Universal credit - Child element details

[Orwellian]

I just had a look at this; ssac.independent.gov.uk/pdf/uc-draft-regs-2012-memorandum.pdf

If you scroll down to page 9, point 45 it says;

"The child element comprises of two rates; one rate for the first/only child and then a reduced rate for second and subsequent children.".

So it looks like what is currently child tax credits will no longer be paid at the same rate for each child and will instead (within universal credit) be paid in the same way that child benefit is now paid. I wonder what the rate will actually be for first children and then for subsequent children?

[emanddil]

Id like to ask a question what no one seems to tell you, it says that this universal credit , is for only for those on low incomes, if this true, whats classed as a low income then , cos no one ever says what it is , me and my husband both work, he works full time , and i work parttime, we have 2 children both 4 , theres noway i can work more hours, its hard enough as it is , my husband travels 40miles aday to work and back , hes out 10 hrs a day, i work 9 hrs, over 2 days, im out 13 hrs , by the time ive picked my kids from my mams and got home it takes that long, my mams partly disabled, she finds it hard , but whats to help we cant afford childcare, anyway the chilcare centre in the school closes b4 i get home , i just cant possibly work anymore hrs than i already do, the kids are in full time education, there would be no one to take them or pick them from school, they are far to young to leave alone, what more do the goverment want, blood lol, they need a taste of our life , a reality check is in order i think, we only get child tax credit, and family allowance, we earn just under £21,000 , will we be able to get this new universal credit . im abit concerned and worried, that we will get nothing , please help !!!! thanku

[Dahlen]

If the government really want to get people back to work, they need to shake up childcare. Heavily subsidised, readily available childcare would transform the number of women able to work full time.

The vast majority of mothers I meet are hindered from working only because of childcare. I've actually met very few women who want to remain at home for the whole of their children's childhood. Most just want to do it for a short stint at the beginning. The trouble is that they can neither find nor afford full-time childcare and we live in a society where state-controlled institutions such as schools and the NHS seem to think that there is always a parent around to do x, y, z during office hours, which does rather interfere with working life unless you can afford an exclusive nanny or have family to help).

Ironically, encouraging people to move where employment is more likely, reduces the chances of parents on low to average salaries being able to juggle parenting with work as they no longer have a support network to help out during INSET days, unexpected illness, Drs appointments, etc.

Government may currently pay up to 70% of childcare costs, but only if you are single and on NMW. Coupled or earning more than that and they'll reduce it and you won't get to the point where you earn enough to not claim anything until you're earning about £30,000 (for two children). £30,000 isn't that much TBH but it's still more than something like 3/4 of the population and certainly won't pay a nanny.

If the state subsidised childcare the knock-on effects of so many more people in work, spending their earnings, would more than pay for it.

Although it does rather rely on there being jobs for all these emancipated, work-hungry women to go to...

And doesn't take into consideration at all about the fact that small children need looking after and is it really that off the wall that their own parent might want to do it.

[YoYoYoItsTillyMinto]

over - i hear what you are saying, but have you tried MSE? they have a forum for people with debt but you dont have to have debt to post. you do a Statement of Affairs, and people will review your finances and give you relevant, practical advice.

The posters have got themselves out of all sort of financial fixes.

[Xenia]

over, they moved to areas where they was work. A lot of young Irish at the moment are going to New Zealand for example. My uncle moved to Tasmania ni the 60s. People move where the work is. If you want inspiration on how it cna be done for virtually nothing look at all the students who manage to get abroad for virtually nothing, very very very cheap flights, hotels with 4 beds a room which are very very cheap all over the globe (my daughters are expert on all this). One worked in the Caribbean in a holiday resort so all your accommodation is paid for. There are lots of ways to skin a cat but firs tyou have to want to skin it.

Look at Finnish women over here working leaving their chidlren behind or those from the Phillipines or working in Dubai from all over the planet.

It could be fun. YOu could remove your children from a sink estate and life in poverty and start a new life abroad somewhere exciting and hot. Do it. The socialists amongst those on the thread could also escape Cameron in the process.

[PandaSpaniel]

overtherooftops Oh I do hope so south of France sounds good to me lol

[PandaSpaniel]

Oh and shoot me down in flames for taking full advantage of my maternity pay!

