Partner and I work full time. Universal credit? Is this right?

[HeadsShouldersTitsandArse]

Obviously everyone is struggling with the cost of living, and the fear of our new nursery bills is making me feel sick and just not knowing what I can actually do.

I was under the impression that we wouldn’t be able to claim universal credit because we have a mortgage and both work and have semi-decent salaries (below average but enough to pay bills ect)

I’ve done a universal credit calculator thing and it’s returning that we can claim £1400ish in universal credit. Surely that’s not right? I’ve been back through my answers and everything is what we get ect.

Really? It just seems too good to be true.

@JMSA no child maintenance doesn't count.

It does pay 85% of childcare though up to a certain amount, which can be a lot! You also get a higher standard allowance for being a couple and higher work allowance for having a mortgage, so it can creep up.

All you can do is try to apply through the proper channels and see what you actually get.

That can’t be right. As a single parent you should receive the personal allowance, the child element and usually full rent unless maybe your rent is extortionate. Then they will make deductions based on your wage, but if you’re not earning a lot it shooldnt be loads.

Thanks for answering my question, to those who did

You only get full rent paid for social housing. For private (and possibly HA, I’m not sure) you get the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and that’s it. If it’s lower than your rent payment, you’ll have to make up the rest.

Thanks all.

We’re shared ownership so I selected that option and it asked how much we pay in rent and service fees.

I checked the breakdown and the £1400 was after deductions. It was also about £1800 but it included some sort of loan and child benefit but we already claim child benefit so I ignored those bits. The main UC bit was £1400. I’ve made a claim just in case. It would be life altering if we can claim something, anything towards our nursery bills.

we have no savings 😂

Still doesn’t sound right that a single parent is only getting part rent payment and nothing else.
You get full rent paid in housing association too, well I do anyway.

They pay the rent bit of shared ownership (up to LHA)

a friend and her dh her just under 40k combined three children and get around £400 a month wi th no childcare fees.

All you can do is try

Even if you get something towards childcare or rent it will help

@Freshstarts249 the UC system works differently to the old system. You don't automatically get your full rent paid as a single parent even if you rent. It doesn't work like that. Unless you work part time and earn lowish then maybe you may do but it is not a given just because someone claims UC.

It will be the childcare fees with you both working. Years ago we got help towards childcare as we both worked over 30 hours so it meant we could keep working. Good luck!

It seems a lot, I have a friend who earns approx £1500 a month after tax, single parent with one child and a mortgage. She was entitled to £50 a month universal credit.

I know. But the post said they get some rent paid and nothing else. That wouldn’t happen on UC.

All the elements are added together and then earnings deducted so it is possible.

Yeah maybe it was the way it was worded, that they get part rent and nothing else. That’s not how UC would be done but can see that maybe what they meant is what they have left after deductions is just enough to cover part rent, rather than that was what was awarded.

For context I work part time, take home around £1300 after deductions, and I get Full rent paid (£830) then obviously child element, personal allowance and then just under £500 deducted due to my wages

No Child Maintenance is 100% disregarded.

We rent, so not sure how much of a difference that makes as obviously there is a housing element, but we both work, me p/t (at the moment til youngest DD starts school and it is financially viable for me to do otherwise) husband f/t and we have a joint household income of about £45k.We get around £400-£600 net payment a month into our bank account including a partial reimbursement (about 85%) for childcare fees which cost us about £400 a month.
It varies because my husband's earnings are abit different each month.
The childcare reimbursements have been such a lifesaver, we would be lost without UC!

So is there a limit to what a couple can earn before they get no uc

How do they decide how much rent they pay for a single /couple

And could a couple get all their rent paid for plus a huge chunk kf childcare paid for

No it doesnt

There’s a limit for everyone, depends on your entitlement and earnings. Rent is based on room allowance, LHA and then any deductions.

That doesn't sound right. I earn more than that, am a single parent of one child with no childcare costs to claim and still get £400pm.

Rent part is based on your local housing allowance and size. So as a single person you’re entitled to bedsit/1bed room rates. One adult and two same sex children or one child would be a two bedroom rate. Just two adults in a relationship again a one bedroom.

So if your rent is £800 on a 2 bed as a single person with no children and your LHA was £400 for a 1 bed you’d be entitled to the £400 but then deductions based on what you earn.

So a person can be entitled to 2k but then deductions happen based on earnings and could go all the way down to £0 so you earn too much or might even just get £50 a month.

Interesting. Doesn't effect me as own my house - was curious

I think it's good people can get help for rent and childcare - as long as working / which they have to be for uc