Are we really eligible for UC when on band 6 NHS mat leave?

[Potatomashed]

I was using a benefits calculator last night after reading some money threads here and it seemed to imply that my household would be entitled to UC in the months when my mat pay is reduced to half and stat pay…

Husband earns approx 45k, I am top NHS band 6 but work 3 days so approx £1700 take home. We will have 2 DC, eldest will be eligible for 30h childcare from Jan. No savings as we just renovated a house.

I was quite surprised that we would be eligible for UC and don’t want to go through applying only to find out that there is some loop hole which means we can’t? Money is very tight when we are both in work, so we were anticipating living off credit cards on mat leave… this would be a welcome surprise!

With childcare costs it's possible, but would be more likely on that income if you were also paying rent. Calculators are the best way to check really - just be very sure you put all your details into the calculator correctly

I don't think you will
Be entitled to any UC. Myself and DH earn a little less than that and we are entitled to no help at all even during Mat leave

With your husband's income of £45k I very much doubt you will be entitled to anything.

I am too band 5 nhs, part time take home approx 1450 per month. Husband is 30k and we get 900£ on average per month from UC.
It's calculated on income and outgoings.
We have very high childcare costs with two under 3 and rent so have eligibility from that aspect too.
Definitely apply, it has made our life so much better. We would never be able to have a holiday or anything but we can now afford a 'nicer' meal on a weekend and we've managed to get our children into extra curriculum activities.

I guess the only way to know is to apply then and see what happens? I’m quite surprised as although we have been struggling with money and have strict budgets for outgoings I always thought we were okay earning professionals so wouldn’t be eligible. Lucky for us if we can get it but also highlights the crazy COL, stagnating wages and generally poor maternity pay (although I recognise NHS is generally considered okay)

Well something needs to be done then, because that's ridiculous that you're entitled to that

Do you have savings OP?

Op says she's spent them all on home renovations !

@RyanGoslingsTan I disagree given that this way, the woman can stay in the workforce but wouldn't be able to if she didn't get support paying for childcare.

If this keeps women in the work force who want to work, it's good.

I have two children in childcare 3 days a week, one with 30h funding and we still pay £1100 a month. We are lucky to be able to afford this.

I very much doubt you would but it depends what you are coming out with on mat leave- is that the £1700 ? Is your first child continuing to be in childcare whilst you are off on mat leave?

1700 is my standard take home when working. I get I think 8 weeks full pay, 8 weeks half pay and then SMP.

We have moved eldest to a local preschool from a full day nursery and cut the days per week now I’m on mat leave. We were paying 1000 a month and will now be looking at 450 a month until the 30 hours kicks in.

And for the pp who asked- no savings, bought an uninhabitable house and spent everything on renovating it ourselves. Still lots to do but it is safe and clean now. Just have lots of loans to pay back monthly (kitchen etc)…

Just done a quick calculation based on you taking home half pay of £850 a month and based on your dh earning around £2832 net ( correct me if I am hugely wrong on that figure), and it shows no entitlement. Obviously smp would be lower than half pay so there may be some UC then.
You would be eligible for the following UC elements.
Couples - assuming one of you is over 25 = £578.82
2 x child elements - both born after April 2017 = £539.16
Childcare element ( 85% of £450 ) = £382.50
Total UC = £1500.48 before deductions for earnings.

Earnings minus £631 ( work allowance) x 0.55 gives you the deduction for earnings. If deduction for earnings is more than total UC then you won't be eligible for anything. You can check yourself with exact figures as the figures I used may not be accurate for your dh's earnings.

@RyanGoslingsTan How is it ridiculous? Without that UC we wouldn't be able to afford to live/pay nursery fees/pay rent.

It's ridiculous because of the wages you and your partner already bring in. I am terminally ill and my husband is my full time carer. We have 2 kids and a mortgage and yet we don't even get £900 a month from UC

The almost 1k UC allows you to work part time I guess. If you didn't have the option to claim it you would need to work more hours. I'm not knocking you for claiming of course, it gives you options and if you can claim it and work part time then I absolutely understand why you do as I doubt many people want to do full time with two young kids. The only way we managed it when mine were young is by me just working nights and weekends ( also a Nurse) around dh's regular hours so minimal childcare costs. There was not a lot in the way of childcare costs help available then . I appreciate the cost of living has risen a lot since then.

Are you sure you are getting all the correct elements on UC as that sounds low ? do you get LCWRA element and carers element? I guess maybe you have ESA and carers allowance coming in separately which reduces it somewhat ?

@RyanGoslingsTan Our childcare costs each month are £1200. Without UC I wouldn't even be able to work as I would to be able to afford childcare alongside rent, bills, raising two young children. UC is based on individual circumstances. Just because I work and you don't wouldn't automatically make you entitled to more than me.
Without UC I wouldn't be working as a nurse right now, I'd be unemployed as I would have no money to pay for childcare, and working extra hours would just incur more childcare costs so that also wouldn't work.

As you have a mortgage you have no chance of being entitled especially with the wage your DH is on. Sorry! If you rented you possibly would.