To think she should look for work?

[Daisydoodo]

my sister is on the migration from tax credits to universal credit. Her husband works and earns around £25k a year and does not aspire to earn anymore she has 6 children 3 over 16 and 3 5-16years she was complaining today that she may be expected to start looking for work when she migrates and how she thinks it’s unfair as she is only just getting her life back now the 5yo is in full time school. AIBU to tell her to get a grip and get a job? I feel awful for saying it but it’s getting on my nerves as I was expected to return after 6 months mat leave. Should the UC system force her to look for work

We did get a fair bit in tax credits for a few years when my kids were young 20 years ago but I was back at work when my dd was six months old working nights and weekends around my dh's regular hours. I'd look after the kids all day then go to work in an incredibly stressful job all night.

God, I remember living on £10 a week for years because I earned NMW of like, £800 per month and was just above the threshold for any help. It felt like it was just assumed that because I was single I didn’t matter, that I’d somehow manage and if not, well, too bad so sad.

And then you hear things like this and it just makes you feel like you’re living on another planet.

I’m not saying that kids shouldn’t be financially supported, it isn’t their fault they’re here and they need stuff. It’s just so, so far away from the world I was living in as a single person.

I've been on minimum wage as a single adult and as a single parent plus benefits. It was easier as a single adult, costs are so much higher for two. If you don't have people you know that you can trust around your child to share accommodation then you need to move from a room to a two bedroom rental for starters.

That is a lot of money tbf.

@Kalevala It depends on the level of benefits though? The figures quoted by @Babyroobs are a massive amount more than NMW.

There is the benefit cap though so unless there are disabilities within the household they won’t get as much as it seems

I was just comparing no children to one or two. It was easier being poor without children, personally. If you had a heap of children before the two child limit then I guess you could do all right as there are economies of scale.

They won't have been affected by the cap until now though.

Agree they won't be affected by the benefits cap as husband is working.