Page 13 | Benefits reduction

Bonsaitreepic · 2023-09-22T07:49:40+00:00

I got my UC payment today. Just checked and it’s almost £300 less than usual. This is because my oldest is now classed as an adult as he’s left ft education. He’s not currently in work. I have 3 other children but now I seemingly only get support for 2 of them due to the child cap. Im freaking out. I only get maintenance for one of the children as I have the other 2 50/50 with their dad. I cannot afford to lose this much money every month. I was already struggling as it was. I’m unable to work just yet as one of the children has complex needs. I already get some DLA for them. im quite sure there’s nothing I can do about this but I’m so worried

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:04

CultsRbad · 22/09/2023 13:01

I didn't assume she was lying.

I said lots of posters were assuming she literally couldn't work due to a severely disabled child.

When OP had said nothing of the sort.

Then another posted how to receive DLA for a child, it may be that the parent might not be able to work. Not that they couldn't.

I suggested that OP may have thought she was currently unable to work but that being previously completely financially supported by the benefits system meant OP may need to review that stance and consider if it was solely because she couldn't 'just yet' because of the needs of the DC or that maybe it was her opinion that it wouldn't be great to start work 'just yet' or in an ideal world she wouldn't start work 'just yet' when in that ideal world which existed till this month, OP was receiving a significant amount of financial help from the state.

And still is, but less so because her eldest has turned 18.

And lots of people have posted about the people they know who actually do have severely disabled DC who do work. Which evidences the wide spectrum of families in existence.

And by the by, but I think most people were asking OP if she could adjust her stance on whether she could work 'just yet' or not and posters were jumping on those questions saying 'you don't understand what it is to be a carer of a severely disabled DC', she can't work'

And because OP gave such little information, we don't even know if her DC with complex needs is one of the two DC she shares 50/50 with their Dad.

So..asking questions shouldn't be a reason for other posters to jump on and project their own experiences and assume people are being mean or ableist.

I wasn't ever accusing OP of lying but knowing how people get whipped into outrage on these threads, which are very frequent and I was becoming involved in, I did wonder when discovering it was a new poster. That's all.

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OP said she was unable to work just now. Posters should believe that rather than thinking they know better just because someone else they know manages to work. It is ableist and ignorant to think she can work because others do when she has said she is unable to now.

itsmyp4rty · 22/09/2023 13:05

Instead of giving you 50 and keeping 200 he needs to give you 200 and keep 50. Then you'll be much closer to what you were getting before.

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:05

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:00

Her son isn't contributing fairly and one way he could rectify that is helping with siblings, if possible.

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Again, if OP could work she would not have stated she is unable to now.

MrsSlocombesCat · 22/09/2023 13:05

Throwncrumbs · 22/09/2023 12:34

Thing is people who have never worked don’t want to actually get up and fend for themselves, the government/ tax payer has always done it for them. I think the caps are a good thing, lazy ikes need to get off their backsides and get a job. My sister has never worked, bad back, etc, and her three kids are the same, and the theyve had kids so it goes on. One claims carers for the partner and the partner claim cares for them. Ludicrous situation and ways of getting the maximum from benefits with little to no effort. They manage to smoke and drink and enjoy their jobless lives though. Oldest grandchild now been diagnosed with additional needs, no he’s just a little shit who has never heard the word no and won’t go to school and is disruptive… will end up being the same or worse, but who wouldn’t be when mum and dad sit on their arse day after day waiting for ‘pay day’ benefits…waiting to hear that the grand daughters are pregnant and on the council waiting for a house! Government are not doing enough to stop this shit!

Of course there are grifters who take advantage of the system and they are very clued up on how to work it. Unfortunately a lot of people with genuine disabilities have to fight really hard because they don’t know the system and it fails them. I don’t think most genuine people would choose to claim PIP and be unable to work, it’s demeaning, dehumanising and punitive. But would you choose to live that way? You are very down on your relatives and see them as low life scum. Would you like to be viewed that way? Instead of being angry about that why not be angry about the government bailing out the Princess of Wales family to the tune of £2 million? The billions wasted on useless PPE equipment provided by friends of MPs? The billions being wasted on HS2? These things take more from tax than the benefits system does.

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:06

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:05

Again, if OP could work she would not have stated she is unable to now.

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Again, if the son can provide some childcare that may enable her to work, he should do so.

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:07

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:06

Again, if the son can provide some childcare that may enable her to work, he should do so.

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Again, if that was possible and as a result OP could work she wouldn’t have posted she is unable to work now.

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 22/09/2023 13:07

yogasaurus · 22/09/2023 09:34

Adults who want to have all of these things need jobs

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Yep. I worked at uni (in the 2000s so I am not that old) for my £400 a month at a big box store on a retail park. 4 to 8 shift. It wasn't "what I wanted to do" either!

