Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be shocked at universal credit amount?

513 replies

oddsocksmatchifsamethickness · 01/12/2022 07:26

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Closuretime · 01/12/2022 09:00

BarbaraofSeville · 01/12/2022 08:16

It's always been the case that the right amount of low paid work, topped up by benefits for a couple of DC gives almost the same monthly income for a full time salary of £28k or so.

Unless you're a much higher earner, you won't see a noticeable increase in income between PT and FT hours.

If only we could highlight your post in bright green.

Let's not forget that the GOV cap the amount of childcare they are willing to pay so sometimes it's not always as simple as working 5 days.

There's also another poster comparing the old tax credits system but yet @Babyroobs have you forgotten that on UC you pay FULL childcare costs UPFRONT each month and upload receipts it's such a bloody farce. If something isn't processed properly or the dates fall a certain way you have to wait and yet you have a rolling bill of childcare to pay still.

I don't know what dream OP is living but I don't know why people are flocking without knowing crucial info about her circumstances.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 01/12/2022 09:02

whatsup00 · 01/12/2022 08:22

I don't get this because I am self employed and was told i would get nothing unless I was working full time hours. Some months I have earnt well under 1000 and had to go days without eating. So to be honest it is kind of upsetting to read about people having these huge amounts when I have spent some months working every day (I am on 100% commission so if I don't sell I earn nothing, there is no base pay) and having to go literally days at the end of the month without food etc. When a lot of us are scratching around on tiny amounts unable to buy ANYTHING ie clothes, haircut, anything, just pay bills and buy food and that's it. I have not been able to 'do anything' or have a day or night out or trip or anything for well over a year. How is that system fair?

It’s different if you are self employed. You have a Minimum income floor that it set for you by the JC. It’s based on the NMW and the minimum hours you are asked to work, so that’s 35 hours.

bloodyeverlastinghell · 01/12/2022 09:03

x2boys · 01/12/2022 08:30

We don't all live in London or the South East.

Show quote history

There's loads of expensive places though. I lived in Edinburgh and rents are extortionate . Same with Glasgow. I think most major cities are really expensive now. Even the little place where I live has put rents up dramatically £1200 pcm for a three bed, you could of rented it for £800 pcm three years ago.

I think what we need is alot more secure social housing. It makes no sense for the government to pay private landlords a fortune to house people

Icecreamandapplepie · 01/12/2022 09:07

I'm very grateful uc is there for those who need it. I don't think it's an obscene amount at all.

Is more obscene wages aren't higher...

YoSofi · 01/12/2022 09:10

Icecreamandapplepie · 01/12/2022 09:07

I'm very grateful uc is there for those who need it. I don't think it's an obscene amount at all.

Is more obscene wages aren't higher...

👏 👏 👏

KSAM · 01/12/2022 09:11

hellesbells · 01/12/2022 08:52

KSAM

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.

You need to check you payslip you should be taking home around 300 pound more than that

No I shouldn't be. As I said, I pay student loan and pension contributions.

GelPens1 · 01/12/2022 09:11

A take home salary of £1650 is really good, especially as OP only works 20hrs a week! I work full time and take home (after tax) £2000 a month. I pay nearly £700 a month in tax, National Insurance and student loan 😭

palygold · 01/12/2022 09:12

oddsocksmatchifsamethickness · 01/12/2022 07:26

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?

Are you serious? I never know with this sort of thread.

£1600 total including your wages is a paltry amount. It's all relative, of course, but it would leave very little after rent/mortgage and bills.

DesertIslandCondiment · 01/12/2022 09:14

StopMakingAppointments · 01/12/2022 07:28

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.

Where do you live? I think some people would be shocked at how much cheaper some areas of the Country are.

Op, sorry I have no idea about UC.

palygold · 01/12/2022 09:17

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?

Contact them and query it if you really think it's incorrect Hmm

Lovemusic33 · 01/12/2022 09:17

It depends where you live, how much your rent is and living costs. My living costs are not as high as some so for me it’s a lot of money but if I lived in London I would probably struggle.

