Universal Credit problems for mums. Please sign my petitition

[cathy9898]

Hi everybody, Just wondered if you can take the time to sign my petition to scrap Universal credit. Please share with as many as you can on social media. Thanks in advance.
Cathy

Please I want to ask people are already in uc , did they receive the same amount of money or less? .... I am single mother with 3 kids between 6 and 11 years Iam working 16 hour per week .....

We have been better off on UC and it is so much better that it pays you correctly so you have no overpayments.
But my gripe is why do people feel so entitled that the government should be contributing. You decided to have kids, so if you can't study etc that's your decision you made having a child. When we were younger our parents didn't have half the help we get now and they all got by. Peoples expectations and entitlement to luxuries in life have caused this.
UC will pay you an advance, and it pays you correctly each month. You don't have to live in fear of a overpayment Bill. But single parents are no more special. I worked 40 hours a week, did 2 nvqs in management all as a single parent to a 1 year old. With only childcare to help me. Depends on how desperate someone is for it.

But also no one is being 'forced to work' but why because you have children should it make you exempt. Your choice to have them so go to work and pay for them.

It's not about not working, it's about allowing parents to find jobs and hours that fit in with their children. If you want to work forty hours and not spend time with your child, letting others they don't know raise them, than that's your choice. I wonder who funded all of that childcare? Not the tax payer by any chance. Has anybody ever thought about the fact, that when people decided to have their children. that they were in a stable relationship or a marriage. Ever heard of widows or domestic abuse or a relationship breakdown? Circumstances can change. Single parents on a low wage are never going to fully pay for their children. The taxpayer pays for the child if parents don't work and the tax payer pays for the children if the parent does work. Am talking about single parents on a low income here.For as long as single parents are kept at the bottom of the heap, the taxpayer will pay.

Livelovelaugh, just realised that you said WE have been better off on universal credit. So you are not a single mum and you rely on Universal credit. Why did you have a child if you knew you were going to have to claim universal credit? So you are not fully supporting your child but yet single mums should magically be able to land themselves in well paid jobs to be able to support their children. When I went to college years ago, there were so many single mums bettering themselves and doing a course so that they could go to University. They are now teachers, social workers, midwives and nurses. If they had to work twenty five hours a week in school time then they would not have been able to do the course.

@cathy9898 I was a single parent for a while with my eldest. Until me and my partner got back together. So yes I do understand what I am talking about. And actually children going to nursery and childminders I feel really helps them. And I still spend a lot of quality time with them. I actually paid a babysitter to have him evenings when I worked so a lot of my 40 hours was done when he was asleep.

signed x

It's not about not working, it's about allowing parents to find jobs and hours that fit in with their children. If you want to work forty hours and not spend time with your child, letting others they don't know raise them, than that's your choice
Because you think women who work 40 hours do so rather than spend more time with their kids? You think it's right that some mothers should work all those hours, pay a large chunk in tax so that others get to stay at home thanks to the benefits system because people like you deserve more than them to have more time with your kids.

It is because of attitude like yours that UC had to be introduce. That sense of entitlement t that was becoming more and more widespread had to stop. Any mother has the choice to study when her kids are still young yet a nursery. They can still study when they are at primary school and they only need to work 25 hours. Wait a minute, they can still do so when the kids are at secondary school and only need to work 35 hours.

I studied for a Masters when I was a single mum to two kids under the age of 6 and worked 38 hours a week. I did it after they went to bed at 7pm and one day a week when they were with their dad. Was it hard? Of course, but not impossible and as I didn't because I wanted to better my own future, I didn't expect others to fund it for me.

Not everybody is in your situation. If you funded your own childcare, you are not on a low income and if you didn't pay for your childcare yourself then the taxpayer helped fund you, so your post means nothing. Also a widow can't leave her children with their father like you did.

As if a person who is the only person looking after their child, with no help or support at all, can work twenty five hours a week, do the cooking, cleaning,chores and complete a degree. You would need help and support from others or have to put your children in childcare all day Again who would fund this childcare? Working a ridiculous amount of hours and never seeing your child is a choice in some situations.

It's not about not working, it's about allowing parents to find jobs and hours that fit in with their children

why si that the responsibility of Uc though? Dp and I both work 9-5 Mon - Fri, we have a 2 year old. UC hasnt forced us into these hours, We cant claim it (yet still earn under £25k each) these are the hours we have to work to ensure our mortgage and bills and nursery fees are paid.

If you want to work forty hours and not spend time with your child, letting others they don't know raise them, than that's your choice. I wonder who funded all of that childcare?

MY boss, and dp's boss.

And the reason I remain working 38 hours a week while I have a 2 year old, and wait until he's of school age before having another? so that IF I do ever end up a single parent, I can afford to continue our lifestyle (granted with reductions) but at least not have to fully rely on UC, because, though it is a positive move forward, as described above, the implementation is terrible.

You are focusing on only one area of its intended, and this is why people are disagreeing with you. If your petition was in positive aid of all UC dependents it may make more headway.

What do you suggest the government actually DO? Have a register when people become single parents with a fund to allow them access to free study? What if they get a partner? Does that study stop even if the person is part way through?

OP,

I still can't get to your point. What is it you want from this?

I'm one who feels that 'motherhood' is not nurtured and cherished for our lone mothers. Working hours aren't very child-friendly in the UK. I'd support flexible working for mothers whether lone or part of a couple.

However - what you appear to be saying is that you somehow connect UC to being disbanded and your life will be better.

Under UC, if you have a child under the age of 3, you're (generically) expected to seek work. That in itself is the government attempting to assist mothers to be at home with their young children. That's a choice. Some mothers need to work - some mothers don't have to. But there is a choice.