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:09

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:07

Again, if that was possible and as a result OP could work she wouldn’t have posted she is unable to work now.

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Again, if the son can help more either financially or otherwise, he should. Lol

OvertakenByLego · 22/09/2023 13:12

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:09

Again, if the son can help more either financially or otherwise, he should. Lol

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I haven’t commented on DS1 helping financially or not, but if it was possible for the OP to work by any means she wouldn’t have posted she is unable to.

toddlermom99 · 22/09/2023 13:12

@Bonsaitreepic

Haven't read the whole thread so apologises if you've already answered this but since you get DLA make sure you're getting the disabled child element and careers ELEMENT on your universal credit

Yes careers ALLOWANCE is deducted £ for £ but careers ELEMENT (185/month) is an element of UC that you should be getting

Disabled child element is also roughly 145 for low/middle rate care and 450 for high rate care

CultsRbad · 22/09/2023 13:13

TheLightProgramme · 22/09/2023 12:45

Lots of people think or assume they are unable to work because they aren't aware of support/accomodations available or have been poorly advised.

Its perfectly possible that OP thinks she is unable to work, but with better advice/training/support, could work.

It matters because actually there's no magic money tree, there's a very real possibility that OP, if not now then one day, will be fucked financially if she can find no way to work & earn money at all.

That was my point.

If you are adequately housed and financially supported by the state, it's easy to think you couldn't do it. Or explore avenues that would make it possible because why would you? Things are okay as they are.

And I speak from experience working in the public sector where I was (and I am grateful) after over 20 years of paying taxes, had a year off sick with serious illness. 6 months full pay and 6 months half. The last 6 months wiped out all my savings to pay living costs.

I didn't think I could ever return to work but it was that, or not be able to live (as a single person with no dependents, I had a DC who died in infancy). So guess what? I went back to work with all the support and adjustments available and it turned out just fine.

If I'd have had the opportunity to not do that and be housed and rely on benefits, I would have taken that choice.

user1497207191 · 22/09/2023 13:13

Bonsaitreepic · 22/09/2023 09:14

He only gets about £250 a month so feel bad taking more than £50 off him

He should be keeping the £50 and giving you the £200. You've got essential living costs, he hasn't! A tenner a week for "bed and board" is ridiculously too little.

As for him deciding what he wants to do, well he can ponder and decide whilst he's working - supermarkets, fast food chains, warehouses, etc are all desperate for staff. He isn't a slave, he can leave a minimum wage job when he's worked out what he wants to do. In the meantime, he needs to get out there and start contributing to the family finances. Having a job already will help him enormously to get a better job in due course as employers like people with employment experience.

Stop funding his lazy lifestyle - you're in need of that money.

fitzwilliamdarcy · 22/09/2023 13:14

I think the point is that one of the adults in this household needs to be working. If OP can’t work because of DC’s needs and OP’s son can’t look after DC to allow her to do so, then son needs to work.

At the moment posters are going around in circles arguing about disabled children and ignoring the fact that there are two adults in the household, not just one.

MrsMarzetti · 22/09/2023 13:17

Bonsaitreepic · 22/09/2023 09:11

I agree. He’s at a bit of a crossroads and is panicking about what he wants to do

It is not about what he wants to do and everything to do with what he needs to do. He needs to get a full time job doing anything that comes along. He can always look for hi " dream" job whilst he is working. He is an adult now and needs to act like one.

user1497207191 · 22/09/2023 13:17

MrsSlocombesCat · 22/09/2023 13:05

Of course there are grifters who take advantage of the system and they are very clued up on how to work it. Unfortunately a lot of people with genuine disabilities have to fight really hard because they don’t know the system and it fails them. I don’t think most genuine people would choose to claim PIP and be unable to work, it’s demeaning, dehumanising and punitive. But would you choose to live that way? You are very down on your relatives and see them as low life scum. Would you like to be viewed that way? Instead of being angry about that why not be angry about the government bailing out the Princess of Wales family to the tune of £2 million? The billions wasted on useless PPE equipment provided by friends of MPs? The billions being wasted on HS2? These things take more from tax than the benefits system does.

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Well, the government (i.e. us taxpayers) spend £231 billion on benefits, so a couple of billion here and there is chicken feed really, isn't it?

HS2 spending pays for workers/materials, etc on which taxes are paid on the wages and profits, so a far chunk returns to the Treasury in terms of tax revenue and benefit reductions for those working on it.

Useless PPE, I'll give you, though!

