Working expectations for parents on UC

[BlackCatGreyWhiskers]

AIBU to find this really frustrating? Basically there is no expectation for parents to work until their child is age 3. So if a family has more than one child that could be several years.

Whereas maternity leave is only 9-12months.

Especially as universal credit claimants can actually get help towards childcare expenses.

I don’t understand why there is a mismatch between the employed and unemployed?

When I went back after maternity, my pay was around £1500 and my childcare £800, then after I went back with my second my childcare went up to £1200. So I earnt next to nothing for 5 years before the eldest started school.

I’ve read their manifesto and it’s all very vague. Do you really think there’d be significant benefit cuts? The toothlessness of the recent Labour u-turns has made me doubt any party actually would.

But the state has built a life where the people living in it have mostly no choice but to rely on it!! The state then moans relentlessly about the situation it created….

• Wages don’t pay enough
• Rent is eye wateringly expensive
• Childcare costs are high
• Food costs are high
• Fuel/heating costs are high
• Dual income required

I left home at 16 got myself a full time job and was able to rent a flat, then later a house (all while single) and have enough money for food and leisure without needing any additional benefits or support.

I am now in my 40s, my eldest is 20 and earns a good wage and yet would not be able support themselves in the way I did at 16.

@TwoFeralKidsbecause £1.4K isn’t even three quarters of one full time salary. So the requirement for a couple is not even 40 hours a week between them!

I would rather work part time and get UC and spend the rest of my time with my son. I feel sorry for people like you who have to work loads to earn what I can get and miss out on family life. Hope you can retire soon

Absolutely.

It seems going to work part time brought you home a sum in the region of £1500, your combined household income would have been significantly more. Perhaps you should have had a discussion with your partner about splitting the bills according to your incomes, maybe then you wouldn't feel like you had such a little return. Out of interest did he contribute to you reducing your hours to part time so you could care for the children when they were little or was it a decision you made that he wasn't in agreement with this made you pick up the cost?

Wow 😂

Precisely. People don’t realise that by subsiding the unemployed to the extent we have all we have done is close the gap between the employed and unemployed and that has made working less worthwhile. More money funding benefits has just led to an increase in costs.

Brilliant - just the kind of mentality we need to grow the economy. What a fantastic contribution you make to society.

You’ve missed the point, we’re a family. A household. The net gain, irrespective of how we spilt money is the same. It’s just robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Yes wow!!!! I love being on UC and people have to work and earn. More fool them

I sure do sugar plum!!!!!

And if everyone adopted your approach, what do you think would happen when doctors and nurses decide to stay at home and claim UC?

Who is going to pay your pension for your retirement?

Good for them I say

Your username suits you, or perhaps it should be UCPirate 😂

We go on holiday abroad each year - more than once, we have a healthy tea which I cook every night, he has clothes and toys like every other child, phone, tablet, he's in a good top set at school. Definitely not a disadvantage being on UC. People are coming across on boats and claiming everything they can get their hands on! The system makes it easy to do. Like I said before, don't get mad at us mothers claiming, get mad at the system as it allows us too to that

🤣🤣🤣

Hopefully no one, pure scruffiness.

Love it 😀

Hahaha jealous

Just a troll - I’d ignore.

I’m not jealous at all darling, my kids want for nothing. We go on holidays, have a lovely car and don’t miss out - oh but I work for it xxx

You wouldn’t say that if you needed medical attention!!!!

I’d much be a role model for my children than someone sponging from the system. I do feel sorry for children from these families as outcomes for them don’t tend to be all that great.