I don’t understand how universal credit is supposed to encourage people to work more.

[ZibbidooZibbidooZibbidoo]

Universal credit starts in my area next week. I just did the entitled to calculation for my specific circumstances (lone parent, two DC) with me working 16 hours on minimum wage and working 30 hours on minimum wage. (I currently work between 18 and 25 hours a week) for working an extra 14 hours a week I would be better off by the princely sum of £26 and some change. That doesn’t take into account additional travelling costs involved in working more hours. So in reality I would have less than £26 to show for my 14 hours of work. (I’m not even touching on the fact that I’m self employed so will have the minimum income floor to worry about.)

How can they claim this is encouraging people to work more when they have so little to show for their labour?

The issue is that you don't have a choice not to work more hours or look for more hours once your kids reach a certain age. Once your youngest turns 5 you are expected ( as a lone parent ) to look for 25 hours work, if you are not seen to be trying you can be sanctioned therefore you are better off working then getting nothing . On the tax credit system a lone parent could continue working just 16 hours until their youngest child left education but under UC this is no longer possible. UC is punitive and much harsher than the tax credit system.
In a couple you would only be able to have a sahp if the other earns enough to cover you both, otherwise the second parent must work too once youngest is 5.

What happens if you work just under 25 hours and you're on universal credit?

It's called workhousing -so bad u get a job.

Purple - people will have different commitments on UC depending on their circumstances and depending on their earnings. So some people may be asked to look for more hours but it would depend on their situation, for example lone parents can work less hours and it also depends on the ages of your children.

Oh I see. I'm not in an area with UC yet. I will be getting tax credits soon so just interested. I work only a bit under 25 hours you see

UC gets reduced by something like 72p for every £1 that you earn, so you should always end up with more money overall if you're working (even if it's not much more). The 'better off in work' thing is supposed to be in contrast to the old JSA system, where - I think - they stopped your benefits completely once you hit a certain number of hours in work, regardless of how much you were being paid, and some people ended up with less money overall when they took on more hours. At least that was how it was explained to me when I was on it.

I'm currently still on TC but UC will be coming eventually. I work 17.5hrs a week and I'm a lone parent.

What do they suggest we do with the children to enable us to work more?

My children are 15 and 11yrs. The eldest has ASD. I already have to leave them till 7.30pm twice a week whilst at work. How can the UC people think it's acceptable to leave them for another evening

fishes - Your work commitments could be less if you have a child with special needs. Otherwise they will pay up to 85% of childcare costs.

Hi

The roll out of UC to an area normally means that if you change address or any details of your claim for any benefit you will be transferred to UC. It is my belief that the roll out for changing all benefits over has not yet been given an official date as they would not be able to cope with this demand so by changing people as they change details it slows the number of cases they have to deal with.

I am a Homeless Housing Officer so have experience with the dreaded UC. I work in an area where the roll out happened in July 18 so when we move people it kicks in. If they stay in the hostel their benefits stay the same until we move them to their own tenancy (change of circs).

Not to add to your concerns but the average experience I have had with clients moving to UC means the pay out date is around 5 weeks from making the claim although you can claim an advanced payment within this time.

The concept of UC is to simulate wages being paid on a calendar monthly basis and to put all benefits under one umbrella. It is an awful and poorly run benefit that should never have gone ahead. We have seen an increase in homelessness as a direct result of the roll out in our area.

Does any1 know what hours they make you work if you get carers allowance for a child and are a lone parent?

You will have no work commitment at all if you are in receipt of carers allowance. So zero hours.