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!

It's almost as if it meant to be a divisive made up thread. 🙄

No one is entitled to a holiday no matter how many hours they work. I grew up in the 80s, both parents working. We had years with no holidays because, guess what? We couldn’t afford it!
This ridiculous link between working full time somehow equals being able to have things makes no sense. If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. It isn’t outrageous to say that.

Never mind!
You can now benefit from knowing that most of it is taken directly from your pocket and put straight into hers.
Enjoy!

Thank goodness a Poll has been attached to this thread so that, despite all the lovely "You Go Hun" posts, we can see that over half of all those who voted do not share this view.

It is crazy. the government should be getting the bloody non resident parent to cough up before giving out tax payers money to this extent. many people not eligible to any benefits cannot afford holidays after working all week in stressful jobs.

But you should be able to clothe your children and live without being in debt to the school, which OP could not do pre-UC.

The difference is op universal credit is tim limited being a band 7 nurse isn't

She will no longer get the single person discount on council tax. Nothing wrong with charging adult children that live with you money towards bills etc. Adult children are not free to house and feed etc.
She works full time anyway.

Not gonna lie, I’m jealous 🤣

Recently divorced, two teens, left with more than 20k of debt, and am starting a debt payment plan which means my credit is fucked for 7 years. In the meantime I have not a single penny to spare and earn just a bit too much for any help.

I’m really glad this is helping you. What a relief for you 😊😊

Than the ex should be helping out more.

Why can't someone earning more then op not afford a holiday that makes no sense

My DH and I, probably unwisely, put ourselves down as guarantors for DD and her BF when they rented a flat. A couple of months later BF lost his job. He applied for UC. They did an assessment based on him and DD's income and are getting about £500 a month. This means we are off the hook for the time being atleast. Hopefully he'll get something soon. We've never claimed UC and was surprised it was so much.

And how do you propose she forces him to do that? Blame the CMS, who don't bother going after non-payers.

I'm still waiting for them to catch up with DD1's dad, and she's 22 years old now.

Non-payment of CM should be a criminal offence, imo, but it's not so what exactly are single parents supposed to do?

They must have a high rent then as a couple ( assuming no kids).

I don't live in Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough is well known for being high poverty, high crime, low employment so really shouldn't be used as a comparison for 'the north' where apparently jobs aren't the norm!

I live in a mining town and I absolutely do know many people that earn a decent wage, teacher, HR, civil servant, joiner, plumber, salesmen, police officer, maintenece tech, data analyst, hairdresser off the top of my head.

There's loads of low paid jobs too, all the factories, shops etc but that's still people in employment!

Yes the cms need to deduct at source. Ridiculous that they don't enforce this. Why is everyone else paying for op's kids when they have two working parents?

How? If 2 people working full time are taking home less then that between them then thats not even minimum wage

Thirty one grand and you take eight hundred from the government. What a joke to those who have a small income.
You are really taking the pee

No kids. She is on a part time min salary job. Her hours change each week, she keeps trying to pick up extra shifts. This will be part of the reason. They are both applying for better jobs. She is qualified to work in Nurseries and has a good degree. Employment market is rubbish at the moment.

I don't live in Boro either, I live close to there, and the only person in my social circle whose ever earned over £30k p/a or close to it is myself, and that was working remotely for a company based in Wales.

The average household income in my area (Redcar) is just over £29k p/a, that's household income, not salary, it could and probably does include many people with 2 adults working part-time in care/shops.

If they have a small income they will likely be able to get universal credit to

For what? Spending on himself?

I too qualified when I split with my ex and got a small amount as worked and had two teenagers .

It helped a lot !

The whole point of the system is that it is a safety net and when situations change it is there .

Remember too that you can qualify for discounts on days out eg zoos etc .

Plus , there are tariffs for broadband and also a help to save bank account that the government will match your savings (up to a limit )

They should, but they don't. Until they do it is sensible for CM not to be included in UC.

She is a tax payer 🙄

So much bitterness on this thread. Comparison is the thief of joy.

Yes, this.

Salaries are appalling and all the money companies save from providing a proper living wage goes to overpaid CEOs and shareholders.

The big issue here is not the extent of UC but that someone working full time needs it.