Do you feel bad for receiving a ‘high amount’ of UC?

[AnotherNameChange1233]

Last week I went to my local Children’s Centre and attended a Citizen’s Advice group that runs once a week.

As long as you’re registered to the Children Centre, you can turn up for any advice needed. Some people want privacy so they go into a side room with the advisor and some parents may help other parents if they’ve been in a similar situation/can offer the correct advice. It’s also like a social group for parents, hopefully you get the jist of it.

On the table I was sitting on, one parent was trying to get her head around UC as she didn’t quite understand LHA rates, how DLA impacts UC and what elements she would be entitled too. Anyway, I started speaking about my experience with DLA, UC and offered to log into my UC account if it was easier for her to look at the breakdown visually (instead of me talking and complicating things). I also got her postcode to explain how the LHA rates work and etc.

Another parent suddenly spoke up and said, ‘don’t you feel bad for claiming that much money?’ She wasn’t argumentative or anything and we had an interesting conversation but it made me think, are people like me supposed to feel bad when receiving a certain amount?

She also said something like (I’m paraphrasing here as I can’t remember it exactly word for word) if people can’t afford their rent then they should move to a more affordable area. I raised the point of Landlords purchasing properties as part of the Right to Buy scheme, charging extortionate rent which taxpayers then pay through UC. Surely, it’s more a problem that there isn’t affordable rental properties in many areas.

For full transparency, I’m going to mention all of my UC amounts and wonder if people that claim similar, feel bad?

• 292 single person allowance
• 1450 private rent
• 539 for 2 children
• 293 for 2 disabled children
• 589 childcare costs
• 189 carer

£216 is deducted from my entitlement due to my wages. That means my UC amount is £3133. My wages is £771. I receive two amounts of MRC through DLA which is £580 all together.

Now that I’ve written it down, it seems like a whole lot of money but the costs that come with raising one of my disabled children (the other still costs a lot, but not as much as the other) is through the roof due to their issues

Exactly. We have contraception now, which is free and very accessible. There are no excuses any more.

I don't really understand if the DC gets DLA why you also get additional money for disabled DC on UC? I do get that disabled DC might cost more but It's like you're credited twice for the same thing.

DLA covers the additional costs associated with disability - folk have given examples of what they might be. The carers element of UC reflects the fact that it’s very difficult for parents of disabled children to work full time or in well paying careers, their earning capacity is significantly compromised due to their caring responsibilities. If they are able to maximise their earning capacity, they no longer get UC.

That's right slag off LL's again. They are not claiming this astronomical amount on benefits. They are running a business and paying tax.

I met a physio from a developing country at a conference once. I asked him what happens to a child who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and there is no welfare support and both parents and other family members have to leave the house each day to work . He said the child would be left on his own all day on the floor of the hut . Sometimes a neighbour might pop in to check on him for a few minutes. Thank God we have a welfare system here.

I have been a single parent carer for years, last year my 26 year old went into an assisted living placement. For those of you getting your knickers in a twist that parent carers get too much money. The money being paid out now to care for my son, because I am totally burnt out caring for him on my own, is quadruple what we got as a family. Specialist landlords are making huge profits out of disabled people and the government. That's where the outrage needs to be.

And I’m not saying all those on waiting lists for assessment actually get the diagnosis of autism or adhd, butvthat doesn5 stop people trying, and clogging up the system for those with a genuine need for diagnosis.

Its my experience too that it’s possible to have a more comfortable (and less stressful) life on benefits than working and kids often seem to have a better quality of life as parents are working less so they aren’t juggling out of school care. It’s all the extra things you become entitled to if you get benefits which makes the difference- reduced council tax, Scottish child payment, home energy efficiency grants, free or reduced swimming/ music lessons/ days out/ gym memberships/ holiday activities, reduced broadband and our council gives out vouchers for winter clothing etc. so that frees up a lot of disposable income.