30 hours childcare are available under UC once a child is three. Yes?

So what is it you want to achieve? As many Mothers up thread have pointed out to you, they've managed to work/study with or without support.

I can't get to what you think your petition is going to achieve. I cant get to what you want.

What do you think would help you?

UC isn't going anywhere so it's a matter of getting to grips with it and making it work for you.

Perhaps if you explain what it is you want, you'll get some advice that you may find useful.

Not everybody is in your situation. If you funded your own childcare, you are not on a low income and if you didn't pay for your childcare yourself then the taxpayer helped fund you, so your post means nothing
I got a little bit of tax credits when both my kids were still at nursery but I paid much more in taxes, even then. When my eldest started school, I got nothing. After all bills were paid, I had very little left. However, in 10 years, I got promoted three times and my income went up by 1/3.

As if a person who is the only person looking after their child, with no help or support at all, can work twenty five hours a week, do the cooking, cleaning,chores and complete a degree
What world do you live in? Many people in this country do just that. It's hard work but perfectly doable. I'm quite surprised you'd think this impossible.

Oh come on most single parents are not working twenty five hours a week and completing degrees. Qualifications such as nursing or medicine would require you to do night shifts. If you are a single parent without any support, it would be impossible to do that. You have to be available certain days to complete certain courses. Young children can't be in nursery or schools from eight until six every single day. I have the equivalent of a degree and there is no way that I could have worked twenty five hours each week, let alone looked after children.

I know 2 single mums (one who's husband committed suicide, the other has been alone since giving birth) both working 3 x 12 hours shifts (7-7) a week in hospitals and doing access courses to become nurses.

Another is a hairdresser, works 3 * 9 hour days a week.

These are people who I look up to and believe are amazing, the work they put in to better their own and their kids lives is bloody brilliant and why do they do it? because they HAVE to.

Young children can't be in nursery or schools from eight until six every single day. Our nursery opens at 7:30 - 6pm. There are kids there 5 days a week.

Just because you couldn't do it doesn't mean others don't.

Why can't young children be in nursery schools from 8-6pm.

What about mothers that are high earners? Where do their children go?

Your argument is looking weaker with each post. Why can't you work 25 hours?

I know a mother who works three jobs with two u-5s. She uses childcare hours, gets UC, some help towards her rent. Her children are happy and contented little people. Their mother works her fingers to the bone and her income is adequately topped up. She's happy, her roof is safe over her head. She has one holiday a year with her DC.... it's not a life full of opulence and expectations. It's a life where her children have an inspiring and aspirational role model in their lives. She provides for her children and I for one am happy to support paying taxes to support others like her. She doesn't have a partner. She would love to further her aspirations, and will do so when her children are at school. (State school which is also state-funded)

It's about choice. You have choice. You're not really sure what you're petitioning for apart from stop UC for mothers.

Say you did your get petition signed, then what? What will you do with it? What's your evidence for getting UC banded? Because you can't work 25 hours and do your housework?

No point n having children if they are going to be dumped in a nursery from eight in the morning until six in the evening. They most likely forget what their parents look like. Nurses have to do placements, which are 37.5 hrs a week. You can't do 37.5 hrs placement and then another full time job, look after children and have enough time to do the study in between. Universal credit isn't working for many. Let's hope none of you great people who have your lives planned and children timed so well ever end up with an illness or disability, where upon you need to rely on this benefit to live. Then you will see the problems for yourself. Not all children cope with being left all day, whilst a parent does a long shift. Some children barely cope with school. Some parents can't afford to pay the childcare upfront. Some parents are self employed or setting up a business, yet universal credit doesn't allow them to receive adequate payments because their income changes all of the time. I expect the people who you are talking about have a great deal of support from family, children going to their dads. I just think the long hours trap people who have become single parents through no fault of their own. If I for example wanted to be a nurse. Doing placements of 37.5 hrs and then working 25 hrs, looking after children, household chores and study is never going to work, no matter how much you want it or desire it.

The problem is people judge what others should and should not be doing based on their own situation and expectations. What we have today could be gone tomorrow and what we don't have today could come tomorrow (courtesy of the tax payer.) Not all mothers are in work, but are in the process of setting up a business, or becoming self employed. Does that mean they should not be given a chance and instead forced to grab a low paid job? Businesses can take a while to set up or take off, but could actually pay off and leave a person no longer relying on the tax payer. Some people have help and support and some don't. Some people's children cope being away from parents and some don't. Some children have experienced bad things and don't like being away from parents. People should stop judging and stop making assumptions that people are lazy, without knowledge of the bigger picture. Many are in the process of bettering themselves, but are not quite there yet. Different opinions and different lives, but many on Universal credit are struggling.

Why is childcare bad OP yet you feel it's fine for parents to not work or not work enough to feed and house a child so that others need to do it.

Out of those two options, It's not the parent fulfilling their responsibilities that should feel bad.

No point n having children if they are going to be dumped in a nursery from eight in the morning until six in the evening. They most likely forget what their parents look like ODFOD

You have just alienated most of mn. Good luck getting your petition signed.

It makes no sense leaving young children with others for hours to rely on TAX PAYER funded childcare. This doesn't break the cycle, just keeps it going. Education removes people from poverty.

I disagree education removes people from poverty. You'll find plenty of MN that went to uni and now don't work. Education has to go hand in hand with a work ethic. If a person doesn't have the drive to work alongside study then it doesn't bode well after.

The theory behind assisting with childcare is the children only need it for a short period of time but the person will still be working after and those children grow in with a work ethic instilled into them.

Okay that might be true in some cases. I think mothers deserve a chance and opportunity to better themselves so that they can stop relying on the tax payer. I have known people do this, but will be very difficult under new system