TeeBee · 22/09/2023 13:17

Onelifeonly · 22/09/2023 09:25

There are plenty of jobs since there are NOT enough workers - a job should be easy to find for an 18/19 year old. He doesn't have to "decide" anything. Many jobs are easy-come, easy-go. He should just start one and keep looking around for what else is out there.

His benefits are part of your family pot, but also, as an adult, he can choose how to use them. Think about his expenses - they now include his share of the groceries and bills, and you should work out what he should really be paying you.

Quite agree! My kids have picked up jobs within a week of finishing full-time education (while waiting to start uni). There are loads of jobs for young adults. In fact, my eldest would decide to leave one and then have another one set-up the same day. My youngest currently gets up at 5am to work at Amazon. He earns around £1400/month. Much, much better than UC OP. Your son can think about what he wants to do for a career while earning money to support himself and funding the house he lives in. Its not the job of the state to support an able-bodied man with no dependents.

Thatladdo · 22/09/2023 13:17

RichardArmitagesWife · 22/09/2023 09:19

That’s ridiculous. Why should he retain £200 for sitting on his backside while you can’t cover your bills?

The UC you used to get has essentially transferred to him as a legal adult. He needs to use that to pay for his accommodation, food and bills like every other adult. In this case, the most obvious way is giving the bulk of it to you.

If he prefers, hey him cover the energy bill or some of the shopping.

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Exactly this, and heres his incentive to find a job

Lentilweaver · 22/09/2023 13:18

fitzwilliamdarcy · 22/09/2023 13:14

I think the point is that one of the adults in this household needs to be working. If OP can’t work because of DC’s needs and OP’s son can’t look after DC to allow her to do so, then son needs to work.

At the moment posters are going around in circles arguing about disabled children and ignoring the fact that there are two adults in the household, not just one.

Indeed. And there are 3 more kids coming up. Someone needs to work in this house.

Vistada · 22/09/2023 13:20

we don't all have the luxury of asking the public purse to sustain us whilst we figure out what we want to do in life.

Its staggering to me your son thinks this is acceptable, he needs to get out and get a job, any job, something that pays money, one adult in that house needs to work and its ridiculous that you don't immediately realise that.

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 13:20

fitzwilliamdarcy · 22/09/2023 13:14

I think the point is that one of the adults in this household needs to be working. If OP can’t work because of DC’s needs and OP’s son can’t look after DC to allow her to do so, then son needs to work.

At the moment posters are going around in circles arguing about disabled children and ignoring the fact that there are two adults in the household, not just one.

Exactly.

DelightfullyDotty · 22/09/2023 13:24

I’m sorry OP, it really is rubbish. This place is awful for benefits bashing.

The thing is, they’re all being so harsh with you about taking tax payers money but they never seem to think about Jeff Bezos paying no tax. I mean, people like him could save thousands and thousands of lives with no difference to their lives at all. That’s manslaughter in my opinion and yet the plebs on here do exactly what they’ve been brainwashed to to and fight amongst themselves over what is really a pittance.

I don’t think there’s much you can do except for visiting the benefits advisor at the CAB. I noticed recently that the online calculators aren’t always accurate (odd that!).

And stop feeling guilty! Benefits exist for a reason, to help people who are struggling. That’s you!

Lentilweaver · 22/09/2023 13:25

@DelightfullyDotty actually most people are bashing the able bodied son. Who can and should work. Not the OP.

Vistada · 22/09/2023 13:26

DelightfullyDotty · 22/09/2023 13:24

I’m sorry OP, it really is rubbish. This place is awful for benefits bashing.

The thing is, they’re all being so harsh with you about taking tax payers money but they never seem to think about Jeff Bezos paying no tax. I mean, people like him could save thousands and thousands of lives with no difference to their lives at all. That’s manslaughter in my opinion and yet the plebs on here do exactly what they’ve been brainwashed to to and fight amongst themselves over what is really a pittance.

I don’t think there’s much you can do except for visiting the benefits advisor at the CAB. I noticed recently that the online calculators aren’t always accurate (odd that!).

And stop feeling guilty! Benefits exist for a reason, to help people who are struggling. That’s you!

Benefits exist for a reason, to help people who are struggling. That’s you!

but not her son! thats the issue at hand here!

ImNotReallySpartacus · 22/09/2023 13:28

Bonsaitreepic · 22/09/2023 09:14

He only gets about £250 a month so feel bad taking more than £50 off him

If it makes you feel any better, many people work full time and don't have £200 a month to spend as they please.

MichaelCane · 22/09/2023 13:33

I've seen this (even wording appears the same) on the A1 benefits group on Facebook.

If this really is you (strange if it isnt ), then this was clearly explained to you and we're given advice that your son needs to sign on and claim UC until he finds suitable work.

You cannot keep claiming for your child once they reach adulthood.