To believe UC needs a bloody makeover!

[Lovethystupidneighbour]

Don’t panic - not a benefits bashing thread.

I see a lot of negativity around the benefits system in the UK (namely UC) but it needs to be said that in the right circumstances you can be very comfortable on benefits. It seems the government is incompetent and distributing these benefits efficiently. Why do some people get too much money and others get not enough to breathe on? Seems bloody ridiculous to me. UC is not fit for purpose!

AIBU to think they need to create a better system? How is this the best they can come up with?

To be fair I do agree with all of the above.

we are lucky we are able to save so a sudden £3000 payment for holiday childcare isn’t going on the credit card, totally screwed for parents going back to work (more so with only 1 income).

I also don’t know the solution to the £16000 savings cap. I agree it seems ridiculous someone on UC should be sitting on money. Saying that though, keeping them in an incredibly unstable and expensive rental market also doesn’t seem like a long term solution.

I echo the cry for social housing from PP!

Who said they did? Last I got evicted (landlord sold I didn't do anything wrong) took me ages to find somewhere else and had to live in a bed and breakfast when you have kids is that managing? Doubt most on Mumsnet would be able to handle the stress that was.

Things aren't as simple as "just move house "

You said that the government should consider paying people’s mortgages because it would be hard for them to rent.

if its hard for you to rent why should homeowners get special protection from that? Let them be subject to the same stresses you’ve had. That’s fair

I’d agree with a lot of this. I think especially the moving from part time hours to full time. I work full time now ( youngest is 10) and do claim a bit of UC its less than £100 a month on average but if you’ve got child care costs then they tend to go up whilst your entitlement goes down (taper). I’ve turned down jobs previously as I’d of been worse off overall despite earning more.

If you take home an extra £1000 but get £550 less universal credit, childcare bill is £500 more but already at limit or isn’t eligible. It doesn’t make sense to work more to make yourself poorer.

I have no childcare costs now so I can work full time and be better off. I think childcare should be funded seperately from UC and preferably direct to suppliers. I know so many people who have been screwed as invoices/ receipt aren’t formatted in a way they like are happy with so childcare costs rejected. It feels like a gamble and you could try your best but easily get totally fucked financially.

Ive got Canadian family they paid their nursery / preschool something like 10 dollars a day and the rest was funded directly. Low income parents could apply for extra help.

Much better system imo.

On of The fundamentals of universal credit is that it allows poor people to manage their own money rather than have it doled out on their behalf by the government

I have a mortgage now. It's a k a month if I lost my job I would once again be fucked.

Obviously now I can't get evicted just because a landlord wants to sell but if I lost my job I'd get no help and the same thing would happen again.

I just feel sorry for the kids in all this because it happens to a lot of people and is not as simple as "just move house"

Literally noone said just move house

homeowners get help with their interest and they talk to their mortgage provider about pausing the payments or making a payment plan.

if they can’t get back on their feet earning again, then yes, they would ultimately to sell to downsize or rent

thats just life. That’s not UC. Just like if I were renting a massive house for £6k a month and lose my job UC won’t pay that- and I have to move too.

Which again is a rigged system because if they actually gave a shit. They would control what the money could be spent on.
But it’s not poor people who benefit from online gambling, cigarettes, unhealthy food crappy clothes that need purchasing repeatedly

I have only ever been on UC, so don't know how it compares to things like Tax Credits or other benefits... but it is good in that all the benefits are lumped together with the different elements. If you have a problem, you just put it in your journal. No calling different departments etc.

Everyone is on different amounts depending on their circumstances. I have no idea how the top ups work though, and I do think it odd that someone who is working can get topped up more and claim more than someone who is unable to work. It is like the DWP are recognising that you can't live off NMW so you get topped up, but if you are unable to work, you are expected to live on half NMW. That always made no sense to me.

Why should they control what it’s spent on? Aren’t poor people allowed to make choices with their money?

before UC you had generations of families who had never managed their own money. Never paid their rent, bought their babies milk, had a bank account even.

UC is a leveller for the future

Of course they’re allowed.
They’re perfectly at liberty to kill themselves at a faster rate than they would normally with the corporations profiting from their demise at the taxpayers expense, that’s exactly the actions of a caring considerate government.

But let’s at least call a spade or spade shall we?

Its implied though. That you should just move and rent if you fall on hard times as if it is easy to find somewhere to rent when landlords are so fussy now and you have to compete with loads of other people gazumping you.
It's not just about the adults people have kids and they end up living in bed and breakfasts and it can take ages to find somewhere.

You're right there is a limit to how much rent UC will pay and they won't pay for a 6k rent house but I'm not saying they should pay for a 6k a month mortgage. But what difference is paying a mortgage of 900£ compared to a rent of 900£?

Just musing really

Which is fine if it worked. I’ve lost thousands over the years due to rejected child care costs. Often summer providers who don’t do invoices in the DWP format so although eligible you just bash your head against the wall endlessly going in circles. I don’t know if funded hours will make it any easier.

The mortgage is less than the rent in most cases and as i said has an expiry date.

The difference goes straight back to housing someone month by month vs buying them a house that they own legally and can sell on at profits.

that is the only difference and an important one

No idea what you mean unless you’re saying people on UC are inclined to gamble or drink themselves to death than anyone else

which would be a strange take being on UC yourself

I don’t think that’s connected- if the child are doesn’t exist then the government can’t pay for it directly either

Yes, I know two couples who were caught this way. They were not on UC though, but whatever benefit was around at the time. Both claimed to live alone when they were not.

I think it could be structured as a loan too like mortgage interest. Set a cap for the area, like rent, then why you die or move the government takes back payments plus interest. On average house prices rise so normally would be enough equity to cover loan amount.

Statistically, they are. That’s not new news.

There is a difference between correlation and causation.

yes, eventually, many people including addicts will end up on UC as they lose employment due to their addiction.

I think UC is fair, the government have made significant improvements and are doing what they can to encourage people who can work to work in order to support their families.
But then again I also agree with the 2 child policy.
Realistically I dont think the goverment is going to plough more money into the UC system- they will probably find more ways to take money off tbh as they are trying to find ways to reduce their borrowing levels

I understand what you're saying but the rental market is crazy at the moment. It's way worse than it was just ten years ago. With sometimes hundreds of people interested in one property and gazumping each other. It can be easier to just get a mortgage
So people just live in bed and breakfasts or house shares with drug addicts while having their children with them.

Im just saying I feel sorry for the kids in all this I mean is it worth begrudging someones mortgage being paid off when it usually costs the same if not less than rent

They only pay interest

I agree with this. People without kids are screwed over on UC.