AIBU to claim UC with a 'high' income

[Loriclimbs]

I am very conflicted about lifting the two-child cap. I know many would benefit from it but it would lead us back to more abuse of the system. I, however, have three children myself. I have gratefully received UC in the past but as my income has grown I am currently no longer eligible.

With the addition of my youngest child, I will now be eligible for approximately £200 per month. I an a higher rate tax payer abd Icurrently pay over £1200 in income tax alone per month. I have to repay the majority of the child benefit I receive.

AIBU to claim what I am entitled to?

I can't understand how it has saved that family's Christmas, it's not being paid until April is it.

It's funny how it works. We are entitled to nothing because we have savings but we have had virtually no income for years (establishing a new business).

I have to be super frugal so as not to run down our savings.

I think housing (and childcare) really is the great divide and really impacts how much people get/ need.

Wrap around care is £85 per child, per week for my two younger children. Thats £6430 per year before any half term breaks are even taken into consideration

Exactly. If you are entitled to it go for it but I can't understand how someone who earns enough to pay that amount in tax can qualify for UC!

Claim it, you're getting no prizes for not doing so and how does the government know just HOW many people are claiming, in need, etc, if people don't claim?

What are you eligible to claim as a higher tax payer. I know people with children who earn a lot less and they aren't eligible to claim anything.

@Loriclimbs I still don't understand that if you aren't entitled to claim now what has changed for you?
If you can suddenly claim for child number 3 why can't you currently claim for 1 and 2?
You said you aren't entitled to anything at the moment.

I can’t get angry about people with disabled children getting benefits. sorry.

It’s all very well to say that work should pay etc but for families with disabled children that’s often not in anyone’s best interest. Childcare for disabled children is very hard to get and might not be in the child’s best interests anyway.

the OP doesn’t mention disability but most of the other examples do.

Savings come into as well. If you have savings over 16,000 your not entitled to UC. Anything between 6,000-16,000 for every £250, £4.35 gets deducted. Under 6G your fine.
My DH is a civil servant, every day he says he pays out more than his monthly wage to those that don't work. He says it's soul destroying.

The deductions for my earnings is higher than the UC amount for me, two children and my childcare costs.

If a third child element is added this increases the overall UC entitlement by about £300 which is now higher than the amount my earnings reduce it by.

I'm a single parent on £28K. I get child benefit and nothing else.

That's because I'm paying a mortgage, nobody is disabled and I don't have any childcare costs.

The argument is they will not help towards housing costs if you are paying a mortgage as it looks as though the Government is paying for what ultimately becomes your asset. That doesn't wash with me though as many rents are paid to private landlords these days, so they're perfectly happy to pay towards someone else's property portfolio.

So I can’t claim as I have over 16k savings but I earn 67k per year, one teen at home still and pay £1400 in rent and it says i’d be entitled to £34 a month. Small amount but incredible i’d be entitled to that as I can save a decent amount each month. Pretty sure it used to be much lower the cut off, seems crazy it’s that high. In no way do I believe I need £34 a month!

What about once those children are in school?

My disabled child is in school. I work. My partner works from home and has had to make career choices in order to manage the needs of the children such as this.

I don’t begrudge people with disabled children getting help. I’m just shocked to find that as someone with disabled children that if I left my £34k a year job I would be paid MORE in benefits. That’s on top of the DLA and PIP my children already get btw.

Yep

The childcare costs are the only difference between us. If I did not have to pay for wrap around care in order to actually work, it would be zero.

Labour really wants you to claim it to lift your third child out of poverty. So claim it.

I have said since UC came in that it disincentivises work. People shouted me down saying you are always better off the more you work but that is just not the case. The taper rate plus the costs of working (travel costs, childcare even if you only pay 15% etc) mean that taking an extra shift on low pay can make you worse off. Tax credits allowed you to do more without being hammered financially and made work more viable for a lot of people. There's too much short term thinking forcing people to beg for crumbs rather than being able to build a life. Give a man a fish and all that.

I don’t understand this at all. I earn just a bit over £1000 a month and I don’t qualify for UC despite being disabled as well as on a low income. How can a higher rate taxpayer possibly qualify for it?

Why not everybody else does, if you declare everything properly you will lose it if you aren't entitled.

I have a disable son and we are not entitled to UC. My husband work full time and he gets 60000 and myself around 7200. I like to work part time around my husband, makes me feel much better than staying at home and not talking with no one.

I am so sorry and perhaps you post later, but that is crazy. No society can afford or be expected to afford to subsidise a household of at least £72k pa. Off the scale crazy. And actually I need to say No. No way is that OK. Why is neither major political party looking at this?

Do you have dependants? Do you rent?

Well if you think that money will improve your lives then claim it.
If you don't think you need it - then don't.
Simple.

If you read that posters follow up post you'll see she has children with disabilities.
Which makes a big difference.

I don't understand how this can be possible. I'm a single parent working full time on under 40k with 2 children, and last time I looked I wasn't eligible.