Page 5 | 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

TheThingIsYeah · 22/09/2023 10:51

@Overthebow it's an eye opener isn't it, the UC bill in this country must be vast. I daren't look it up.

Throwncrumbs · 22/09/2023 10:52

RiderofRohan · 22/09/2023 10:22

It's a parent's responsibility to plan for their children to ensure they are as well off as possible. The state are only ever going to give the bare minimum- no longer like the good old boomer days sadly.

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Good old boomer days lol. I was a single parent , I worked long hours to pay my rent and bills , the government gave me fuck all. It’s not like today where you get given £££ and free housing, and then you moan about how hard it is. We didn’t have mobile contracts , big screen tvs, holidays and big cars all paid for with ‘when’s my col payment coming’ . Ffs!

Sallyh87 · 22/09/2023 10:52

It’s ridiculous to say he is panicking about what he wants to do. My first job as a 15 year old was cleaning hotel rooms. No, I didn’t want to this or the variety of part time and summer jobs I did throughout uni, but yes I did need money.

He needs to get a job in a bar or housekeeping etc while he figures it out. In the meantime you get all his UC.

Miyagi99 · 22/09/2023 10:53

mycoffeecup · 22/09/2023 10:41

40 hours per week on the minimum wage for his age is £300 per week, over £1200 per month. Why is he working so few hours?

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He’s not working at all!

YouveGotAFastCar · 22/09/2023 10:53

SofiYol · 22/09/2023 09:28

The op was claiming for 3 children, including her eldest, because she was claiming before the cap came into force.

Now there is a cap, she will only be able to continue to claim for the two children she is already claiming for, it won’t transfer to another child. She has four children in total.

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Ah my apologies; I'd missed that extra information. Thanks for such a kindly worded explanation.

Ozarkz · 22/09/2023 10:54

And if the son moves out, OP is another £50 a month down

AlleeBee · 22/09/2023 10:57

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

In that case, he needs to get a job whilst he thinks about his career!

He's only 18, he doesn't need to work out what he'll do with the rest of his life, but he needs to start earning.

milafawny · 22/09/2023 10:57

Also to add, my son was also trying to figure out what he wanted to do, and in the end applied for portering at the hospital. They generally always need staff. My son has additional needs and struggles socially, so he does logistical portering rather than patient transfers. It is a set rota of 4 shifts on 4 shifts off so he aways knows when he is working and the routine helps massively. And, hes on bloody good money for a lad of his age in comparison to his friends and has more day off to do as he wants than most too. It has also massively boosted his confidence, mental health, and he is developing social with public asking him for directions. Its a brilliant first job, and secure, and one he can infact do for life should he wish. Its also a role not many young lads would initially think of, so i thought i would suggest it as it has turned my son into a wonderful young man.

Iliketulips · 22/09/2023 10:57

Christmas is coming up, so now is the time for him to keep an eye on shops, eating venues and stores like Toys'r'Us who will need extra staff. My DD has been working on and off at a local small supermarket and right now they just can't get the staff for their store and other local ones, also staff turnover is fairly high so something would come up soon. Could be different in your area, but if you message me, I'll let you know which one.

He should be applying for anything he's capable of doing that he can get to. Once he has something, he's still able to think about other options and choices for the future, but he'll have an income and in turn a reference in the future.

Kendodd · 22/09/2023 10:57

luuccy · 22/09/2023 10:40

This is such a ridiculous position. We need to be discouraging people from adding more people to the planet, the last thing we need is more dependents, more pressure on food, water, heating etc and massively adding to climate change and each child adds an extra carbon footprint.

We are also importing millions of people every year who pay taxes, so no need to pay people to have more children that they already can't afford without taxpayer help. No guarantee that any child will become a net taxpayer, quite likely the opposite in fact considering there are already more people taking from the system than adding to it!

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While I agree with you and think a falling population would be a very good thing for the planet, it's not without very serious challenges. Not least of which, there will be nobody to provide care for the elderly. South Korea is the most extreme example. If birth rates stay the same there, for every 100 great grand parents, there will be only six great grandchildren (More or Less Radio 4). We are lucky in the UK that we have high levels of immigration that should mitigate the problem for us in the short/medium term at least.

Aging of South Korea - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aging_of_South_Korea

Whereforartthoudave · 22/09/2023 10:58

I would take £150 off him - leave him with £100 or even £75 a month. That might help motivate him.
at 18 or so at home with all my costs covers and £200 in my pocket I might have been tempted to sit on my arse too.
As it was I studied and worked - and I didn’t work in an area I wanted to stay in either. I cleaned hotel rooms and did shift work at min wage

BlaBlaBlaHa · 22/09/2023 10:58

I think you need to take all your son's UC, as you can't avoid not to

cringelibrarian · 22/09/2023 10:59

This reply has been deleted

This user is a troll so we've removed their threads and posts.

