Friend earns as much as me on benefits

[NattyFinch]

I felt really shocked and conflicted after a discussion with a friend recently that revealed that she receives over £2000 a month on benefits for 2 children while I work full time as a single parent with one child for a similar amount (once I’ve paid all my taxes, ni etc). It stemmed from her saying she was going for ivf treatment at 48 at a total cost of £8000. I’m supportive as a friend and try not to be a judgmental person but this just seems unjust when I’ve worked so hard to stay in employment and raise my son single-handedly for 12 years. She doesn’t want to move to England because if the ivf is successful she will get more money to stay in Scotland. AIBU to think this is all bonkers ?!

If you’re a single parent who rents then on your wage (which is quite low for a full-time job) you’re probably also entitled to Universal Credit. Are you claiming? If so, how much? Let’s make the comparison fair.

I can’t understand what the point of your thread is. You claim to be ‘conflicted’ because it’s so ‘unjust’. Where’s the conflict and what’s so unfair? Unfair would suggest the life your friend is leaving is not accessible to you but it absolutely is. Go for it if it seems so great. I suspect, however, that you know it isn’t that marvellous. That a life whereby a parent is wholly reliant on benefits is quite an isolated and unfulfilling one. And that the benefits (for want of a better word) of working go beyond your take-home pay. If I’m wrong though, please do just quit your job and be like your pal.

Don’t claim to be better though. The very fact that you’ve come onto Mumsnet spouting this dog-whistle shite is pretty repugnant IMO. I hope the inevitable benefit bashing makes you feel better and eases your inner turmoil, OP 👏

Have you checked you're entitled to anything? It sounds like you may be.

This is a very common occurrence and totally intentional by the govt

You can earn 79-90k and get no help

But you can have 3 kids with varying circumstances/ disabilities / childcare fees / rent /council tax discount / UC / child benefit /housing benefit

It can all add up to what a higher rate tax payer takes home after tax then they have to pay for all those things themselves

More benefit bashing?

The only way she'd be getting this is if she has disabled children or she of her partner is disabled.

If you think that life on benefits is so easy, why don't you try it?

The chances of her IVF being successful is very low.

Oh dear, you really jumped the shark with going for IVF at the age of 48 OP!

Oh great another benefit bashing thread!

🙄

I'm just laughing at all of those people talking about the added benefits of working, outside of the financial rewards. I can only presume that they aren't working the shit, tedious jobs with exploitative employers, awful managers and unlikeable co-workers that a lot of those at the bottom of the employment market have to put up with.

You can earn 79-90k and get no help

Why are you talking nonsense? You don't need help if you earn that much.

If you had a disabled child you'd realise how much more they cost to raise than NT children. And disabled children can't just be left with any old childminder or after school club whilst their parent works.

The last government introduced the benefit cap which means anyone not disabled is expected to look for work and their benefit payments are capped. And there's also a 2 child cap.

Do you only pay attention to the news when it suits you?

You can google uc amounts op. It isn’t £2000.

Everything else aside she is not getting pregnant at 48. What a waste of 8k. Although you get less welfare if you have savings over 6k and none at all if over 16k so you're story doesn't quite add up. Welfare for two kids and an adult is no where near 2k even with high rent which it probably isn't that high if she's in Scotland let's be honest.

If you are a single working parent who rents and takes home less than 2k a month then it’s incredibly likely you are eligible for UC.

Quite. But if she actually did the correct research, she'd find out that this rage bait thread wouldn't fly. Couldn't have that now, could we?

That she’s managed to save up £8k with benefits as her only income stream is impressive, good on her. I don’t really see how it affects you? Are you not claiming benefits too? I’m sure you’d be entitled.
Work gives you much more than money. You have the potential to progress and earn more. I know it’s hard working and being a single parent, I’ve done it for 10 years, but I can’t get upset about how other people survive

Precisely.

Is this a benefit bashing post or an SNP bashing post?

Are you sure you aren't entitled?

As other posters have said, you're very likely to be entitled to UC yourself if you have 2 children, rent and take home under £2k a month. Probably quite a sizeable amount too. The wage deduction from UC for a take home pay of £1900 a month after deductions is £822. This is the amount they deduct from your total UC award. They deduct it at a rate of 55p in every £1. If you rent, the first £404 of your wages is disregarded before they start making deductions from your UC for the rest.

If you're over 25 you would be entitled to £393 then £575 for 2 kids (born after 2017. If they were born before it's slightly more)

So that's £986 already.

With regards to rent. If it's council/social housing you'll get the full amount. If it's private you need your LHA amount because that's all UC will pay. You can look this up by googling the LHA calculator.

Add the rent/LHA amount to the £986.

Deduct £822 for wages from this total.

That will give you a rough idea of how much UC you could receive. And then you would also still have all your wages on top of that too. If you currently pay childcare, you could receive up to 85% of that back from UC too so that's even more.

Then you'll be much better off than your friend so emm...then you won't have to feel annoyed/angry/jealous/whatever it is you feel about it.

I suspect she doing cash in hand jobs… I don’t think it’s all benefits

I know it's a bit off topic, but isn't it all just a little bit wrong that we have to subsidise some full time workers with benefits in order to increase the amount that the owners or shareholders of a business take home.

OP says she works for the government though and so if she really is elegible for UC, I'm not sure if that actually makes it better or worse.

You are a lone parent paying rent and earning a below average wage - you should be claiming UC too

Oh aye.

It's total nonsense. Unless her rent is sky high - which in Scotland it probably won't be.

Also, if people would actually look up the rules for benefits, then single parents with youngest children as young as 1-3 years old have to work. I certainly was not given much leeway.

I have been a single parent of 2 children on benefits not that long ago and it is nowhere near that amount, even including rent. The calculators are mostly wrong and over estimate as well, if that's where your stats are coming from. They usually include things like free prescriptions and free dental, which I accept are relevant, but they are not take home money, and renting is far more expensive than mortgages, and your 'friend' will never own their home (perhaps the most important difference).

If you're over 25 you would be entitled to £393 then £575 for 2 kids (born after 2017. If they were born before it's slightly more)

This sounds grand. You should quit your job and go on uc op.