Universal credit. Joke!

[Mo3gic]

So my partner works, we have 3 girls and receive universal credit. I can not believe how much of a joke this system is. “We make it easier to work” is their crap logo. They don’t! My partner works 24hours per week, if he goes over this they deduct it from UC. My partners wages literally pay for the car finance, and car expenses. He’s left with £50 to go towards any bills or shopping. So all the bills get paid from UC. This month is our last payment before Xmas. Once we have paid our rent bills. We are left with £14! That’s right. £14! To buy gas and electric for the month as we are on prepayment metres. To pay for my bus fare to take girls to school. And to buy shopping for a month for 5 people. Then let’s not forget Xmas is around the corner. We can’t even afford to buy the girls presents. I could say to my partner go work as many hours as you can, but then they will deduct it all from UC, which you think well he’s earned it back anyway. No because then work tax him so he loses quite a bit. But then UC decide oh no he’s earned too much this month so we will close your account down as your not entitled to it. So then we get nothing of them, and what my partner has earned isn’t even to cover the rent. Just frustrated with the crap system. I’m trying desperately to get job, I get interviews but then don’t succeed in securing the job. Then childcare is an issue as there isn’t really any childminders at the school and the schools childcare doesn’t have spaces. Is this just me or is anyone else in the same boat? I real feel like I’m losing the will to carry on, just everyday scrimping and scraping, trying to pay bills and put food on the table. We have never used a food bank but it’s really getting to the point we’re going to have to.

You’ve got to stop equating working all the hours with missing out on their children’s lives. Providing a positive work ethic whilst also providing for their basic needs will mean they will benefit.

One of my parents worked, the other didn't. Some of the loveliest memories I have of my mum are our walks to school in the morning, the things we would talk about etc... Playing board games after school etc. How horrible that parents these days can't do these things with their children because they both have to work all the time, how can that be good for children either?

The thought that I would never get to see my child's nativity because work work work... It's such a shame to miss out on the small things, I was always sad my dad couldn't watch my in my plays but my mum being there always made up for it

How horrible that parents these days can't do these things with their children because they both have to work all the time, how can that be good for children either?

The answer isn't not to work and to sit back and wait for the UC to roll in though, is it?

There are many many options available.

How horrible that parents these days can't do these things with their children because they both have to work all the time, how can that be good for children either?

^ This is so true but the reality is that when women who wanted to work campaigned for equality in the work place and equal pay (a very important fight) it systematically stripped many women of the choice to be SAHM’s as inflation/ society adjusted to mean that two adult wages in each family was ‘the norm’.

Sky high childcare fees are the only thing that still make being a SAHP financially viable, although this is only the case until funded hours kick in.

There are many many options available.

Such as? Seems to be to just work every hour possible both parents full-time and the kid in wrap-around childcare or to and from a childminder who takes them to school and collects etc. I'm not saying the kids don't enjoy themselves, I just find it a bit sad that in this day and age a lot of parents have to miss out on these parts of being a parent, you only get your children once and they grow up in the blink of an eye.

I can't get too hey up about benefits anyway - most people who have a low income and claim benefits spend their money straight back into circulation, not hoarding it.

Sorry for the derail it just gets me down sometimes!

OP, get rid of the car on finance first of!

This is why kids need life skills training, to know that unless you carve a career for yourself or work your socks off then what awaits you is the benefits system and being left with £14 for Christmas to feed 5 children.

Such as?

Shift work? Part time work for one parent? Evenings work? Night shift for some even? Annual leave days? Weekend jobs?

It's not a difficult concept to see outside of the box when it comes to employment.

DH worked shifts and I worked a flexible job to fit around him when our DC were young. One of us was able to fit things round shifts/days off/leave if we needed a parent to be at school for an event. He worked 2 sundays a month so I worked the other 2 - that meant we both had a weekday off which usually was enough for the kind of thing you talk about.

I realise everyone isn't able to do the same, but the suggestion that it isn't possible to work around is utter nonsense. Loads of parents do this kind of thing and manage just fine.