Mydpisgrumpierthanyours · 22/09/2023 11:00

I would assume her child wouldn't get nmw as he'd be 18 so it would be more like £7.50 an hour. Not sure if uc would make it up but he might be better off working.

Kendodd · 22/09/2023 11:01

Throwncrumbs · 22/09/2023 10:52

Good old boomer days lol. I was a single parent , I worked long hours to pay my rent and bills , the government gave me fuck all. It’s not like today where you get given £££ and free housing, and then you moan about how hard it is. We didn’t have mobile contracts , big screen tvs, holidays and big cars all paid for with ‘when’s my col payment coming’ . Ffs!

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Where are all these free houses and big cars you talk about? And how do I get one?

Iliketulips · 22/09/2023 11:01

Also, thinking about it, DH and I don't have £200pm to spend on ourselves and that's with DH working and me doing a couple of days a week, so he could give you more - if he needs £200, then that might get him focused if he has less spending money.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 22/09/2023 11:01

Even if he’s ‘at a crossroads’, any sort of job is TBH going to look better on a CV that sitting on his arse and sponging off his mum. Employers do respect a work ethic.

RedToothBrush · 22/09/2023 11:02

Bonsaitreepic · 22/09/2023 09:29

He’s a fussy eater so tends to buy a lot of his own food as he won’t eat what everyone else does. I think the main expenses for him are internet, electric, rent. I also pay his phone bill as that wasn’t an as present a couple of years ago. Think that’s only about £20 though

He can not afford to do this. You can not afford to do this.
He couldn't rent a room and pay bills for £250 a month.

You both need to sit down and talk about this.
Both of you have no choice until he gets a job.

At that point he needs to be paying you AT LEAST £300.

You are not doing this to be mean. This is being a grown up. He needs to suck it up.

CoffeeBean5 · 22/09/2023 11:02

How old is your eldest and did he do A Levels or an apprenticeship? You said that he doesn't know what job he wants. He needs to get a job in the meantime whilst he decides. Also how old are your other children? If they're 3 years old or older then they'll be at nursery or school. If you're not already working, then you could find a job and then put the children in after school clubs.

Mydpisgrumpierthanyours · 22/09/2023 11:02

Please tell me how to claim back the rent I have paid in the last 20 years when it should of been free?

crimsonlake · 22/09/2023 11:03

Sorry to hear this op but surely you must have been aware that once your son left full time education this would happen?
Your son does not get the luxury of taking time to consider what job he wants to do, he needs to take anything that comes along in order to contribute to the household finances.

TigerRag · 22/09/2023 11:04

CoffeeBean5 · 22/09/2023 11:02

How old is your eldest and did he do A Levels or an apprenticeship? You said that he doesn't know what job he wants. He needs to get a job in the meantime whilst he decides. Also how old are your other children? If they're 3 years old or older then they'll be at nursery or school. If you're not already working, then you could find a job and then put the children in after school clubs.

The OP has a disabled child. Working may not be an option?

TerfTalking · 22/09/2023 11:04

This isn’t complicated.

you’ve lost £300

Your DS is getting £292.11 according to Google, so he needs to contribute all of that to cover the shortfall.

This will give him the incentive to get any job, full time, whether it’s what he wants to do it or not. He needs a full time job and now.

Anything he earns above the £300 can pay for his clothes, fussy food (which you just have been buying previously) his phone and internet.

JudgeRudy · 22/09/2023 11:04

I can see you're in a very tricky situation but I'm really surprised you hadn't thought of this sooner. I get that in your head he's your 'child' but he's an adult. Let's say he's 30. Would you then expect the state to pay you £300 to house him? It's the same.
He's unemployed. He's receiving UC to feed and clothe him. It's not his pocket money. He can give the majority of it to you for board/keep, or he can see how he gets on living elsewhere. There's a third option - get a job. Often at this age young adults say they don't know what they want to do. I've tried lots of different jobs and each suited at the time. Could you frame it differently...for example I took a warehouse job for 3 months. It was through an agency with no real security or chance of progression. It was also shitty hours....but I decided I'd do it and loose some weight and tone up. It also gave me time in the day to get my money's worth out of my £25/month gym membership. I knew it wasn't forever. So I toned up and had money for Xmas. There's loads of warehouse work. The jobcentre can also help you get a CSCS card for labouring work on site. Might that appeal to a young lad?

BTW - do check where you stand with your council tax. You'll no longer get the single adult reduction. That one should be easier to address with him as its 'the law' rather than you requesting the money.

Kendodd · 22/09/2023 11:06

If the son is out of education now and 18, he would have left education in what... June (?) What's he been doing for the last four months? If it's nothing, I'd go mad if any of my kids were that lazy, they wouldn't be getting a single penny from me never mind £200 per month.