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.

Same as me but I don't work full time. Just part time

I don’t really care what you think to be perfectly honest, you’re a bit of a waster on this thread simply goading and annoying people. I rather discuss with those who exercise their brain cells. Good luck in your life pal.

You do realise she is messing with you you know?

@praying4peace not everyone works part time on UC. It's not like the old system you don't seem to understand how it works. Unfortunately plenty of people work FT with children. Times have moved along...

You’ve said your son is a school? Are you paying school fees and have his uni fund sorted? Is your pension fully funded? Which country is your holiday home?

I'm very fortunate I can work part time now. The system needs looking into as many others are like me and work and claim. We are not doing anything wrong

Wouldn’t bother interacting with this troll @Parker231

works perfectly for you ONLY if taxpayer subsidises you. The moment you stop receiving benefits it doesn't work anymore.

Jaywick caravan park

Nosey little fucker aren't you. I work part time and enjoy my life. You work full time and enjoy yours. I know which I would rather do but each to their own....

But that's my point you're a working mum with a high household income because your husband earns well. If he didn't and you didn't as a working mum/family you would be entitled to Universal Credit.

Out of interest though what does your husband earns well mean? Because I don't really understand how if he earns well you can't afford a year off work? I'm assuming you get 6 weeks full pay, 6 months half? Am I wrong in thinking that's pretty standard, apologies if I am. I took a full year off on MAT, I planned this and had savings to get me through the last few months, I also used my 6 weeks annual leave from the year I was off, and yes I did end up getting UC when SMP either finished or kicked in, but I didn't know I'd be entitled until someone mentioned it so I applied and I was eligible , but it was at least a third less maybe half what I was earning full time and I had no partner contributing. I am assuming given you said your husband earns well the UC I was in receipt of would not have come close to what he is bringing home. And like everyone else, who is either on or not on UC, I had rent and bills, a car and cost of living, it doesn't disappear because you're on UC, but I managed those last 2 months and I manage now on a low household income with a small top up from universal credit. So I do struggle to understand how if your husband earns well and you currently work how you won't be able to afford it?

And also just to put it out there, probably like lots of other people on UC besides those 2 months /6 weeks at the end of MAT, I have also always paid my tax and NI contributions and still do now even though I get UC.

I tried but fully booked unfortunately!

Yep true don't interact with me hahaha

Cheers pal. Enjoy working full time

The outcome’s the same. There are an increasing number of threads that end up like this. People are getting pissed off with paying into a system with diminishing returns, and this is why Reform will get in, and posters like her will see their benefits cut.

So that you would be paying your own rent and bills? Instead of it being paid for by the public purse ( other people's taxes who aren't always in high paying jobs.
In my organisation there are people working extended shifts daisy to meet their financial commit9

Commitments

The only viable option from here on would be to sterilise everyone at birth, and only upon obtaining a 'reproduction licence' will this be reversed. One of the many conditions would be to be able to support yourself and each child you have for a minimum of 18 years, even in the event of disaster or bereavement.
I won't dare mention any other conditions that should also be imposed before a couple can be allowed to breed for fear of reprisals, but let's just say Mother Nature has been doing similar for millenia with impunity.
All of the so called 'technological advancements' of the last few decades have been a total disaster for our species.

Extremely draconian, sure, but the earth's resources are finite and we now need to be refining the human race before we all implode.

Not my problem

SMP is 6 weeks 90% pay, then 7.5 months stat may pay I think it was about £600 pcm. That’s all I got.

Urgh what a lovely attitude. Wish not paying for you wasn’t my problem 😡.

Nothing i can do about that. Sorry.

You don’t begrudge, that’s good of you!

I agree OP, given most working mums have to return by 1yr, it’s very unbalanced UC pays until 3, at least. You then only need to prove you’re looking. Looking for work for my eldest for 18 months before he secured a decent job involved very little. It can be dragged out easily for another year.

I agree it’s baffling that UC would pay 70% (or whatever it is) for 5 days per week even if the person only worked 3 days. Would be a good question to ask DWP, how much is wasted paying childcare for days parents don’t work. Yes they have to pay 30%, so would put some off, but I bet a few million is wasted on that. So wrong. I’d have benefited from a day per week to do what I wanted when I was part time when baby no 3 was little, but given I was paying 100% of the bill, that was a no. Plus I actually wanted to spend time with my child.

I don’t regret keeping my job during those years though. As mentioned already, I will get a decent (public sector) pension for those year. Yes some people will get pension credit etc, but that’s when your working years pay off, as pension credit won’t pay anything similar to what my private pension will pay. Plus those extra years working towards promotions etc, it does pay to be in work for most, even if not financially so much in those years.

I don’t begrudge people on benefits, I was a single teenage mum, i’m now a higher rate tax payer. So i’ve seen both sides and I can see that right now the phrase it pays to be in work really doesn’t ring as loud as it once did.

No they don't pay for five days nursery if you only work three. They would say that is unreasonable. Yeah I probably shouldn't have had my three mornings a week at 85% paid for when he was only going two mornings but they are very strict normally.