Shift work? Part time work for one parent? Evenings work? Night shift for some even? Annual leave days? Weekend jobs?

The whole evening and part time would probably pay less so if you need both parents working full time hours to not need UC that won't work, shift work is doable but only if the other parent can get hours to work with that etc.

Not saying it's not possible, just that life is so unfair to families and so focused on value through work and money. Granted, I wouldn't have any more in my circumstances though (just the 1)

"so focused on value through work and money."

People who work are focused on having to pay for people who choose not to

I'm no Tory, but my piss is totally boiled by people like the OP and another poster who is doing similar

Yes, these shameless skivers are a minority, but they are infuriating to ordinary people who work hard to support themselves

• if you wonder why the Tories do so well with benefit-bashing ....

This op sounds like a tory bot. Everything the op said is guaranteed to get people foaming at the mouth and voting tory.

life is so unfair to families and so focused on value through work and money.

Seriously?

The thought that I would never get to see my child's nativity because work work work... It's such a shame to miss out on the small things, I was always sad my dad couldn't watch my in my plays but my mum being there always made up for it

I work FT ... I haven't missed a single one (... 2 more years to do.)
I think it's where you set your own priorities...

The answer isn't not to work and to sit back and wait for the UC to roll in though, is it?

'Roll in'? You do realise how small UC payments actually are, right?

Oh for goodness sake it was a turn of phrase not a literal comparison of how claiming UC works

The point was that we all have choices and making the choice to stay at home and have a partner work 24 hours a week is a shit decision.

It's depressing seeing people fight amongst themselves over who has it hardest, who has sacrificed the most, who has the least left to live on etc.. we should all be angry that capitalism damn near demands we work all hours for basic rights such as housing/food and ashamed that we see attacking each other as a viable outlet rather than considering how the government has contributed to situations like the OPs; people aren't feckless or lazy or entitled necessarily - more like disengaged and frustrated at seemingly impossible options. Childcare for three children would be astronomical so one parent staying home sounds reasonable to me. If they've been given bad advice by an organisation set up to help make sense of the benefits system how is that their fault?
We can say use common sense but it's probably hard to ignore being told to work 24 hours especially if you're unsure about the process and put your trust in those employed in positions of power.

And it's not as easy as just 'give up the car' 'cancel sky' 'get a cheaper phone.' Hindsight is wonderful but often you are tied in to contracts and cancelling isn't a simple thing when you'd still be liable for the remaining time.

work FT ... I haven't missed a single one (... 2 more years to do.)
I think it's where you set your own priorities...

How does that work though in reality though, do you have to use sick day, do get paid, do you have to take the full day out or just the time for the play? All I ever seem to hear is working parents sahi g they can't just take time off for a play etc

Seriously?

Yes seriously. I'm not a capitalist.

Yes seriously. I'm not a capitalist.

There is a massive difference between that and working to support the family you create.

we should all be angry that capitalism damn near demands we work all hours for basic rights such as housing/food

Can you name any other system that this does not apply to anywhere in the world or at any point in history please?

Benefits should not be paid to anyone who is able to work full time but chooses not to. Benefits are not a lifestyle choice. If you want to work part time or not at all, you will need to fund this yourself.

LoopyLuck - I take 1/2 holiday or 1/2 day unpaid... depending what's left.

My previous job was flexible, so could make up the hours... no need lie to my employer.

Just to be sure I understand you op, you don't work, your husband did work full time, but he dropped to part time so you could both get more benefits, and now you're complaining those benefits are not enough and it's harder than when he worked full time?

Why doesn't he go back full time then?. As pp said. Benefits is not a lifestyle choice. And can you really not pick up any work? Work that can be done when he's home?

Surely the answer is for you both to work as much as possible. Not to complain your benefits aren't enough to enable you to live as you wish

Then country would crumble if everyone were like you. I couldn’t support myself on 24hrs a week. Let alone 3 children and a spouse.

@loopyluck you make arrangements to attend things like nativities, it generally requires some kind of sacrifice but you figure it out. I take annual leave, or unpaid leave. I attend the early morning or late afternoon session where possible so I can move my hours at work.