIP given her situation.

Just to add your income will not matter as her UC claim is a single claim.
If you are also on UC you will not have a non dep deduction applied to your claim as DD is under 25 and claiming UC.

Out of interest OP, how much do you feel it would be reasonable for her to receive?
You have said that you will obviously support her so I assume you have the funds to do so.
There isn't an infinite amount of money to hand out to everyone Unfortunately.

She's still at home. Not in employment or education. She doesn't get PIP. She is too anxious to visit a GP to get diagnosed with anything. Tbh, I'm 90% certain she won't visit the Job Center even with me so she probably won't get anything all.

Her social worker has only ever spoken to me and is lovely, bless her. DD has had a lot of social workers in the last few years and this is the only one who has ever done anything at all to help her. They normally ask to speak to DD, DD refuses and we never see or hear anything of them again. I wasn't aware she was under SS until her new social worker called to introduce herself a few weeks ago.

This payment was supposed to give her some idependence and allow her to access a social life without having to rely on me in order to build her confidence. At least that is what me and her social worker were aiming for.

The biggest thing that is flummoxing me is that they didn't ask who I was. They asked if she lived with another adult. They asked for my income. They didn't ask my relationship to her. If I kick her out and a friend takes her in are they also supposed to help support her?

The fact you are related to her would have been picked up in the question about who she lives in/rent. They will take it into account for things like council tax rebate etc.

That is the per person rate, the reason people get more is for rent etc. pip is for disability related expenses.

One thought is could she do a work from home task? My dd with asd has managed to do data inputting type work that involves no talking at all. She didn't qualify for pip or esa because she's deemed capable of work despite refusing to speak to anyone she doesn't know.

Is it a deliberate choice to use words like "hand out"? It's reasonable to expect a sum of money that you can actually live on. Do you have any idea what it is like trying to survive on benefits?

@SexyLittleNosferatu but the OPs daughter is able to live off that amount. The OP has said herself this was for going out and socialising.

She has no housing costs.

Yep in the UK it's still parents responsibility to support 19 year olds.
It's the same with students, the loan is means tested according to parental income.

As PPs have said your DD could apply for PIP. Her SW will be able to do a statement of support outlining her difficulties and the help she needs even if she doesn't have medical involvement

Believe it or not, the amount isn't reduced because they're expecting you to finance her. The amounts are (deliberately, by policy) not related to the actual cost of living. They also assume that under 25s magically need slightly less to live on than anyone else.
Even if she were older though it wouldn't be much more, and if she were older and living in her own property she'd likely have less, as most people have to pay a top up on their rent because what the govt thinks rents are worth is lower than what landlords charge.

The benefits system isn't fit for purpose for anyone, but it particularly penalises working age adults who don't have children and don't meet threshold for disability/care benefits.

You're actually shitting me? She's going to live under your roof? And you think £60 a week isn't enough?

I haven't bought new clothes for over 4 years. I don't go out. I don't have 'social activities'

That £60 is more than enough for food for one person and to contribute to your bills. Honestly. How much gas and electric is she planning on using!

The biggest thing that is flummoxing me is that they didn't ask who I was. They asked if she lived with another adult. They asked for my income. They didn't ask my relationship to her. If I kick her out and a friend takes her in are they also supposed to help support her?

They asked if she lived rent free with a friend or relative or did she pay rent.

My daughter recently moved in with a friend due to problems with her previous house. The friend is not expected to support her. What they have done instead is to set up a tenancy agreement (the one where dd is classed as a lodger with resident landlord) and so dd will get an allowance for housing costs and the friend's income will not be taken into account at all. (My dd works but gets top up UC due to low wage/high housing costs) If your dd were to move in with a friend she would have to do the same. As a relative you are not allowed to do that according to the rules.

My dd is now older and has left home, she manages on about £40-50 a week currently. It's tight but she can't earn more

@SexyLittleNosferatu , I think @GlamorousHeifer is concerned about people who take the piss. She’s not benefit-bashing if that’s what you’re inferring.

It’s true that some people do think there’s an infinite pot of cash that they can dip into at the expense of tax payers.

Also some people would rather get say, £20,000 a year for doing nothing/for free rather than work for minimum wage in an exhausting job. And before anyone comes for me, I have a relative who is in a similar position!

OP, would your daughter like to study something? When I’ve been low on funds I’ve done free online courses to brush up my skills. I can recommend future learn and vision to learn. There are loads out there, and also charities to get her into a voluntary position with a view to working eventually?

And is she having any other help
like counseling?

I was expecting it to be a reasonable amout to live on. I thought it would be approx £100 p/w. This would allow her to pay for her own phone, contribute a small amount towards the cost of keeping her and leave enough for her to maybe have a night out once a month and save for some clothes. I don't think that is too much expect.

I wasn't expecting her to be able to book trips to Marbella once a month and walk about dressed head to toe in Gucci with a 50inch flatscreen strapped to her back.

I was expecting her to be able to fund some form a a modest lifestyle.

She doesn't have any living costs because I am willing to pay for her but I very much doubt every single parent out there would still be willing to fund adult offspring. DD will be fine. My shock and concern is mostly for young people who don't have parents willing to help them to extent I help DD.

At 19 she should be able to pay for her own clothes, food, gas and electric consumption, phone contract and have a small amount left for social activities.

She didn't choose to be ill.

Its so odd isn't it. Like someone under 25 somehow costs less!

realistically speaking to say your child is too anxious to speak and engage with people and in the same breath say she needs more money to socialise is a bit hard to comprehend.
If you kicked her out and made her homeless then she'd be entitled to more money.
Im very sorry for what your child is going through, but you can understand why its not a large sum of money for people living at home.

I was expecting it to be a reasonable amout to live on. I thought it would be approx £100 p/w

UC claimants who don't live with their parents don't get £100 per week!!!
They get £83.72 per week which is to buy food, pay gas/electric, water rates TV licence, phone, clothes and travel.

@SexyLittleNosferatu what term would you prefer me to use?
The fact is, OPs daughter will receive £60 pw. She has no housing costs and OP has said the money is for socialising etc.
Personally I do not have £60 pw to socialise and that is working a full time job.
Hoe much do you think is reasonable for a 19 year old with no outgoings to receive for socialising?
Which budget would you take the extra money out of so she can go out more?