Help with universal credit

[MissMummy20212]

Little bit of a back story all of my bills come to £1,590 a month this includes everything but food shopping and anything else I will need during the month. So universal credit give me £1444 a month as you've probably already been able to work out my bills equal More then how much I receive. My partner who has his own house and does not live with me kindly gives me £600 a month for weekly food shopping and to stop myself using my unarrange overdraft. I'm worried as I've seen seen that uc are asking for bank statements, will I get in trouble for having my partner send me money? I can prove that my partner has his own house, pays his own bills extra

Can you break down your spending, see if anyone can help with that at all?

There's no problem with people giving you money.

• Rent £1025
• Gas and electric £110
• Internet+tv box £52
• House insurance £15
• Life insurance £20
• water bill £25
• Phone £37
• Tv licence £14
• Council tax £103
• Netflix/Disney plus £11
• Nursery bill £180

Plus my gas and electric is due to increase in April 🤦🏻‍♀️

That’s what you get from UC. How much do your earnings top that up? What’s your total income?

Do you work OP? If no, do you have capacity to? It will make a lot of difference

You are on UC so contact your gas water and elec (unless they're PAYG can get them reduced, you can also get council tax reduced too.

I assume UC you get the claim back for childcare element. Look into salary sacrifice if you can as some employers link it with childcare.

Change your phone and get a PAYG sim I pay £10 p/ month with unlimited calls and texts and I never use even half my data and I use my phone an hour a day at lunch and for google maps...

I currently don't work but actively looking for work so uc is my only income

My partner isn't my sons dad, my sons dad doesn't give me any child maintenance

• Rent £1025
• Gas and electric £110
• Internet+tv box £52 - can you look for a cheaper deal?
• House insurance £15- do you mean contents insurance/ if not why are you paying house insurance if you rent
• Life insurance £20
• water bill £25
• Phone £37 - this could be reduced if you get a pay as you go
• Tv licence £14
• Council tax £103
• Netflix/Disney plus £11- get rid if you have tv
• Nursery bill £180 - do you need nursery if you’re not working? Or are you going back to work soon?

I've contacted everyone and that is the lowest amount they can't offer me, I'm currently in a phone contract till December

Why would a man you don't live with, who isn't your child's father, pay you £600 a month?

I'm not asking, but that is what UC will ask.

That sounds difficult OP. It's not ideal to be financially reliant on your partner, just because if you split up or if his circumstances changed and he could no longer give you £600 per month then you'd be screwed.

How does your rent compare to market rate and to your council's local housing allowance? Is there any way you could look into renting a cheaper property (obviously if your rent is a good rate for your area or within the LHA then there's no point to this).

I'd drop the £180 a month nursery fee while you're not working, but equally if you're hoping to find work soon then there's little point as it might be worth having the space.

I'm really surprised your UC is so low tbh, I work full time and take home £2k a month after taxes etc and get not much less than you from UC. Is there any way you could have a look at Entitled To and ensure you are claiming everything you are owed?

Remember you can earn around £400 per month on UC before your benefit amount is reduced at all, and you will always be better off working.

The nursery is the obvious thing to cut if you are not working unless a job start is imminent. Your partner seems very generous but I think you need to learn to manage without that money in case you were to split up or he can't do it any more. You will be way better off in work because of the work allowance, earnings taper and help with childcare costs.

A regular payment can be deducted from your UC. Your partner would be better paying the money towards a bill for you

Why are you paying for nursery? How old is your child?

Because he sees how depressed and stressed out i get when I can't keep my son warm Because I can't afford the heating or how some days I don't have anything to eat just so my son can have something on his plate. Surely anyone who loves there partner would do anything to help them from being in a dark place?

Because he sees how depressed and stressed out i get when I can't keep my son warm Because I can't afford the heating or how some days I don't have anything to eat just so my son can have something on his plate. Surely anyone who loves there partner would do anything to help them from being in a dark place?

You misunderstand me.

I wasn't asking why.

UC will ask why. They won't be interested in what you have said above. They will in all likelihood tread it as income.

You can be gifted money. I know someone who gets £200 a month from her mum. She had a review and it was fine.

Why are you paying all that for council tax? Have you applied for council tax support?

Probably because it was a clear family member. I know you can be gifted money but at the same time this has the potential to be considered income. OP isn't related to the man neither is he the father of her child.

If you’re not working then you shouldn’t be paying any council tax (just water and sewage charges).
You shouldn’t be paying childcare either as you don’t need it.

You really need to get a job. Any job.

Different councils have different rules about council tax. I am on UC as my sole income, and I still have to pay 20%

It is worth OP looking into CT support though.

Your UC seems low if you pay rent. Can you breakdown the elements you receive as you should get the standard allowance, child element and housing element.

Get rid of your TV licence and TV box and just use Disney. There is SO MUCH on there and plenty for both you and your child, and it must be cheaper!

How come the nursery fee is £180?