AIBU to resent friend on UC living better than us?

[Sunshineandrainbows123]

I know I am being unreasonable but just need to rant and I’m aware that perception is different to reality. I’ve worked hard all my life, since I was 14, paid my way through uni to get a decent qualification and job at the end of it all. I bought a house with my partner but as with so many of us I feel like I can’t rub 2 pennies together. Meanwhile a close friend claims universal benefits, has minimum 4 holidays a year, 2-3 abroad, gets regular beauty treatments, a new car and is able to regularly take her children to the cinema, days out and buy them new clothes, trainers and toys. I feel like I took the wrong path sometimes - she doesn’t have to pay rent for the home they live in, or school lunches for her kids, there are so many discounts and opportunities afforded to those on UC that working families don’t get. I don’t know if it’s better to distance myself. I know I need to probably give my head a wobble.

She might be receiving gifts from other sources, e.g. other people may be buying the holidays for her and/or the children's toys etc. Maybe it's the children's dad(s)? Or the grandparents? Or she has some well-off siblings who are helping out?

Or she doesnt exist and its just yet another thread slagging of people on benefits

Only if they are disabled, caring or working will they benefit from any increase. The overall benefit cap remains the same. So they can increase it 60 percent. They wont be any better off if they are subject to the cap. Every april people are up in arms over benefit increases. Which normally just reflect the increase of everything else every April. Employers in the public sector will giving pay rises. Its the private that aren't and should

You should probably sell your house and give up your job and get on UC yourself OP.

Comparison is the theft of joy.

I am on UC. I go on holiday... that a relative pays for. No one on just UC could afford multiple holidays each year... even UK ones.

You don't know the whole picture here... it is funny (and predictable) how many benefit bashers on here seem to know the exact ins and outs of their UC claiming neighbours/relatives bank accounts.

I don’t live in london. That claim was with no housing costs as I have a mortgage which I paid for with his child maintenance. I guess I must have been lucky then. I was living my best life. Council tax was so cheap too!

The only way to get a high amount of UC is to have multiple children with disabilities. We do and my husband works so we get a fair amount but I can't work due to said children, we would be better off if I could work

How are people getting cheap council tax i get no discounts on council tax for being on uc

@youalright are you saying youre paying full council as you do get some discount for being on UC

Are you single ? I got single persons discount

Agreed.

I am going to Dorset for a week in the school summer holidays with my 2 kids and my mum. My mum is paying for it. No way I can afford to.

No not single

Yes im paying full amount. I think its area dependant and our council doesn't offer discount

You do realise that many who claim UC, ARE working families?

I doubt said friend is being totally honest with you. I would distance yourself as you sound a bit jealous of her?

I just looked at my local council website and the only discounts they offer to people on benefits is if someone in household is severely mentally impaired then they don't count as a person and you may get the single 25% of if that's the case. No discount just for being on uc

Think it also depends on the council. Have you actually applied for council tax support ( it's seperate not part of UC claim)

I know both Chelmsford and Basildon councils give discounts for those on UC

Contact the council your with about your single person discount if living alone of course
then apply through the council for discretionary payments explain paying the full amount is putting you into poverty cos seriously it is.

im Scotland and ours is a wee more generous usually but it’s a ball ache having to fill in the forms but they are usually on line.

Does she do cash in hand jobs to top up her UC?

No it’s just a goady thread about benefits as usual

The OP hasn't been back for days.

Perhaps she and her DH are busy giving up their jobs, pensions and house so they can live it up on benefits like her "friend"?

You're probably angry about the wrong thing tbh. The problem is with wage repression, which is the main reason that working people are struggling so much whilst billionaires exist. The proportion of corporate profits that go to wages in comparison to the proportion that goes to executives and shareholders has shrunk continuously since the 70s. One wage is no longer enough to sustain a family, now there needs to be at least 1.5 to survive, 2 to even think of thriving.
Your friend having different priorities for their income isn't something to be mad about though, that's the unreasonable bit. I can guarantee that they're not massively well off, UC just isn't calculated like that. Your friend probably has no insurance, no life cover or buildings insurance that you have to have with a mortgage, and cuts out other things that you might consider important. What she doesn't have is an asset building equity for her, and someone else is making bank on those rent payments.

Its about time there was an above inflation rise. 9 years ago the sum a single person on UC got was 317 pounds

If someone gets the basic UC component they live well below the poverty line. Some people also don't get their full rent paid and have to make up the shortfall from their personal UC allowance.

If youre under 25 thats all you get now.

Sorry I meant over 25.