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Original poster

Genuine UC query

53 replies

GenuineQuery1 · 23/02/2022 10:35

Ok no goady, not trying to start a fight etc just posting posting traffic and have name changed.

We've never been on any type of benefits before except receiving child benefit, I also don't know anyone on benefits who I can ask and I can't find anything clear online.

When I go back to work after mat leave due to childcare issues and cost I'll only be able to go back to work 2 or 3 days. I've always previously worked full time - this is baby number 2. I've used the entitled to calculator which says we'll be entitled to around £20 a week UC and no other benefits except child benefit.

I wanted to know does this then mean we benefit from other parts of the benefit system such as free dental care and free prescriptions? I genuinely don't know but when I pay for my dentist visits and prescriptions it always has a tick box to say exempt due to benefits etc but is this only for people on benefits solely and not working?? Thank you

OP posts:
MissAmbrosia · 23/02/2022 14:26

Do you get ANY UC at that level of income?

Thoosa · 23/02/2022 14:26

The clue should have been in the username and the thread title. 🙄

The G word is becoming quite the tell.

cuno · 23/02/2022 14:29

OP is that not a household income of 70k? You surely won't be entitled to anything, not even the £20 a week UC you think you will get. You've obviously filled in the entitledto calculator wrong.

bluesk75 · 23/02/2022 14:29

You're combined income is 50K😂

You're writing as if you're a single parent earning £300 for working 2 days and wondering why you're not getting more money. Again, your combined income is 50 THOUSAND.

I'm a single parent who private rent. My rent is 1200 and I get 1670 in UC. Because I'm a single parent and my rent is 1200. You can see how that clearly makes sense. You're lucky you're even entitled to £20 honestly

bluesk75 · 23/02/2022 14:32

Wait my addition is even wrong. You earn OVER 50K. Bloody hell

cuno · 23/02/2022 14:32

Also OP don't you and your husband have savings on those salaries? Your entitlement is reduced between 6-16k savings. At 16k it totally stops. I'd be surprised if you don't have any savings, but if not then you need to be better at managing your money.

cuno · 23/02/2022 14:34

Also, you do understand that UC is there to make sure you can put a roof over your head, feed your family etc (sometimes it doesn't even cover that), it's not for propping up a middle class lifestyle?

Saladd0dger · 23/02/2022 14:36

Go on the universal credit essentials website and work your award out correctly. The other calculators are no good. You may get some uc. We get it and both work

Original poster
GenuineQuery1 · 23/02/2022 15:01

Wow I'm really surprised at these comments. £70k between us, both working full time with 2 children living in an expensive part of the South East is not a lot of money, not at all. Yes we have savings for emergencies not for paying for monthly bills, we have savings of about £5k at the moment after using some to repair some damage to our house recently. But this is why I asked on an anonymous forum I guess to get all replies, at least the £20 a week makes sense now. I'll still claim for whatever I can get because it makes sense to take it but now I know It means we won't benefit from the free dental etc which was my original query. I can see this has been moved to money matters but I don't need any financial advice, just a query that needed answering so thank you for all the helpful replies.

OP posts:
Adelais · 23/02/2022 15:58

Surely on a combined income of nearly 70k you wouldn’t be eligible for any universal credit just child benefit?!

wordles · 23/02/2022 16:10

https://ifs.org.uk/toolsanddresources/wheredooyoufitt_in

You can check where your income lies with this ^^

70k with 2 adults and a child is above 90% of the population so to say it's not that much is Confused

