Universal Credit - How do people survive?

[Notopel]

I’ve been out of work since May and will be getting my first Universal Credit payment next week. I’m really lucky to have maintenance making up the shortfall in rent (LHA only covers 50% of the rent here), but I’m wondering how on earth anyone manages long term?

Obviously I’m hoping to be back in work by Christmas time but if not I can’t see how there’ll be any sort of Christmas as there just isn’t any money for ‘extras’. Luckily DSs father is a higher rate tax payer with a good job in London, so he won’t miss out but if I’m not in work I don’t see how I can justify spending anything on Christmas this year.

How do people do it? Do you routinely skip meals - I’ve already stopped buying any luxuries for myself like meat or snacks. And I wouldn’t say we have high outgoings (aside from rent). I don’t drink or smoke. I never go out because of DS. I don’t have debt repayments. I pay for Now Tv and Netflix but don’t have SKY. I have a very expensive fibre broadband contract which I needed for my last role (home working), and am in a minimum contractual term. I have a car which I own outright. We live quite rurally so I drive DS 3 miles to school each day; total mileage about 80 miles a week including trips to the job centre which is an hours round trip and fortnightly visit to my grandmother who lives around 45 minutes away.

It’s looking bleak and I can’t see how anyone does it really without going without anything for themselves.

Try to put a 10er a month away it still gives you a decent amount for Xmas! For family last year I gave everyone a picture of DS in a frame cost about £30 in total with frames from Tkmax. Then had a good amount for ds.

Stop Now TV and Netflix and save that money for Christmas.

Most people don't manage long term. They get into debt or have to be topped up regularly by food banks, mostly because of the 5 week delay in payments. The loan sounds like a good idea but it just deducts from your subsequent payments which are only subsistence level to start with.

Some people manage fine on it. It really depends how much your rent is and whether you are having to top up private rent yourself, how old your kids are ( its less money for kids born after April 2017), how old you are ( significantly less for under 25's). People with a few kids born before April 2017 will get child element for all of them but now it is capped at 2. There are lots of factors which determine how much UC people get and whether they can mange on it.

I’ve stopped leaving the house as I’m so worried about spending money (fuel/meals). It’s a lovely day today but I’m reluctant to go anywhere as it will mean extra costs - even just parking. A few more months of this and I think I’d be seriously unwell.

Once you are back in work things will be better. The first £287 of any wages will be disregarded before earnings reduce your Uc and then you lose 63p UC for each pound you earn. Child maintenance isn't deducted at all from Uc.

I am sorry to hear of your struggle and I think so many people are struggling due to UC. It is depressing not having extra money even just for small things. I think most people generally are struggling with it and people are using foodbanks, getting into debt or having support from friends or family to survive. Is there any possibility of getting help from family or your childs father? Hopefully with Christmas coming there should be retail work coming up. Internet is not really a luxury anymore as 95% of people do need it. Try and see what support is available, but it is an awful feeling not knowing how you will manage Christmas. Maybe you can sell items you no longer need or things your child no longer needs or uses.

Stay positive and do everything you can to find another job. If nothing is forth coming, after a few months, you'll have to rethink your rental position. You can't afford 50% of it.

Could you move closer to DS school and look for work there and then move?

Contact your broadband even in contract, they may let you drop a level, If you let them know you are in hardship.

Go through all bills and see if you can get any cheaper.

Cancel Netflix, although there are hacks online that let you get it for 2.49 per month. Cancel now tv.

Check that you have cancelled old direct debits you no longer need.

Good luck op.

When I finished university, I had to go on UC. It does not cover everything. If this was a long term option then I would have had to get rid of my car as you do not get enough money.

It annoys me how people say families on benefits are living it up, I cannot see how that is the case.

I am now working but OP you can/will survive. It will be tight but you just need to see what you can get rid off to get that extra money a month.

I was lucky as I had savings to tide me and my DD over while we were in UC.

Sorry to hear about your circumstances, you haven’t mentioned how old your DS is. As rural roads can have no pavements it may not be possible to walk to school.I would be driving to school in the morning and walking in the afternoon if it was safe to do so before the weather gets dreadful.

My church offers free things, we have a two course lunch once a week and we also have a children’s tea with games once a month. I know some people would never want to use things like this but they are available sometimes. Also get some help via Christians against poverty or Citizens advice bureau.

The OP has been out of work since May and had a school aged child so hardly having kids she can’t afford, FFS. You know any of us could lose our jobs pretty much any time...have some fucking compassion.

sall74 whilst comments such as yours might be appropriate on AIBU, this subject, Money Matters, is specifically for people asking questions about finances and being responded to with helpful advice.

OP, sorry you're in such a predicament. I honestly think work is the only way of improving your circumstances, and obviously your son won't be a child forever and the money will all stop by the time he's 20. Use this time now to have a serious think and plan your future finances and what you're going to do to support yourself fully in the future when it will only be your income coming in.

@sall74, that’s not really fair though because the OP blatantly had the child/REN before her circumstances changed. What’s she supposed to do with it now, Chuck it in a skip? Cryogenically freeze it till she can afford to support it again? Come on don’t be daft.

