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Original poster

Universal Credit implications for long-term SAHMs??? Help please!

802 replies

CSLewis · 01/02/2013 09:39

Hi, I've just read the Mumsnet summary about Universal Credit, and read that parents of children aged 5-13 will be required to seek work during school hours, though I think those with a baby under one may be exempt.

Does anyone have any further details about this? It feels to me that a parent of young (primary-aged) children is being forced to return to the job market, regardless of whether they judge it to be in the best interests of their family Hmm

OP posts:
JakeBullet · 11/02/2013 12:39

Sorry Vivienne...but if you have always worked then the visit to the job centre can indeed be humiliating.

NotADragonOfSoup · 11/02/2013 12:41

Visiting the job centre was the most depressing soul destroying part of being made redundant.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 12:45

Going to the JC isnt pleasant.

But to refer to people as "dregs" is disgusting.

I am not even going to get into it because it will make me angry. But those "dregs" have probably had to put up with the kind of shit in their lives that you couldnt even begin to imagine.

No one chooses a life living in poverty and addicted to drugs because its fun. But it makes you uncomfortable for 30 minutes on a Monday morning. Well boo fuckimg hoo for you.

mirry2 · 11/02/2013 12:53

This is all a bit alarmist imo. How many jobs are there that fit in with school hours? I would imagine that, as now, if you can't find one, your credits won't be stopped. You just have to demonstrate that you're looking for work.

nkf · 11/02/2013 12:57

Well, exactly Mirry2. That's what I've been trying to say. However, I think some people are scared they might actually be offered a job and then, gulp, have to do it. Otherwise, what are they worried about?

morethanpotatoprints · 11/02/2013 13:00

wannabe.

I'm glad you feel it fine to subject one of your children to this, I don't. Our dc will see enough of this when they are older but every Monday morning even for 30 minutes isn't acceptable imo.
There are many people having to put up with shit in their lives and believe me I met enough when I was teaching. Many of them were the dc of the dregs I referred to. I helped to turn their lives around and give them hope of employment. However, they don't behave like their parents, thank God.
Finally, I have no problem associating and communicating with people from all walks of life, but subjecting my 9 year old to what you couldn't even imagine as you don't live where I do, is not something I intend to do.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:01

Yes. Bring my parenting into it.

I give up.

nkf · 11/02/2013 13:02

You just said you don't have to go. "Crisis averted" were your words. So stop being such a drama queen. You can't get all hot under the collar about something that isn't going to happen.

JakeBullet · 11/02/2013 13:02

Its not about that though is it? I have worked for the past 30 years and as my child is disabled it wont affect me. However, if there are no jobs what then? Not everyone claiming benefits or tax credits are work shy people.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:02

Though, why isnt your 9 year old in school?

nkf · 11/02/2013 13:05

No so why the anxiety? If you are ready and willing to work while your kids are in school, why the big angst? Then again, I think the original post was a wind up now. And that most people were probably intending to find work once their youngest was in school.

JakeBullet · 11/02/2013 13:07

perhaps the lack of jobs which people can do is behind the anxiety.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:07

If you read my post (two infact) about decision makers then you would understand.

nkf · 11/02/2013 13:08

We've been through that. You can't take a job that isn't offered or doesn't exist.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:08

FWIW I am currently job hunting. My youngest is 12 weeks.

morethanpotatoprints · 11/02/2013 13:09

nkf.

I was replying to assumptions made about my post and terminology I used that was deemed inappropriate. I am hopeful I won't have to attend, but believe me only out of necessity to protect my dd.

wannabe

My parenting was being brought into when I stated that drug addicts, alcoholics and people not wanting to work, muggings, etc. were not what I wanted to show my dd on a Monday morning. In suggesting my attitude made you angry, I proposed obviously you wouldn't mind taking your dc.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:11

Read it properly.

If a job is offered that the JC deem suitable but it isnt suitable because of childcare costs or availability etc and you turn it down you will be sanctioned.

nkf · 11/02/2013 13:13

And then you started making daft comments about other people thinking it's okay to put their kids in front of drug dealers. You blew it with the dregs comment. Sorry but you did. You could always just stop digging.

gaelicsheep · 11/02/2013 13:13

What are the Government now offering in terms of help for childcare costs, anyone know? Didn't the limit used to be something like £750 a month for people on full WTC if they both worked 30 hours between them? Is that changing as well.

I can see there could very easily be a situation where people need childcare that costs a lot more than they can get back in help, then you have all the hassles of transport to think of which could easily cost £100 a week or more.

I really do wonder what the point of the exercise is. The Government will still be giving "handouts", but they will be going to childcare providers instead of the parent (unless, as I ask above they plan to reduce/stop these in which case WTF are people meant to do?) It's unlikely anyone who's being targeted by this policy will be earning a great deal more than the the LEL, if indeed they even reach that given that the imaginary jobs would be school hours only, so the tax revenue will be minimal.

So what is going on here? Seems like an exercise in humiliation and misery-making to me.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:14

Again. Why isnt your DD in school?

My 4 year old has been to the JC.

JakeBullet · 11/02/2013 13:14

I am confused....so people will get JSA instead of UC if they are eligible. Is that right?
In which case it surely doesn't matter becauae people won't be worae off Am assuming here that any job offers will be realistic.

gaelicsheep · 11/02/2013 13:15

OK, sorry, the logic in that post is very very flawed as it is aimed at those with school age children. (Although there does seem to be a grey area in the 1-5 zone).

Please ignore!!!

wannabedomesticgoddess · 11/02/2013 13:16

Oh and her father is a recovering addict. Im clearly scum. :)

gaelicsheep · 11/02/2013 13:16

Where's the delete post button MN?

nkf · 11/02/2013 13:17

Well, it's at that point that people decide what they're going to do. Sometimes that's when the good stuff kicks in. You find childcare that can work out. Or it's only for a short time while you are on probation. There might well be an interim point where it gets worse before it gets better but the idea that you shouldn't be expected to try to find suitable work - that I am still not convincd of. Are people seriously saying that they should carry on receiving benefits and not expected to look for work at all?