Facing unemployment - just over £1100 in benefits

[BringBackCatsEyes]

I've just put my figures in a calculator and think I will receive just over £1100

UC £ 362.73 per month
(standard + child, then take away JSA )

117.22 per month child benefit

Council Tax Support
£ 71.07 per month

Support for Mortgage Interest loan
£ 152.49 per month

New-style Jobseekers Allowance
£ 414.05 per month

Are people actually living on this or do they end up selling their home to move into rented?

I am trying my hardest to find work. My contract ends at the end of this year.
I am not asking for advice on finding work, I want to hear from those who have experienced moving to UC and how they manage?

I always look at what I would do if I was in your exact position with the exact figures to work from that you provided. That way I’m not suggesting what you should do (you may not like how I’d deal with things) but I am giving you the opportunity to think about what I would do and see if that gives you an idea of how to proceed.

i would figure out pretty quickly that I couldn’t have any form of life worth having with only that amount of money coming in and more importantly, I would NOT want to take a loan from the govt. (Which has to be paid back and with interest) and have them have a stake in my home for giving me a pittance I can’t even live on. So, I’d do everything I could to avoid that. I’d also avoid a mortgage holiday unless the alternative meant losing my home.

Taking all that into account, my main priority would be securing a NMW job at the very least, doing anything (I wouldn’t care in this situation) as long as it covered me for the basic hours needed to claim a working persons with child top up of universal credit. You would bring in double that figure you’ve quoted, be able to be pay your bills, keep your credit rating AAA rated and not screw up your mortgage payment record with either a payment holiday or a default which could lead to repossession! Payment holidays always leave a mark on your record and they are a sign of financial stress that your lender will note. Avoid if you can.

The UC allowance you get if you have a child and work at least a 30hr NMW job is very generous and at times annoys people like me without kids who get bled dry with tax payments etc. But you are NOT work shy or playing the system or annoying people like me, you are a genuine case in need of temporary support and you should take it to keep a roof you own over your head (renting is dead money, choose what others on here say, you’re paying off someone else’s appreciating asset) and keep all you’ve worked for safe.

i would:

1. Secure any NMW job with a minimum hours of 30+ per week as soon as possible
2. Forget taking any Govt. Loan that gives them a stake in MY house that I’ve worked to pay for.
3. Avoid a mortgage holiday at all costs unless facing repossession.
4. Stop spending virtually any money right now, 6 months before the SHTF. Build a buffer.
5. Remember all things in life are temporary other than death and get through it.

Have a think about what I’d do ….. and then decide what YOU will do. Be careful what advice you follow, some wouldn’t dream of following their own advice, I’d do what I’ve said, you need to do what’s right for you and develop a can do mindset right now xx

Is your mortgage currently interest only? I can't see from your posts if you've said that. If not, your mortgage provider may agree to switch it to interest only until you find work again.

The government is going to have to think about this. More and more people will lose their jobs and will be homeowners. More single parents too.
In answer to your question, OP, no most people couldn’t live off it. I had to live off 994 for a month when I was between jobs well waiting for another one to start, luckily I borrowed some from family to keep me afloat for a month.
The ‘just find any job’ brigade are deluded. The job market is awful and all jobs are likely to be in demand, apart from care work.

I am so sorry to have come across this thread @BringBackCatsEyes ! I was on your very long running one when you’d just been made redundant. If your contract doesn’t end for another 5 months surely that gives you loads of time to secure another one?

How old is your child?

child element of UC ends when 16

He is 17 and in full time education. I'm sure it continues, at least when I put my details in to the checker it included the child element.

Apologies yes as long as In Full time education

Sorry if missed but do you have savings?

and you have your co react until end of what. It could be renewed and even if not… that’s 5 months to secure another one

Hello.
Yes I do have time and I have acknowledged that I am looking at things very bleakly. I think I am probably depressed.
I am trying my very hardest to find a decent job in the next 5 months. I do not need to look for a 'just work in Tescos' job yet. The summer is quiet on the recruitment front.
I do have 3 applications in. Each one takes a great deal of time and effort.

I know that you are a professional and these suggestions to just pick up shifts at Tesco at this point in time are patently daft.

Do you have savings?

I have some savings. A few months of living.
Contract ends early Jan. It will not be renewed.

Enough to impact UC?

I did try to get Tesco work when I was unemployed last year. I got rejected.
Not even being able to 'just get a job in Tesco' doesn't do a lot for my feelings of self worth.

Yes. It's between £6 and £16K

I also have some set aside to pay my (self employed) tax bill, but I think that is not included. I already know what I owe HMRC until July 2027 so I can prove that this £ is to pay that.

I understand how difficult this seems. First of all try to sort out your depression. I know it's hard but you are menopausal and that makes things so much more difficult as the coping strategies are not there like they were when younger. I had a similar financial issue at age 50 and my ability to cope with the stress went out of the window. Are you on HRT? It really makes a difference.

My husband lost his job at 55 and it was hard. But supermarket jobs were the hardest to get, he was rejected but managed to get other minimum wage jobs- a call centre and a sales job- pretty easily. He despised both but they were a means to an end.

Are you looking after yourself? Eating well? Seeing friends?

I was redundant at 50, I’d worked for a large organisation for almost 20 years, moved offices twice, and didn’t want to relocate. I looked for public sector roles, basic clerical jobs, to get started. The applications were quite different to submitting a CV. I got an admin job in a local authority. Once in, there were opportunities, and I got a couple of promotions.

It was a while ago, I understand finding jobs has got harder, I wish you luck.

Saying that does not do a lot for the feelings and self worth of people who are only capable of getting jobs in Tesco.

Tesco want people with retail experience and people who will stay... they don't want people with degrees who will be searching for a better job during their lunch break.

Don't see it as you are not worth a NMW job... just see it as a mismatch in qualifications and experience, because that is literally what it is. You did not match their criteria.

That's not what I meant.
It was partially a response to the trope of "just get a job in Tesco" - there is no just get a job in Tesco anymore.
I have said it before (not sure on this thread though), but I realise they'll know I'd be off as soon as a more suitable job came up, or one with better pay. Fair enough.
I am not in a position to be looking down at anyone right now.

My depression is situational. When my work situation is stable I will be fine.
I am post menopausal and not on HRT.
I have been through other difficult periods in my life. I absolutely know what I need to do day to day. I am low on resilience, I know that.

Look at the government mortgage charter, most lenders are signed up to it. Can. Go interest only on mortgage, does not impact on credit rating.

OP don't think about selling your house unless you have less than 6k equity. I sold my house due to a separation, stopped working to support my children with the adjustment, and didn't qualify for universal credit because I had money in the bank. Rent is often more than your mortgage, too, and more time and stress instead of job hunting.

I can only imagine the stress the job insecurity brings. Do you know for definite they won't keep you on at the end of the year? I'd stockpile things like toilet rolls, cleaning products, kitchen roll, tin foil, staples like dried pasta, flour, and tinned foods like baked beans and meatballs. Doing something will make you feel better. Plan an application for the household crisis resilience fund. Being made unemployed is a crisis. Try to put a bit extra on gas and electric. Cut back on treats now. You say you have a teen is there any way they could get a Saturday job?

Not until they’ve spent all the money they made over £16k though. Thats the point, if you release £100k doing this that’s potentially supporting you for a year or two or more before you’re eligible for help again.

I don’t think that’s feasible as I won’t be able to support my family on £1000 a month.
My home is regarded as my asset and thus I would have to release that asset to live on.
Once it’s gone I’d unlikely ever get a mortgage again. I hope it won’t come to that.