Why has this thread come down to how long mums have off work after having a baby? I for one would not have been physically able to go back to work after two weeks as I had a emergency section and wasn't able to walk to the nearest bus stop and back at two weeks post birth.

Maternity pay is there for a reason, to enable mums (and in some cases dads) to spend time bonding and raising their baby. Some people have gone back very soon after the birth good for you, but why am I bad for wanting to spend time with my son?

[PandaSpaniel]

Sorry I didn't mean to slag off McD's or anyone who works there. I really am considering it as like others have mentioned there is good training and possibility of working your way up.

I honestly don't see how moving is going to help me and countless others. Maybe if I had particular skills that were valuable in a certain career but I am just looking for general everyday jobs such as shop work or office work and there are, I would imagine pretty much the same opportunities for this work no matter what area you live in.

[PandaSpaniel]

I really don't have the money to move and the job situation is dire throughout the UK. I am quite happy to work, by no means am I a idle skiver. Will do pretty much any job too. I have done all sorts in the past inc being a cleaner.

What I would love to do and am looking into it, is go back to full time education in the hope of gaining qualifications so I have a better chance of a career, not just a dead end job.

Plus like I said the housing costs around here are cheap around £400 pcm which is hard to beat. Not to mention I don't want to have to uproot DS from school and his family.

[YoYoYoItsTillyMinto]

i would look on moneysavingexpert & ask for advice there but off the top of my head:

1. ebay
   
2. credit union
   
3. emergency loan
   

£1800 - deposit - who many months rent is that for & what type of property?

[Xenia]

A lot of men go back at 2 weeks an dhow often do you say - does his father even know him? Those anti feminist attitudes are sexist to the core and if this legislation forces women back into work it will be all to the good.

Most working parents see a lot of their children. I breastfed for over a year, they all woke in the night for at least 1 - 3 years to feed and cuddle. We are talking about just during working hours the parents work. I know it's hard for the non working skivers to understand but the squeezed middle are leaving babies to work, are working 12 hour days and are often working at weekends too to pay the benefits of those who think they have some god given right not to leave a baby in order to work to feed it.

My relatives moved from Ireland to the NE for work in the 1800s. Then I moved to London for work leaving all family and friends behind. Where I live there are lots of people who have moved half way across the planet to work in the UK. People often move for work. If there is no work int he NW move where there is work. That might even be in a different country. Could be fun. My great uncles moved to Canada in the 1920s/30s because of the great depression.

[niceguy2]

What's wrong with working in Mcdonalds? A young friend of mine works in McD and she's getting some fantastic experience, as many hours as she wants and there seems to be good career progression for those willing to work for it.

[PandaSpaniel]

Oh and xenia your poor children, leaving them after two weeks?? Do they even know who their mummy is?

[PandaSpaniel]

xenia I live in the north west where the housing is cheapest. Where do you suggest I move to?

[Xenia]

Move

[PandaSpaniel]

Where are all these jobs? I am going to end up working for McDonalds as no other jobs about. Unless I train up as a CNC engineer (lots of ads for them strangely)

[YoYoYoItsTillyMinto]

little - the govt is closing loopholes.

[mollymole]

It would be virtually impossible to get a job around here for 24 hours a week, you would end up doing 30.

What the hell is wrong with working 30 hours a week - 30 hours IS part-time.

Most jobs are for 12, 15, 16 22.5 or 30 hours a week - well what is wrong with having 2 or even 3 part-time jobs adding up to the hours of a full time job.

There are always reasons to find as to why people can't do a job, try harder to find reasons why you can.

If a group of single mums say they cannot work because of child care problems why can't they get together and 1 of them become a child minder so that the others in their 'group' can work - and then all of them have a job.

[LittleTyga]

£35 billion per year is lost to tax avoidance - why don't the Government close these loopholes for 5 years? Raise £175 billion to help with the deficit.

£12 million per year could be saved in Shiny Dave kept his promise to reduce the number of MP's - which he has yet to do!

Europe £12 million per day? really? I don't see why we can't trade but not be paid up members - again this need only be for 5 years and then re-assess.

Leave the sick, disabled alone - sort this lot out first!

[breadandbutterfly]

Hardly sounds like a 'world of ease', Xenia! Easy for you to say when you have admitted in the past that one of your advantages has been perfect health, and AFAIK, your dcs are all healthy too. I can't imagine how single parents with disabilities or kids with disabilities cope - it must make it incredibly tough.