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Original poster

The big benefits headache

103 replies

Headisspinning · 04/02/2018 18:42

Can anyone help me? I'm hoping to have my first child, but I have a problem. My husband and I are not rich people, we both work 40hours a week. My job doesn't allow for jobshare/or pt hours or any of that, it's 40 hours or nothing, so I want to choose nothing and spend my time for a few years being with my child and not working. I'm stumped with working out how much we would get helpwise on benefits. I've tried the govt calculators and I'm even more stumped Confused. My husband would continue in his job, so we wouldn't be entirely reliant on benefits. My other main issue is, despite as I say we are not rich, we do own our house outright, and we have savings that put us above 20k. This is money saved for varying things, including things like the boiler dying, any major expenses, a car (as my 15 year old car may not be ideal) and general rainy day stuff. I know our savings sound like a lot, but we've both worked since 16 and we are now both late 30s... and weve saved hard . My best guesstimate on the govt sites gave me £20.70 for child benefit and no other help. If this is the case then we can't afford to run the house on my husband's wage alone. I'm literally crying at the moment because i feel so overwhelmed and may have to give up on my baby dream because we can't afford it Sad. Please don't say well £20k is loads of money because that's our basic retirement fund too, as the people's pension and state pension are never going to be enough for us. I'm not the live for today sort of person, I'm a squirreler who worries about tomorrow, and I don't want us to be in a situation where we struggle for basics. Can anyone help me understand what we would get? I can provide figures on dm (if that's a thing on here I've no idea I just joined) for anyone who knows what they are doing, because I sure dont...

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 20:24

Thanks for clarifying that Sunshine.

BarbaraofSevillle · 04/02/2018 20:26

How do you get to work and out and about now OP if you don't drive and there is no bus?

Perhaps it is time to learn, or move to somewhere where you won't be stuck in the house with a baby?

sunshineintheclouds · 04/02/2018 20:27

Babyroobs

Smile your welcome.
It is a scary thought for many. My dn works in a dwp role. It is not good what is going to happen. Many people are going to be much worse off Sad.
UC is meant to make you better off working. Which is done in theory because you get a pittance not working.
However if you are already a low earning family who get tax credits to top up, you will be much worse off under UC.

Springtrolls · 04/02/2018 20:28

So around £300 a month left after all bills, food,, toiletries and nappies. Still a decent amount of money for a buffer.

rewritethestars · 04/02/2018 20:28

Your outgoings are completely normal, your husband earns more pm than your outgoings, you have no mortgage or rent and £20k in savings. I don’t see what the issue is.

PaperdollCartoon · 04/02/2018 20:31

From your own numbers your husband does earn enough to cover everything you mention, so I’m not sure why you’re so worried? It’ll be a tighter couple of years but you have savings to cushion you if needed. I’m not sure what you think you need extra money for?

RunningOutOfCharge · 04/02/2018 20:32

You don't see the issue?

I do...... greed

Newscoliosismum · 04/02/2018 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Slitherout · 04/02/2018 20:33

Your bills only add up to £700 a month, granted that will be higher with a child but you'd still have £400 bare minimum let alone adding on child benefit and any tax credit, £400 for baby stuff and extras is loads.

GreenTulips · 04/02/2018 20:35

You have to tighten your belt like the rest of us.
I had to give up work due to twins, my salary didn't cover the childcare costs for 2 -

Many times I've scrimped round for £2 for kids activities.

Your going to find it really hard to be out in the sticks with a kid and no car! What if you have a doctors appointment? Need milk?

Have a baby and throw caution to the wind! Kids are more important than money

mollifly · 04/02/2018 20:43

If the government aren't going to help the homeless, those feeding children on food banks and choosing between dinner and heat then why would they help someone with no mortgage and 20k in the bank?

You haven't earned a right to access benefits just for working.

Original poster
Headisspinning · 04/02/2018 20:48

Im not saying i should get benefits. I'm asking if I would. Thanks babyroobs and sing for your answers it has helped. It's not greed, it's asking what I would get so I know. We have a car for my DH to get to work. I don't drive as I've never needed to

OP posts:
Newscoliosismum · 04/02/2018 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 20:50

the disability premiums have gone but PIp and DLA are not part of UC.