BoxerMam · 01/12/2022 09:18

carefulcalculator · 01/12/2022 08:58

But the HB elements will not be higher than property rent so a lower rent = a lower award?

Show quote history

I'm not sure as I don't get HB or UC. I was replying to the poster implying that even in the North there aren't 2 bed houses for under £550

BungleandGeorge · 01/12/2022 09:22

Suzi888 · 01/12/2022 07:32

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.

Show quote history

Well if they’re registered at the same address she’ll be investigated pretty promptly for fraud as they check bank statements, council tax, credit files etc. commuting fraud does tend to make you temporarily better off I guess

OP are you sure you’ve included all outgoings in your 1k a month? Council tax, utilities, house insurance, transport, food, medicine, dental care, basic clothes, laundry, toiletries, rent, childcare etc? Your rent is very cheap but I still doubt that you can survive the 3 of you on 1k a month for long

Cantbebotheredwithchores · 01/12/2022 09:26

@NadjaCravensworth my take home pay was around £1450, my yearly salary was £25,000 before tax.
Paid NI, pension and taxes.

Closuretime · 01/12/2022 09:27

@BoxerMam agree with you. People are confusing private rents and social housing. In the North your looking at £700 at least for a private 2 bed.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/12/2022 09:29

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

Maybe because some like to pretend claimants are expected to live on a bowl of gruel because the benefits are so pathetic, and they don't like that narrative being disturbed?

x2boys · 01/12/2022 09:31

Closuretime · 01/12/2022 09:27

@BoxerMam agree with you. People are confusing private rents and social housing. In the North your looking at £700 at least for a private 2 bed.

" The North " is a big place,in some parts a two bed will be significantly cheaper than £700.

Getoff · 01/12/2022 09:31

I've been looking at the "minimum income floor" for self-employed getting universal credit, and it looks like OP will be assumed to be getting £1441 a month froms self-employment, if she's 23 or older.

Maybe she's exempt for the first 12 months, but it doesn't look like it's a long-term option to get £1000 topped up to £1650?

Willyoujustbequiet · 01/12/2022 09:33

UC is less than £350 for a single person. You try living on that

People are going hungry and this winter will be dying of cold in one of the richest countries in the world.

Utterly sick of these goady threads that dont add up

OlympicProcrastinator · 01/12/2022 09:34

I’ve never understood why when people split up, the state suddenly becomes responsible for subsidizing their lifestyle choices

Well it’s government policy not lifestyle choice that make it so incredibly difficult for a great deal of people to earn enough money to cover housing costs and bills and have enough left over not to live in poverty.

Rent should be capped. The vast majority of people could manage if there was enough affordable housing for everyone. I think if you work full time, no matter what your salary, there should be somewhere affordable for you to live without having to rely on help.

Flyinggeesei234 · 01/12/2022 09:35

thelobsterquadrille · 01/12/2022 07:32

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

This does not account for tax, NI etc. £28k salary equivalent is about right @thelobsterquadrille

Closuretime · 01/12/2022 09:36

@x2boys are you speaking about private rents? Let's be clear.

Which parts? Because I live in the North so tell me where you can get a private 2 bed "much cheaper" please.

Trinity65 · 01/12/2022 09:37

You get more than Me though. How you getting that amount?

AhhSlippedOnMahBeansRitaaa · 01/12/2022 09:38

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 01/12/2022 09:02

It’s different if you are self employed. You have a Minimum income floor that it set for you by the JC. It’s based on the NMW and the minimum hours you are asked to work, so that’s 35 hours.

Show quote history

OP has said they are self employed. So unfortunately it won't be as simple as getting all that "free money" that everyone likes to froth over

Monkey2001 · 01/12/2022 09:38

This is part of the reason that raising pay for nurses and teachers is not as unaffordable as the govt claims - they would get some back in in tax and some back in savings on universal credit. A full time newly qualified nurse earns £27,055, pays tax, NI, student loan, pension contribution. Take home pay £1,714.35 without any student loan repayments. The employment market needs a huge shake up, with people earning enough to live on instead of having to claim benefits.