to be shocked at universal credit amount?

[oddsocksmatchifsamethickness]

I've just become a single mum of one, husband gone. So obviously I want to bring my earnings up. I'm self-employed and will be doing so. But I put in a calculation for UC to see if I could get help while I sought new contracts. I'm self-employed. I earned 1K this month and did the calculation and it says I will get another 650 a month from UC.

Can that be right? It seems a lot, it would take my income up to a wage of 28K/year, but I only work 20 hours a week.

Is this what people get?

Yes, sadly. It pays to not work anymore.

Would £1650 cover your living expenses? I'd struggle to find a studio to rent for that in this area never mind cover all bills for myself plus a child.

To be fair my living expenses are pretty low and my rent is £400/month so yes, and I am surprised, and I do need it as I was encouraged not to work by my abusive ex and he made it difficult for me to do so, so that barrier is now gone.

I've used the benefits system many times and come off it many times. I have worked all my life and will continue to do so.

But this help will stop us going under while I seek more work, which is brilliant.

Although it seems a lot. Running a household on £1650 won't go that far. 😕

How does £1650 a month add up to £28k a year??

I hate these goady threads

Probably.
If you'd like less you can always donate some.

I can just about run it on 1K/month by the string of my teeth. I've worked that out. It would be possible but a tad miserbale.

Oh well. There you go. You can manage without it. You don't need to claim.

Well it pays to work part time, but not full time. Unless your a high earner.
A work colleague has “split” with her partner and they both remain in the same house. She now gets uc.
He is a high earner.
Of course, they haven’t split up at all but “tough times” etc.

£1650 a month is less than 20k per year.

do you have rent to pay?

It totally depends on your circumstances, so there is no way to comment on whether the amount you've been given is too much or too little. The idea of UC is that it will help to pay for your rent (highly variable depending on where you live) and towards childcare (highly variable depending on where you live, how many kids you have, how old they are, your support system and childcare decisions), and an amount to bolster your wages to a level where you can afford bills and food (and hopefully some leisure enjoyment too).

council tax to pay

It isn't far off taking into account what someone would pay in tax, NI etc. I'm on 28k and don't take home much more than 1650 pm.

That’s what full time workers earn and have to manage?

I work FT and claim UC - should I work 2 FT jobs so I don’t have to claim? What’s the deal here anti-claimers?

OP - yes, more than likely - plus other add-ins such as dentist/optician/uniform grants and a fire-hosing of cash if you’re in Scotland.

Based on the details you have provided, to take home £1,650.00 per month, you will need a salary of £23,401.32. You can update your details

www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/lifestyle.php

It doesn't, hope op doesn't work in payroll
It's 23,401

Based on no other odd things

It's what I was taking home when I earned 28K/year

Why are threads when people who work part time or not at all and say their benefits amount seen as 'goady'?

Are you paying back student loans? £1650 per month take home is about a £23k salary. The progressive tax system in the UK means that people below average wage pay little tax, and rightly so.

It all depends on circumstances particularly rent and childcare costs. If you didn’t have either of those it’d be lower. Reality is 1k a month is incredibly low amount to house and feed a child by the time you include all the bills. I earn a good bit more than you and still get some Uc. My wage essentially pays all the bills mortgage, insurance, ct, energy, car tax, petrol. Uc pays for food, child benefit pays for kids activities, maintenance if I were to get the proper amount would make things comfortable rather than tight but of course you can’t depend on it. Been separated more than 2 years could count on 3 fingers the number of months I’ve had cms maintenance amount.

Take home, not before tax

I earn less than £1000 and work 28hrs a week in a school. I get about £430, but I have a mortgage so don’t get any housing assistance obviously. I’m also limited in how much I can work due to my health. For me it’s a struggle with the rising prices. Everyone’s circumstances are different but it certainly is better to be working.