To think I should work less and claim Universal Credit?

[Tiredandgrumpymum]

After a difficult divorce I find myself supporting my 2 children on my own. Ex-husband pays the bare minimum.

I work full time on about minimum wage, all my shopping is done at Asda usually yellow-stickered where ever possible. This year managed to take my 2 kids away for a weeks break by the seaside in a caravan. We had a lovely time but did it as cheaply as possible. Bought ice cream and put in the freezer in the caravan so when kids asked for an ice cream out I said wait till we get home.

No eating out except for takeaway chips etc. No expensive days out.

Just bought all the school uniforms as cheaply as possible from the supermarket and the school shoes which I've had to put on my credit card.

My SIL popped round for a coffee earlier on her way back from the hairdressers having treated herself to a new cut and colour at a posh salon and she was just on the way to get her nails done. She's just returned from a 2 week all inclusive in Turkey with her 4 kids. Her kids get the best school uniforms and school shoes and she pays for them to do various activities I can only dream about. All this and she works 3 mornings a week and gets topped up on UC. She goes to the gym everyday as she can afford it and has the time to so looks fabulous.
I'm sorry I sound so bitter but I really am.

As a mom on UC who works 3 days a week I can guarantee you I can’t afford all those things 🤣🤣 your SIL must have some other source of income she is keeping quiet.

Maybe it's the 4 x maintenance for the 4 kids.

Its still classed as a disability.

ADHD is a disability protected under the disability act . You are ignorant on it clearly

JFC. The comments on here sometimes.

The OP can't even afford the cheapest pair of school shoes without putting them on her credit card and can't afford an ice cream from the ice cream van on a weeks caravan holiday which she scrimped and saved for. Maybe she'd like for life to not be a completely endless slog where she has to watch every single penny? If she's entitled to UC, then she can claim it- that's what its there for.

I don't understand why the OP gets a hard time about UC when no one is suggesting maybe the dead beat dad steps up and pays for his kids?

Yeah. There’s a lot of it going about.

Id MYCH rather people got some support so they could breathe a little than and up in the mental health revolving door at huge cost

There’s a two child cap isn’t there?

Not on maintenance

Um; no. If you father 4 children then you have to pay maintenance for all 4 children. If sil is a single parent then she will be getting maintenance for all 4 children from their father(s). If he is in work.

But; this thread is bullshit.

For the UC child element only.

You can get child benefit for any number of dc. You can also get childcare help (up to 85% of fees) for any child not just 2 and you get the disability elements for all children getting dla.

Maintenance isn’t regarded as income either for UC calculations

Do your research next time OP so you don’t get caught out quite so quickly.

BTW do you still get a free goat with your benefits or just a flat screen TV these days?

Yes. I touched on that in a later post.

To be fair, you don't know the SIL's circumstances, and neither really does the OP. The SIL could well be living way beyond her means and putting it all on credit cards.

I suggest you read actual sources of information rather that ChatGPT on how and when ADHD can be classed as a disability

It's nearly the same for me to work full time as it is to work 20 hours plus UC. So I work 20 hours and then do some overtime to push myself when I can (weekends when my ex has the kids).

Yes was also thinking this. just another benefit bashing thread. The thing that gives it away on these types of threads is that the women being judged are always getting their hair and nails done.

Because people are entitled (yes, I did use that word) to a quality of life that involves more than putting food on the table and clothes on the children’s back. All people, even those on benefits.

Unfortunately you are single parent on a low income whereas SIL is not. Try not to bear a grudge as grudges hurt the grudgor more than the grudgee. It won't be like this forever, as your children grow up. Do the maths and see if you really are better off on UC as dispute the hype many people are not. See if you can get the children's father to pay more support for the children as well.

Not wishing to de-rail the post, but will ACAS do for you?

Being neurodivergent will often amount to a disability under the Equality Act 2010, even if the person does not consider themselves to be disabled.

I've helped a fair few families get DLA for children with ADHD. Always older children though, I can't recall ever making an application for a child under about 10.

The difference in the need for care and supervision between younger children with and without ADHD isn't generally big enough to qualify.

So is claiming fraudulently? It can’t be right. Something is dodgy somewhere!

The thing that makes me laugh about these made up benefit bashing threads is that the alleged recipient of the substantial 'benefits' nearly always seems to prioritise their spending on getting their hair and nails done and going to the gym.

When in reality many of us actually spend it on weed and travelling whilst others spend theirs on 'flat screen TVs' and takeaways twice a day.

"Will often amount"
As I said several times - not in every.case as a blanket rule. And much less often - in the amounts that would create an entitlement for the level of benefits that would afford a luxury lifestyle.
I don't see what we are arguing about here.