To think my universal credit feels generous.

[MoonBaby1]

I got to my early 40s without ever needing to claim but circumstances find me single and paying the lions share of child related outgoings.

I work full time on£31,000 and have found out this year thanks to applying that I get on average about £800 from UC. It has been an absolute life changer and will hopefully be able to afford a modest uk holiday actually during the summer holidays and pay the school back some debt im in for after school care.

So many benefits bashing threads so I just wanted to present another side that as a cash strapped mum of two who works full time, UC is making a positive difference to our life. I didn't even think id qualify!

they shouldn’t.

unfortunately it’s quite common for absent parents to not pay for the upkeep of their kids.

child maintenance service is useless. IMO drivers license and passport should be suspended if you do not pay for your kids.

society needs to view it as something that will make you an outcast. Let’s face it loads of people shirk their financial responsibilities to their kids .

Ok? I don’t really understand that and I don’t claim to be an expert on any of this. But, if only 11% of the 36% of people claiming UC actually work 30+ hours, how is this a problem of business not paying enough? I would absolutely agree if the stats said that 70%+ of people were working flat out and not earning enough to live, but that isn’t what’s happening? or am I missing it? Happy to be better informed!

100% I always laugh at the threads of people on 100k incomes "struggling"

I know. But like a PP said, there is something wrong in their budgeting if they can't afford something that someone that earns lot less can.

But instead, they complain that people on less than them are somehow getting "too much".

compare these three simple figures based on a standard full-time worker:

The Legal Floor (National Minimum Wage)

• Hourly: £12.71
• Yearly: £23,132
• The Argument: This is the government-set minimum. It is widely criticised for being a political baseline rather than an accurate reflection of living costs.

The Corporate Compromise (Some supermarkets Actual Pay)

• Hourly: £13.28
• Yearly: £24,169
• The Argument: Big companies pay £1,037 more than the legal minimum to attract workers, but they still tie their wages close to the official minimum wage framework.

The True Value (Minimum Income Standard)

• Hourly: £15.35
• Yearly: £27,937
• The Argument: Independent research shows this is the real amount a single person needs to cover the bare essentials (food, rent, energy) and live with dignity.

My currently unemployed, English partner that doesn't live with me, has worked since he was 16 & has no children, gets that (£800) a month. He has rent and bills to pay. Glad to see you're employed and topping up for a holiday.

Same

Totally agree with all those figures. I own a business. I don’t pay anyone anything near minimum or living wage, simply because I don’t think it’s enough to live on. My lowest paid employee is on £36k and is a trainee aged 22.
BUT, the stats say that less than 40% of people on UC are in any kind of work. So the majority are not working at all. And, for those that do work, less that 11% work more than 30 hours. So most are actually not working full time at Tesco for just above minimum wage?
Honestly, am I totally missing it?

So you think anyone on uc so the disabled, carers, low earners, single parents should never have a holiday in there whole life.

So he pays maintenance but you still get 800 quid top up on universal credit? That's a month's salary for a lot of people.

No its not 🤣🤣

So 60k salary between the pair of them and still needing to claim £800 a month UC.

Maintenance is not counted when working out UC.

A holiday is a luxury. I understand this is mind-blowing for UK folks.

If people are working 30+ hours but still require Universal Credit (UC) to survive, their pay is too low. so it may not be all companies

If someone on UC can scrimp and save for a holiday, the fair play to them.
On UC, you are not told what you can and can't spend it on.

But their not together so are running 2 homes, 2 cars do you think dp should hand over £30k to op and live on the street

A total pisstake but I don't blame them, I blame the disproportionate system. Money should be prioritised for the disabled and other genuine cases where people cannot work.

The choice to not live together should not impact on the tax payer.

Thats not what I asked if said do you think disabled people and carers should never have a holiday?

It is a pisstake. It's not even scrimping and saving on benefits to have a cheap holiday. It's 10k extra a year guaranteed income on top of a 30k salary and CM. It's way more than a cheap holiday. Honestly no wonder the country is broke.

I don’t think UC is meant for holidays. If you are using it for holidays you shouldn’t be getting it

I don’t disagree but that appears to be a very small minority of claimants? Unless i am totally off track and someone can put me right?

They are not a couple. He is her ex.

To claim UC as a couple, you MUST be living together.

Choice are you insane.