Whilst you are on UC your water supplier can switch you onto a low income tarrif. Mind is 'watersure' with South West Water. You either get 25% or 50% discount. Get on the phone to them.

Also you may qualify with your energy supplier for the warm home discount. Contact them on the 14th October if you are still on uc by then. If you get it it is £140 credit to your bill.

You also need to separately apply for council tax benefit as this is not included in uc. So another call to your council if you not already done this

@Notopel, forget Christmas it’s really not that important on the great scale of things. It takes on this life of its own and becomes a headache you don’t need when you are struggling. It’s one day out of the year, and most kids would rather eat a good meal every day and have a roof over their head than a pile of plastic crap they’ll be bored with by Boxing Day. His dad can buy him stuff and you’ll just have to swallow your pride and accept it this year.

Job hunting has to become your job now. Attack it with the same effort you would put into work. I used to go to Wetherspoons with my tablet (to get me out of the house and you can refill your coffee all morning for about £1.50) and use their internet and apply for literally every new job on all the job sites that day. Then go to the job centre and find out what your adviser has got for you. Then go round all the agencies. Unfortunately you have to be proactive. Don’t rely on anyone to phone you back, they won’t. Be a pain; get your face known and your CV on as many desks as possible as many times as you can.

As for how you manage on so little money, god knows. You just do. You keep thinking “oh it’ll only be till next week” and somehow you get through it. It’s amazing what you can manage without when you physically haven’t got the cash to pay for it. Again, be proactive. Phone all the companies you pay money to, internet, phone, gas, electricity whatever and explain the situation. They would far rather you tell them up front than get in debt. Some of them will work with you to negotiate a lower payment for a while or will at least not add any interest if you do get behind, but only if you are honest with them now.

Good luck, I’ve been where you are. You will come out the other side.

I was earning around 44k at this time last time year. If I was prepared to relocate and work shifts I was offered a role paying 67k. One of the factors influencing me staying where I am is DSs educational difficulties and the fact that he is really well supported where he is. The downside of this is that I’m limited to local roles and they’re few and far between. It really can happen to anyone. I didn’t envisage DS having problems at school at all.

Cancel the Now TV, no TV licence required to watch Netflix. Not a huge saving, but it'll be enough to give you some meals.

Develop a love for things like jacket potatoes and, just in case, take a multivitamin daily, as it's easy to get deficiencies when you're not eating well/as much. Definitely vitamin D every day - almost all of us are deficient, the weather is changing and if you've not got the cash to spent upon foods with high levels, you will start feeling it soon. Make meals based around vegetables, then Grains/beans and pulses (including high protein ones like chickpeas), then meat. Adding spices and tinned tomatoes is cheaper than buying a sauce and soups made with veggies and stock, plus a potato are great.

Look at practical things for keeping heating costs down now - you can line curtains with any cheap fleece blankets, throws on beds and the sofa, make sure you have hats, gloves, socks and layers you can wear to keep the need for heating down until it's properly cold.

The scattergun approach can work when you're at the point of needing a job, any job, to get by.

Do whatever the JCP say, never be late, be absolutely polite, as it only takes one person who has had a bad day/been messed around by lazy bastards or shouted at to see you and they can put requirements on that you'll struggle to meet. Ask them if there is any extra training/qualifications available that could help.

It's shit. But you will get through this.

Is he at the nearest school? If so you could ask about help with transport costs? Also claim free school meals, even if he won’t eat them - it may open up other support such as reduced price or free class trips (the visit a museum whole class type, not the week skiing type).

Know what you mean, I earn minimum wage basically (though actually I'm only pt and I earn a decent hourly rate, just can't find more hours in my sector) I get zero benefits apart from the 25% discount on council tax despite my dd living at home as a dependent adult, because she goes to university (she's autistic) luckily ex is paying the mortgage

Are you getting the full amount? They are notoriously bad at working things out. When i was on it, i had £1060 a month, plus £200 a month maintenance. It was enough to cover everything luckily. Sky, now tv, netflix, water, electric, car insurance, rent and food. I had a little left over.

I’m on the full amount, just think it’s the rent that’s the issue as it’s more than double LHA. And of course it’s not as simple as just moving as that comes with costs and I’ve run down savings since May.

It will be fine once I’m back in work. I realise I’m lucky to have the earning potential that I do. And maintenance is a lot higher than most people receive. Just praying that Brexit doesn’t wreck havoc on London financial sector otherwise I’m really stuck.

I hadn’t realised it was this bad. Even as an ideological thing, I’ve paid lots of tax but when I’m out of work I’m treated like a pariah. Not that I think it’s justified even if you’ve not previously paid high amounts of tax etc.

The problem isn't just UC its the benefit freeze that has really done us in in 2008 benefits were at subsistence levels (previously going up by inflation) but they have been frozen for 11 years whilst the cost of living has increased year on year.

It’s a nightmare, we were in tax and working credits so getting £430 a month plus what DH was getting in PIP and ESA so around another £800 a month. All these stopped when DH died. Went to CAB to go through what I would get on UC and it’s £181 plus bereavement payments for 18 months