To think saving on Universal Credit is extremely difficult?

[FirmGreyMember]

It feels like Universal Credit doesn’t really leave much room for saving once basic living costs are covered. I know in theory people say to put even small amounts aside but in practice it seems very difficult when most of the money goes on essentials.

AIBU to think there’s very little opportunity to build savings on UC?

Like I said no judgement, but that’s also not entirely accurate.

50% of all claimants have no work requirements - this includes the 29% of pensioners who claim at least 1 state benefit, as well as full time students (yes students are eligible for some benefits), pregnancy, over 50s, people in work with household income above the CET threshold, and temporary exemptions.

Carers and incapacity exemptions make up about 27% of working age claimants.

Check percentage of GDP and government income spent on benefits and pensions. As I said earlier I've made it really easy by providing figures since 2013 and projected figures up until 2030.

Come back and tell me more about the "ever expanding welfare cost". But actually here's another task. Don't come back until you've thought about whether it's actually accurate to claim that every single able bodied person is capable of paid employment. Bonus point if you give ableism some consideration.

Bet you never come back.

In the past decades it's been steady on c 25%. But that includes benefits and pensions. Within benefits it includes those who are looking for work and those who aren't expected to work (ill, carers, disabled). There's another clue for the pp!

I hope your pillow was cool. ☺️

I claim uc and I work.
I've lived in my house for 7 years. I haven't been able to afford to replace any of the carpets (the carpets are really worn thin, to the point you can see the bottom layer) as the moment I try to save, something else wipes it out. I don't have a car and don't go on any holidays. Life is really depressing

My uncle was able bodied. He took his life. I have a friend with bipolar who was sectioned twice and took early retirement because her mental health was so poor

I've worked with young people who have had multiple personality disorders. One young man set himself on fire in front of staff. I've also been in the position of trying to get help for young people who were suffering from suicidal ideation. And been told nothing they can do and they later killed themselves

Most people on UC are actually working but need UC to "top up" their earnings.

I'm so sorry about your uncle and your other experiences. I've experienced similar earlier in my career.
I hope that people who argue that mental health isn't quite real or as debilitating as physical illness speak from a place of literal ignorance, that they haven't seen the ways in which severe and enduring mental illness destroys the lives of people and their loved ones. It would be unbearably cold blooded otherwise.

I have serious mental and physical illnesses and the mental illnesses effect and limit my life significantly more then the physical illness. Severe mental illness is hell

It was thankyou 23.6 to 25% of total government expenditure goes on social protection which is pension and benefits what I was talking about when I said 6% was from income tax what an individual pays out of their tax but a pp has said thats for disability benefit so I might have got that wrong I remember reading it a while back. It doesn't take much to confuse me. I just pay my tax and ni and don't put a lot of thought into where is goes as i have always been in the over 50% of people who are a net recipient so I know I've taken out more then I've put in my own birth and the medical treatment i needed in the first year probably cost more then I've ever paid in

Thank you. There was one big event that happened to me in 2019 that almost destroyed my life. That was after 15 months of being stalked. I was so broken I actually can't remember how broken I was. My mum thought she was going to lose me more than once even though I never said I was going to kill myself

Around three months later the dwp said you are fit to work. I have always worked and I haven't spent the last few years idle either. I finished a part time degree last year and I am now actively looking for volunteer work so I can hopefully get a job sooner or later

Going through the lcwra process to try and get benefits for my mental health made my mental health worse. Adp was different. They treated me well

I think it's a shame that some people view me as a scrounger

My mum was bullied in work for decades. She never claimed benefits but had to take time off work. She had ptsd and work related stress. She was ill to the point she could barely function at points. I wouldn't wish ptsd on anyone

Thank you

It would be interesting to see how many of the 38% have a full time job.

Ah ok. Then around 100k personally donated to others.

When I was on UC and working. I took every spare hour I could get but it wasn't enough to get me off Uc. I remember being in wetherspoon years ago and a manager was conducting a job interview and told the applicant they would get a guaranteed 8 hours a week. Zero hours contract. It's tough out there for a lot of people

Didn't you know there's a hotline we can ring whenever we fancy a new phone or car? And they throw in an extra £100 if you're brown or a single mum. I know because Steve down the pub said his mate's cousin's dog read it in the express.

I think some people have a tendency to exaggerate their contribution! (Also their salary - paying 180k income tax /NI would give someone a salary of almost 400k in which case what are they doing hanging around MN all day? 🤣)

I enjoy your posts btw.

No, you really must make an effort to understand what I'm asking you. Try again.

Does getting free money to stay at home help with a mental health problem though?

Well, it’s not very clear what you are asking as I think I have answered it. But be be more specific…..I pay four people 2k a month each so 8k each month paid from my wages direct to them. They are people who are not working but will be making a significant contribution to society in the future.

You really have no knowledge of severe mental health conditions, do you?

This.

I paid tax for thirty years. You are aware that many people on Pip or lcwra work don't you

No not this. It's not free money. I worked from the age of 23 to 51. There are people who get Pip and lwrca who work. The money helps them stay in work. I completely refuse to allow people to shout about "free money" when I paid taxes for decades and there are people with mental health issues who are on disability benefits who work

Thanks for replying. I don’t have any knowledge of zero hour contracts so that’s interesting to find out.

To be honest, even Labour are talking about some reform with disability payments, with some ‘mental health’ conditions.

It will happen.

I think I've been perfectly clear.

From the income tax and national insurance you say you paid last year, how much money went directly to people who do not work?
Bonus questions:
How can you be sure that your individual contribution went to that particular group rather than, say, all of it going to pay for cabinet members to attend an overseas conference?
Do you differentiate between pensioners, carers, disabled people and those you may well see as just plain indolent?