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Original poster

Can I claim benefits?

166 replies

babyt2020 · 11/03/2022 12:33

Just curious as everyone keeps saying we should be entitled to something! I've never thought so but Martin Lewis seems to think so. We own our house outright, we bought it in September last year. My partner earns £24,000 per year and I don't work as we have an 8 month old and a 20 month old?

OP posts:
popcorndiva · 11/03/2022 12:35

You may get something. Just try a benefits calculator, it also depends if you have savings as if you have more than 16k then you automatically don't.

Bevvyoc · 11/03/2022 12:37

Try one of the benefit calculators.

piglet81 · 11/03/2022 12:37

Have a look at the entitledto calculator.

Squeekybummum · 11/03/2022 12:47

You will definitly be entitled to something. My husband earns 22 a year and I earn 8. We are still on the old system of tax credits. Hoping when we get moved over to universal credit we still entitled to it.

BarbaraofSeville · 11/03/2022 12:52

You won't get help with housing costs but as your income is considered low for a family with 2 DC you will probably be entitled to a small amount of universal credit.

You would also probably be entitled to help with childcare costs if you went back to work unless you earned quite a lot.

girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 13:05

Do you need benefits with no mortgage/rental costs and no childcare costs?

Cocomarine · 11/03/2022 13:18

If you can - and I expect you can - the benefit system is utterly f*cked. To be able to buy a house outright, and then claim benefits 🙄

AndSoFinally · 11/03/2022 14:06

Doesn't equity in your house count as savings, then? I hadn't realised this!

girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 14:15

I just had a look on Entitled To and you can claim nearly £400 a month UC. Absolutely absurd.

Gingerkittykat · 11/03/2022 14:45

@Squeekybummum

You will definitly be entitled to something. My husband earns 22 a year and I earn 8. We are still on the old system of tax credits. Hoping when we get moved over to universal credit we still entitled to it.
A lot of working families are significantly better off on UC than tax credits. It is worth doing a calculation and then seeing what the numbers say.

The OP might be entitled to a small amount of UC, but it is doubtful since they have no housing or childcare costs. It is still worth putting your figures into a calculator and seeing what comes up.

worriedandannoyed · 11/03/2022 14:46

@girlmom21

I just had a look on Entitled To and you can claim nearly £400 a month UC. Absolutely absurd.
Why is it absurd??
Motnight · 11/03/2022 14:54

The system is fucked.

girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 15:07

@worriedandannoyed they have no mortgage and no childcare costs and a monthly take-home of more than £1600 and can still get benefits. How can you ask why that's absurd?

QuizzicalEyebrows · 11/03/2022 15:09

UC will be happy not to pay your housing costs / rent.

They will never pay towards a mortgage.

If you're on a low wage or unemployed you're pretty fucked if you have a mortgage to pay as they dont care and won't pay towards it.

You're lucky you own your home outright and UC are happy they don't have to pay your rent

QuizzicalEyebrows · 11/03/2022 15:10

It'll be interesting to see what if anything you're entitled to

Babyroobs · 11/03/2022 15:26

@Cocomarine

If you can - and I expect you can - the benefit system is utterly f*cked. To be able to buy a house outright, and then claim benefits 🙄
Op will very likely be entitled to some UC unless she has savings.
Babyroobs · 11/03/2022 15:27

Op if you tell me how much your dh comes out with net per month I can do you a rough calculation of how much UC you would receive.

Babyroobs · 11/03/2022 15:30

@QuizzicalEyebrows

UC will be happy not to pay your housing costs / rent.

They will never pay towards a mortgage.

If you're on a low wage or unemployed you're pretty fucked if you have a mortgage to pay as they dont care and won't pay towards it.

You're lucky you own your home outright and UC are happy they don't have to pay your rent

People who have a mortgage rather then pay rent, get a much higher work allowance on their claim if they have kids on the claim, so they get extra help that way. In op's case the first £553 of her dh's wages is completely disregarded before his earnings reduce their total UC. The work allowance is less for those with a rent element on their claim.
girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 15:31

@Babyroobs

Op if you tell me how much your dh comes out with net per month I can do you a rough calculation of how much UC you would receive.
I've already looked. It's just under £400 per month.

Assuming she's got no savings.

Babyroobs · 11/03/2022 15:32

[quote girlmom21]@worriedandannoyed they have no mortgage and no childcare costs and a monthly take-home of more than £1600 and can still get benefits. How can you ask why that's absurd? [/quote]
The fact that they own the house outright is not taken into account as capital in the house you live in does not affect UC entitlement. So they get the same UC as someone who could be paying £1000 in mortgage payments per month.

girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 15:33

@Babyroobs yeah the system is ridiculous.
It should be calculated on income and expenditure, not just on income.

JudgeRindersMinder · 11/03/2022 15:33

@AndSoFinally

Doesn't equity in your house count as savings, then? I hadn't realised this!
How can it-it’s not freely available to live on
Babyroobs · 11/03/2022 15:35

[quote girlmom21]@Babyroobs yeah the system is ridiculous.
It should be calculated on income and expenditure, not just on income. [/quote]
It would be impossible to work out the income and expenditure for every individual household ! Too problematic. Would debts be counted as expenditure, car loans etc, where on earth would they draw the line??

Cocomarine · 11/03/2022 15:41

@Babyroobs not sure why you quoted me? I also said it’s likely she can. But doesn’t change my opinion that the system is fucked.

girlmom21 · 11/03/2022 15:42

@Babyroobs they could use a bit of common sense that if someone hasnt got any mortgage or rent costs and a half decent income they probably don't need any financial support. Then you should be allowed to appeal if there are exceptional circumstances.