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!

The feeling is mutual, dear.

What feeling?

Ok? And you are part of the approx 35% of SH tenants who do this. The remainder receive benefit to cover part or all of their rent.
To be clear, I am not arguing against social housing. I think we need far, far more. Not everyone can work or work full time and not everyone who can work will be a high earner or be in a position to buy or privately rent. But everyone does need access to a secure, warm, affordable home. More social housing would provide that. And would, in theory, reduce the benefit bill, since the huge rents paid to private landlords, which appear to create the massive discrepancies in UC payments, would vanish.
As is stands, things have got worse, not better, because current policy means a lot of private landlords have sold up. Great in theory, but it would have been better to first make sure there was enough social provision for those tenants. There isn’t currently so far more people are in entirely unsuitable temporary accommodation, which costs a fortune and is, in many cases, entirely detrimental to their mental health. As I said upthread, how many people world thrive in accommodation without laundry or cooking facilities, with children, often miles and miles away from any support network? Very few. It’s awful and needs addressing NOW.

It is possible to be busy and happy and still be politically aware.

Yes I'm politically aware. I'm a member of a political party and have been a benefits advisor in the past.

Both my husband and I have also worked with the most deprived people in the country.

I just don't envy benefits claimants the way posters on here seem to. For every client I helped, I thanked my lucky stars that I wasn't in their position - even those who were getting more per month than I was. So it doesn't bother me how much they get.

There but for the grace...

Australia and the USA fund their healthcare differently. USA are insurance backed so are able to fund higher salaries. Australia have a heavily subsided but it's a public-private model, many people pay something, in addition to taxation.

If we want to pay NHS staff more should we adopt similar models? NHS pensions and sick leave are very generous so the base salary isn't the total renumeration.

Just looking at other countries salaries isn't a good comparison.

Absolutely.

Oh, wait. She's politically aware and implied that the majority of people don't care about how their taxes are spent.

Comical 🤣

I know, I was just debating whether to point this out but I think on balance it’s probably pointless.

Yes it probably is, considering the amount of time you all have on your hands fretting about someone getting benefits.

You're more to be pitied than scolded.

I'm sorry your income is low.

No one is fretting.

It's a forum, and we're merely expressing our opinions, just as you have done.

Is it wrong to expect in the long run people provide for themselves and their dependents (barring significant long-term health issues)?

Apparently so.

Perhaps, having kids you can't afford, demanding social housing and receiving multiple benefits is the way forward?

Well if she held a position responsible for advising on the allocation of tax payer government funds, that blase attitude is quite concerning. I would have thought welfare employees undertake some kind of training that at least covers the basics of how the economy works.

Not if the government pays it to the parent looking after the children. Then chases the feckless ex for it. Record NI numbers of both parents when a baby is born, that would make it easier to trace the feckless. Sanctions if they don’t pay up!

What's a "welfare" employee?

Absolutely!

Mandatory direct debits and sanctions if the payments falter.

Pay for your kids.

AKA benefits adviser.

I think CMS should be strictly enforced on the party that needs to pay.......

Also children do fare better in a two-parent household.

Never heard of a LG employee being called a "welfare worker" before. Is that what they're called in your country?

People's lack of understanding of what drives inflation is astonishing. If all businesss put wages up, all prices would rise as labour is the largest contributor to business cost.

It's like if Musk actually gave everyone on earth a million dollars. It would completely devalue the amount for all.

Every economy needs earners at various levels..if you want to make more money you have to acquire the skills that pay more... Minimum wage raises will always ultimately hurt those at the bottom of the pay scale more than they help them.

Unless you shun capitalism the only way to increase equity is a more socialist system. Capitalism relies on a bulk of the population being low earning..

You evidently understand what she means.

It's gone on for too long now though that it's become standard practice. Remember the controversial introduction of the Child Support Agency (CSA). Great in principle but badly thought through. It certainly scared the shit out of absent fathers.

Many users in this thread require an economics class.

Perhaps growing Money Plants is the solution.

🤣