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?

If self-employed they don't care how many hours you actually work, they care what you earn. You need to earn the equivalent of 35 hours a week at minimum wage. If you earn twice minimum wage, you could work 17.5 hours, I think.

How much is the MIF?
If you are single, your MIF is your individual earnings threshold, which in most cases will be the appropriate national minimum/living wage rate for your age multiplied by 35 hours – though the hours may be reduced in some circumstances due to caring responsibilities or health issues.
Examples based on 35 hours for 2022/23:
Age 23+ is 35 x £9.50 = £332.50 a week (£1,440.83 a month)

www.gov.uk/self-employment-and-universal-credit

I don't know if/how children might affect the minimum income floor.

Right so with care responsibilities for a child under 13 I can earn less than that because I will do fewer hours.

Yeap! £903.05 to be exact!
Everyone's is different, my friend works 37-40 hours, 2 kids and gets over £1000.

I've been claiming it for over a year, so don't think it's a mistake. I hope not anyway 😂

I actually posed the wrong link above, the one I meant to post was this one

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/self-employment-and-minimum-income-floor-universal-credit

I didn't see anything a child under 13, but I only quickly skimmed those pages, looking for the MIF figures.

I need to Stop myself clicking on these threads.
so everyone go on benefits then because it’s clearly better.go look at all those on benefits,check out their lives.aren’t they fucking fantastic.

'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.'

That amount would't touch the sides of my living expenses here in the S.E. if I was on my own with my 2 kids. I'm not even sure I could rent a 2 bedroom flat for that a month anywhere near where we live now. My friend is in a 2 bed flat nearby which is costing £2200 a month while her divorce is sorted and although it's a decent flat it's nothing special. She wanted to stay in the area so her kids didn't have to leave their schools.

My mate moved a few miles out onto an estate and her rent is £1200 for a crappy, unfurnished 2 bed flat.

Who told you that you would get nothing self employed unless you work ft because it's not true.

You would be elibible for UC in exactly the same way that somebody who is an employee would be.

That's great. I'm glad for you but don't see how because when I played with figures on the calculator my money from UC went down as my income went up. Oh does it include a large rent? Mine is only £400 a month so that probably keeps mine down.

I do think it's good though. I think if you budget properly you can be okay. I can budget, I use a spreadsheet for every penny and I enjoy working and being at home and my net is only £20 a month.

What the benefit bashers don't realise is that people getting the most money have kids and if they don't get that money it is the kids who suffer.

Despite what people like to think, most of those getting help do spend it on living expenses, rent, food, stuff for their kids - they aren't down the pub everynight drinking away 'our' money...

I get £2,389

It's all down to personal circumstances.

What a lovely thread to kick off the run up to Christmas 🎄! 'Tis the season to benefit bash!

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

The state helps parents with kids so the children have a better chance at a successful life. Growing up in poverty limits all sorts of choices and experiences for children. As one of the richest nations on earth I'm not sure we should be begrudging our children food, shelter, healthcare and education.

I take home £1650 and get over £850 in UC. Without it I wouldn’t be able to pay for childcare and go to work so it helps a lot.
If I didn’t work I would only get around £1000 to cover rent, bills and food so working definitely does pay!
I calculated how much it would be if I reduced my hours and I’m better off staying full time.

It helps a massive amount and I’m very grateful but at the same time pay my tax and NI so I’m contributing to the pot too.

I helped my friend apply when her husband left her, she was also pleasantly surprised at the top up amount. Its hard running a household on still but it's surely good that the amounts are more for some people (key here that lots get either fuck all or no way near enough- namely people who are on disability or carers) than they thought.

I honestly don't know. My earnings are sent automatically from employer to HMRC and my landlord told them my rent.

Best of luck.

Whats the age of your child? Roughly at primary school you'll be assumed to earn 25 hours at min wage weekly so £950 or £1,187.50 depending on four or five week month. If they are younger it's less I'm assuming not older based on your posts. This will increase in April with min wage. There is a period of disregard for a year to give people time to build their businesses.

@x2boys Why on earth would I make that up🤷🏼‍♀️

She’s been off sick, took a promotion, couldn’t do the job, couldn’t go back down to her substantive post either at that point, as she had left it too late. So went sick. Requested reduced hours, phased return etc and can’t afford to run a household on the reduced hours alone. So no choice. It’s either lie or lose her home.
I can’t report her- I was told in confidence, plus I wouldn’t want it on my conscience in any case.

Helping people in work, even when it seems like a lot, is a longer term investment... kids grow up and those people get better paid jobs, or work more hours, and contribute more in taxes and claim less or nothing at all eventually.

£900-1000+ a month?? I work full time and earn £2k a month after tax. You end up with more money than me with the UC. How were you and your friend entitled to that much if you both work? I’m pregnant and terrified that I’ll have to give up my job (which I love) because of childcare costs that I won’t be entitled to.

Yes, it was my lifestyle choice to have an abusive husband and after years of it I finally chose to divorce, making me a single parent on a lower salary 🙄🙄 Stop berating people for the circumstances they find themselves in, it's condescending and uninformed.

On the news on Monday they reported that in the UK there is currently more job vacancies than unemployed people, which us hardly surprising as it doesn't pay to work or take a full time role anynore.

Good luck if you think that is a lot ? Most people would really struggle on it

www.gov.uk/universal-credit/your-responsibilities

You'd be expected to earn 25x minimum wage each week, so £1032 per month. If your earnings are less, they'll still use £1032 as your notional earnings, unless you're within the first year of being SE.

In April 2023 you'd have to earn £1131 per month.