Many people have a deficit each month let alone 5k in savings

newbiename · 23/02/2022 16:41

@GenuineQuery1

Wow I'm really surprised at these comments. £70k between us, both working full time with 2 children living in an expensive part of the South East is not a lot of money, not at all. Yes we have savings for emergencies not for paying for monthly bills, we have savings of about £5k at the moment after using some to repair some damage to our house recently. But this is why I asked on an anonymous forum I guess to get all replies, at least the £20 a week makes sense now. I'll still claim for whatever I can get because it makes sense to take it but now I know It means we won't benefit from the free dental etc which was my original query. I can see this has been moved to money matters but I don't need any financial advice, just a query that needed answering so thank you for all the helpful replies.
£70k is a lot of money. Please don't try to make out it isn't.
Grazka · 23/02/2022 16:46

Strange that you are entitled to anything with 70K income?
My husband and I have just over 60K joined income and when I looked just out of curiosity we were not entitled to anything (not surprisingly)

cadburyegg · 23/02/2022 16:47

I live in the south east too with 2 young dc but as a single parent bringing home less than £20k a year, that's why I am entitled to £400 a month UC Hmm 70k is a very comfortable income. your posts do sound goady I'm afraid even if that's not what you intended

Thoosa · 23/02/2022 16:53

What’s really grating is this “I’ve paid in for years and just want a bit out” attitude.

The safety net is there to protect low paid earners (usually doing jobs we all need to be done), people who are severely ill and lone parents. It IS there for you if you need it. So you’re getting the benefit of it as insurance, just by knowing it’s there, without wanting the bonus windfall from it to top up a healthy double income.

bluesk75 · 23/02/2022 16:53

£70k is a lot of money. Please don't try to make out it isn't.

This! You're honestly speaking as if you and your DH have a joint income of 27k or something. 70 THOUSAND POUNDS is a lot of money let's not act like you're both earning chicken change

Yants · 23/02/2022 20:52

Honestly some of the astonishing figures being quoted in this thread, it's really not just the OP that's coming out of it not looking great.

Flackattack · 23/02/2022 21:12

Surely £20 is child benefit which anyone earning under 50k as an individual or 100k as a couple

ladygindiva · 23/02/2022 21:19

We have a combined income of around 55k before tax I'm pretty sure we are entitled to nothing. Hadn't even crossed my mind that we might be entitled to anything.

MissMaple82 · 23/02/2022 21:40

No you have to be in a certain bracket to qualify

MissMaple82 · 23/02/2022 21:45

Tried attaching a screenshot but doesn't look like it's worked, you only qualify for other support, medical etc of take home pay is less than 935 per month

Faevern · 23/02/2022 21:52

Yes you’ve put the numbers in wrong you can’t have UC on 70k with 2 children. Not without some significant rent and disabilities in the calculation. You are being goady.

oviraptor21 · 23/02/2022 21:52

If you're repairing damage to your house it sounds like you are owner occupiers which will mean you don't get any help with housing costs since you are also working.
There's no way with your income levels that you can get any UC at all if you won't get housing costs.

HereWeGo22 · 23/02/2022 21:56

Why would you even think you'd be eligible for any sort of help on that sort of joint income?

I am a single parent with 1 child. I have earned 14,000 for the last 7 years. I get tax credits which top me up roughly to £18,000 a year. I get no other help than my medical exemption certificate. My UC was calculated on my current circumstances and the award was significantly less than my tax credit so I remained on them.
I am due to start a new job earning 16,000 a year FT. My tax credits go down and I will lose my medical exemption certificate. On a FT income of only £16,000!

You earn much more than me working 3 days a week and you think you'd be eligible for financial support. That's crazy.

I too dont understand how some people get awarded so much in UC when mine is so low but your joint income is more than healthy

shakeitoffshakeacocktail · 23/02/2022 22:02

This post has made me sad

I've just realised I'm now over the threshold for free dental 😢

I've been getting if for years as a full time single parent working 35 hours term time in a school 12,500/ year before tax and NI

I now earn slightly over by about £50 😭

So yeah @GenuineQuery1 cry me a river

5 days a week
35 hours
Term time (Best bit of the job!)
£13,000/ year
Not all my rent is covered either
So it's not cushty on benefits 😡
£446/ month I was getting before it went up