People on benefits - how do you cope?

[TheGreatBobinsky]

I'm making plans to leave my relationship with my 2 children, I've used an online calculator to find out what I'd be entitled too and provided I could still work some hours at work I'd be getting around £2,400 a month total (including my earnings). Rent in my area is £1,300 on average for a 2 bed flat, I've added up council tax, water, gas, electric, Internet, subscriptions for Netflix/Disney (we don't watch normal TV so no TV licence) and food and it looks like I'd have around £400 spare a month for clothes, school uniform, emergencies, childcare, travel etc. But am I missing something obvious here? (I can't drive so that's not an issue?). I have no idea how I'm going to manage, embarrassing as it is I haven't been the one to deal with the majority of the bills etc. So I'm a bit clueless about certain bills. What about furniture and kitchen things, and everything we will need in a new home? That's if I even get accepted into a flat, I know a hell of a lot of landlords just point blank refuse to rent to someone on benefits. I'm terrified, and feel sick, but if I stay here it won't be good for any of us as things are escalating rapidly and he's very good at manipulating me, I feel like I'm going crazy I have to leave but how does anyone cope?

That's not all benefits, some of it will be my earnings - around £650 is my earnings and then the benefits include the housing element (allowance for my area is £201pw for a 2 bed property, I'd then have to make up the shortfall), and obviously childcare, child benefit, child tax element etc. Which I'm assuming is why the calculation seems quite high? I did fill in the questions correctly but I also do think it seems very high.

I had a bit less than that spare when I was a single parent.

It was manageable, no luxuries but basic care and few treats.

Do not relly on CM. Mine went from £150p/w to £7. They system is very easy for NRP to manipulate.

You'll be fine op. Good luck. X

Will you be eligible for any help with housing benefit?

The £2,400 is including housing element, my earnings, child benefit, childcare, council tax reduction, child tax element and income support element

Years ago I did it by being really careful. I worked and had some benefits.

I rarely bought for myself, cooked from scratch, had some things on finance and got there gradually. For instance my fridge freezer was second hand until I could afford a new one.

It is scary but its baby steps.

That is a fuckload more than I'm on (Unemployment and disability benefits) and, whilst it's not a race to the bottom, I manage with 2 children, very few luxuries and no family or friends for support/childcare.

Don’t include maintenance in your calculations as there’s a big difference between what someone should pay and what you get.

There are lots of community supermarkets now where you pay £5 membership per year and for approx £3 per visit (usually weekly) you can select a very decent amount of food and essentials. Unfortunately that's how a lot of families are managing their budgets.

How much have you budgeted for gas, electricity and food?

So get help. Why are you leaving? has there been any abuse? If so find domestic abuse charities, ask the council for help, ask for a council home. That's a lot of money to bring home a month, but the rent is astronomical. My rent is 325/month for a house. Can you relocate up north?

If its OK to ask, how much are other people getting in benefits? Because it looks like the calculator probably isn't correct by these responses - and I'm really not trying to be ignorant sorry I haven't been allowed to know how much bills cost etc. So I really don't know. I know that sounds stupid but I have no budgeting knowledge because all of my money currently goes on whatever my children need, gas and electric (which is £120per month so I've used that estimate), my personal hygiene bits, cleaning supplies, some food and medicine.

I've budgeted £120 for gas and electric, and £500 per month for food/toiletries/cleaning supplies/nappies/personal care etc. Just to be on the safe side.

Have you considered the deduction from your wages and the benefit cap?

At the moment we are on UC and ESA, 4 kids, getting 900 odd a month currently. You survive because you have to. 400 spare is plenty.

Call the CAB and they will do a benefit check for you so it's accurate. If your ex is employed, start a CMS claim. If he's self employed, still do it, but be prepared to get not very much.

I think you can only claim UC now and not child tax credits and housing. If outside London the cap is around 1600 and inside London around 1900.

My post wasn't meant to be a I'm so poor so stop moaning post, we're just both unwell atm, hopefully temporarily and you're punished for it by the dwp, that's just the way it works 🤔

You WILL be fine, honestly. Even more so without having to live with an utter twat. Good luck in your new life 😀

I can't work out how much would be deducted from my earnings, I thought you could earn up to a certain amount before they started deducting? Or else surely nobody on minimum wage is better off working at all! How on earth do you survive on £900 a month! It wouldn't even cover rent.

£500 per month will more than cover these things for an adult and two small children. You should be able to furnish a flat fairly cheaply/free from Facebook marketplace, gumtree and free cycle especially if you have family who can help with collecting things. You can often get bundles of clothes/toys for small children for very little too.

we eat a couple of cheap meals each week ie. Egg and chips, jacket potato, pasta & sauce.which saves a bit.

If you can earn a minimum of £658 pcm then the benefit cap won't apply.

I've always found entitled to to be accurate, other than for council tax support.

I'm currently too ill to work, but not ill enough to get any extra help. I get £1550 in UC for me and 2 teens. (My award is more than that but I lose some to the benefit cap and they are taking back an old HB overpayment even though it was their fault.) My rent us £800. I manage by getting further and further into debt.

I manage ok with work/ uc I own though so my mortgage is 700 but obviously get no help with it. There are normally local charities that’ll help with furniture / free cycle. Kitchen stuff you could mooch around charity shops. Get a budgeting loan from uc for necessities.

I am shocked that earnings can be topped up to the equivalent of £42k income .
It's all very well to say that also includes housing benefit but if you make £42k you have to cover your housing costs from that .
Suppose some of us have to work full time and pay tax so others can have the benefit of benefits 🙄

@Brandnewwoman@Brandnewwoman

Your gas and electric will be much higher once the energy cap rises in October.

The Money Saving Expert site would be a good place to educate yourself financially.

I work full time in professional job (managerial post) that required a degree and I earn less than that. It boils my piss that I could work less, claim UC and earn more than I do now. What a shambolic system this government has created.

Sorry my phone just took on a mind of its own, believe me I don't feel particularly lucky right now. I don't want to claim benefits, I would love to not be in this situation I am terrified, I am trying to protect myself and my two children. I can't magic up a better job, I can't magic up childcare to work full time, I am desperate for help. I don't make the decisions I've stated many times it seems high to me, it doesn't sound right I don't know how much I would actually be getting, I just know that I need to escape the situation I am in. I feel bad enough about it as it is, nothing you say can make me feel worse, but I hope that made you feel better.