EggysMom · 04/02/2018 20:50

130 council tax, 110 gas and electric, water and sewerage rates are 60

gas/elec water and council tax alone are 460

I think you'll find 130+110+60 = 300 not 460.
Sit down with a piece of paper (or a spreadsheet) and actually list your income and expenditure. Work out if there's anything you can cut, for example could you reduce the mobile phone contracts.

For comparison, we had a household income of £16k pa gross a few years ago as only one of us was working - and we paid rent out of that too. But we could get WTC & CTC because we didn't have savings. Having your savings as ready cash, rather than tied up long term in a pension fund, is going to be your achilles heel when it comes to claiming, sorry.

blurredlines · 04/02/2018 20:51

Slightly off topic ....Where is the info that states no one can make a new claim for tax credits after Sep 18? Surely it's different for each area ?

Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 20:52

You're welcome op. 17k is not very much of a wage. It's the 20k savings that have got people's backs up. But for the past twenty odd years since tax credits were introduced people in your situation have been able to claim them regardless of savings and regardless of whether they owned their own home outright.

Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 20:53

Blurredlines. I work as a benefits advisor and am not aware that this is the case. I thought the roll out of UC had bene somewhat halted or slowed down with all the problems it has bene causing.

rogue8 · 04/02/2018 20:54

You’re being overly anxious. From your figures, you’ll have at least £500 pcm plus child benefit plus your SMP. If it was me, I would enjoy my ML of 6/9/12 mths and see how you cope with the loss of your salary. You’ll cope much better than you think and if not, get back into employment. Who knows - you might hate being at home with a baby and can’t wait to return to some form of employment. Needs must....just get on with it - millions of us cope with a mortgage/rent so you’ll luckier than the majority. You’re way overthinking this! Good luck with TTC.

Graphista · 04/02/2018 20:58

No rent/mortgage, 20k savings, £600 (your figures) approx costs per month, husband earns £1300 ish take home why do you think you need or should be entitled to benefits? Do you have ANY IDEA how hard it is for those who are through no fault of their own dependant on benefits alone?

You'd LIKE to keep your savings for your old age etc but that's not up to you. You'd LIKE to be a sahm - many many women don't have that option as they can't afford it. You don't get what you WANT just because you want it. Life isn't like that. If you WANT to be a sahm in the financial position you are in yes you should fund it.

Benefits budget has been SEVERELY cut for those in GENUINE need. You are not in need.

And you HAVE taken out of the system - education, health, roads, emergency services, street lighting, council services (bin collections, water supply, drainage, street cleaning etc)

"I have friends who've never worked and are sahm" jealousy? Stealth benefit bashing? Hmm

You have £700 left after bills each month, I have £7.50!

Original poster
Headisspinning · 04/02/2018 20:58

Maybe I am overthinking it, when your used to having a salary every month and then suddenly realise your going to lose that for a year or 2 it is worrying. I'm

OP posts:
Original poster
Headisspinning · 04/02/2018 21:00

A natural worried. I only asked what i would get.. not should. If I'd asked and someone had said you'll get 20.70 a week child credit I would have been happy. Instead I've been berated for buying my house when the prices were low enough to get a decent mortgage and squirrelling some away

OP posts:
BrownLiverSpot · 04/02/2018 21:01

Tax credits look at the previous year's income unless there is a change of 2.5k so you probably won't be entitled to anything. Also the threshold is very low, so if your dp's income is above it you wouldn't get anything. There isn't a lot of support for families, especially those who need / want to work and don't have access to free childcare ie grandparents.

Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 21:03

Op you've done well to buy a house outright, you will never need to claim housing benefit or worry about not being able to pay your mortgage. It's great to have that security. It sounds like you're careful with money and that's always a good skill to have. Don't take the comments too much to heart.

Babyroobs · 04/02/2018 21:04

Just to add if you are still able to make a new tax credits claim when you have a baby you would qualify under the current thresholds as I previously stated.