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?

I think that's the point of it. It makes life very difficult, and more expensive, for those in receipt of benefits.

Many benefit recipients wont be working again because they are sick/disabled. That is why the amounts of UC they get are higher.

And that’s why we need to revisit sickness benefits. The proportion of people claiming to be too ill to work is not at all realistic. In a recent survey the majority of GPs asked said they had NEVER refused a sick note. It’s laughable.

But if we rented then we’d be paying off someone else’s mortgage via housing benefit (on the old system) or UC.
Luckily it was all paid off before the system changed.

That is a whole different issue that is nothing to do with this thread though.

I have actually been refused a sick note, but that was by a GP who seemed to not realise you could need a sick note and not be employed (he said sick notes are just for working people... I needed it for uni).

Really? Why would you feel overjoyed though? That is a strange reaction to have, imo. There is nothing to feel pleasure about, when there are people out there who would really be stumped if their fridge, or oven packed up.

Lots of people working full time and paying taxes find it hard to save and cover their bills too, I fail to see why their taxes should go into savings for anyone claiming UC.

He was correct to refuse this. If you needed proof for uni that you were sick you should have paid privately for a letter. Sick notes are to prove somebody is too sick to attend work.

I imagine it would be impossible. It would be difficult enough to live on it , if you had to, without the spiteful and sanctimonious digs from people demonstrated here.

There is a weird portion of people who take strange joy in people finding themselves needing gov help having to struggle and live a miserable existence. They want it to happen. I find that incredibly sad. It wont make their tax go down, and it wont result in them being sent a rebate either.
They just seem happy to know that people at the bottom are going to struggle more.

UC isn’t a perfect system which means some claimants will be better off than others. For example, a single parent on UC with a mortgage will have less disposable income than a single parent on UC who is renting.

It would be impossible, and hugely expensive to the state, to administrate a system where it takes each individual’s circumstances into account to such a degree that this doesn’t happen. It is a blanket system where if you have X you get Y.

We are not talking about savings people can accumulate for a house deposit or go on an all inclusive to Disneyworld. But people should be able to save to purchase a new boiler, or replace a carpet for example. For some benefit claimants getting credit for these things is impossible.

I was too sick... I was on an NHS funded HCP course. It was Occy Health that signed me off in the end. I was too sick to attend placement, but the GP argument was that sick notes were for paid people.

I have also had to get sick notes for UC when I was not working anyway.

In fairness I do agree that a small amount of savings for emergencies and stuff is OK. I read the OP as if she was expecting to save for a house etc. Perhaps she meant up to 6k.

And who helps the ones who are not in receipt of benefits who can’t afford to save either, in the event that their oven or fridge breaks?

Their family. Their friends. The community. Charity. Like those working who have no saving would do.

Most people on benefits are actually working.

You do realise the majority of people on uc are either disabled, are carers or are already working

Full time? 35+ hours a week?

That was my point!

Im on uc and work part time as im disabled

Judging by the average income in the UK, I imagine most people find it extremely difficult to save.

What has that got to do with the fact, that the poster was expressing absolute glee?

Benefits are for people who are already in a state of crisis. At that point you have hit the rocks and there is not much point hoping to save for a new crisis - it’s already here.

And so they use their initiative and contact friends, family, charity, community.

You cannot expect the government to give those on benefits the sort of excess money whereby they can build up enough to buy a fridge (£000). That’s just not affordable in the UK today. Anyone that thinks it is seriously needs to educate themselves about the dire state of the national finances.

People on benefits still need to be able to save for stuff just like people not on benefits. Being on benefits doesn't mean your boiler doesn't break or your car doesn't break or you should never go on holiday ever again