You chose that career knowing exactly what the conditions are. Having a PhD merits nothing unless it gave you skills and knowledge there is a demand for and I am sure you know that quite well.

People on here going well OP made the choice to have children blah blah ....and you're saying your own choice to get a PhD means you should have more money than the state assesses OP's children to NEED.
Guess the doctorate didn't help too much with the "critical thinking" so lauded on Mumsnet.

Op works her tail off. More than you and other bleaters on this thread I expect.

You attitude stinks.

Bother about you rather than being pissed off about others.

But for her own kids. Not to pay for other people’s.

It is easy enough to care for healthy children who go to school like clockwork. It’s what I do.

if you want to know how OP ended up with two disabled children unknowingly please RTFT.

How would you care for a child who could not reliably go to school if you were working full time? How would you manage all their illnesses and mobility issues? Their doctors appointments? Yes you would be covering the cost of their food and housing, but would they live a healthy life?

perhaps you could just tie them to the door like they used to in the old days, to stop them wandering. Or tie them into the bed so you get a good nights sleep ready for your next day at work?

I honestly think op doing all the care, keeping two people healthy and alive, and working as much as she does is a good deal in a humane society.

OP if you’re still reading you are doing a great job. You’re caring for 2 disabled children. Most of the negative comments are likely from people who have NO idea or experience in this.

Plus mumsnet can be horribly ableist in general so it’s probably best not to post anything about disabilities again.

She could be getting stupid money in maintenance, UC don't care.

So its irrelevant, unless you want to attack the OP due to them being a single parent

I don’t begrudge the OP for what she’s receiving but I certainly wouldn’t have divulged it (especially to the people at the children’s centre).

Exactly!! What is wrong with people on here?
OP has disabled children and absolutely should be afforded a decent standard of living by the state.

Maybe stop being so vile and bashing those who are vulnerable.

The government CAN well afford it

You don't need to declare it to the authorities

This thread has given me food for thought and I'm taking myself out of the workplace early. I've worked for 42 years and never had a penny in any sort of benefits (I don't have children of my own). I've got 9 years until I get my state pension and I'll draw my private pension early. It's small so I won't pay tax on it. I'll supplement with savings and when they run out I'll claim benefits.

I fully support benefits being paid to those who need them but some of the amounts are eye watering and I'm quite frankly knackered.

So that's one more taxpayer out of the workplace that they can't plunder. I'm done. It's time for me to think about me.

I agree re not feeling bad as you're entitled to it. However, do you worry how you'll be for money when your children are adults?

For some people, who get a large amount of UC, they will see a huge drop in the money they have coming in each month.

@Pullouw all children have the right to access childcare and an education. Some parents believe it isn’t suitable for their child but that is a choice. I have truly worked with some amazing SEND children with significant additional needs in a mainstream setting. These children cannot be refused and the school would be expected to make adjustments for them.

There are some absolutely amazing settings for SEND children in our country. As a parent if I needed to move in order for my child to access this I would. But actually I think of the various places I have lived and worked in this country and I can’t think of an area that hasn’t had great options within an hour - for school SEND children would also get transport costs covered.

A lot (not all) of parents I meet that choose not to send their SEND children to school/childcare is because they don’t want them to progress in order to receive more benefits.

A recent example of one of my mainstream students getting a place at a specialist setting - which is a lot easier than some think if you work with the family, healthcare and settings. We were allocated less that £20,000 to support a Y5 child working within 12-18months. Which we had to cover some costs from the whole school budget. When he moved to a specialist setting his funding went up to £116,000. That could pay for 3 teachers and our mainstream setting received less than a fifth of this. We could have provided all he needed and more for less that half that.

So not only are parents receiving lots in disability so are the specialist setting. Obviously SEND children need more than those that do not have an additional need. But I think our ‘standard, normal’ children are being put at a disadvantage rather than the additional funding providing equal opportunities for those with disabilities. And don’t get me started on children that really could flourish but live with minor additional needs - they have no chance what so ever of extra help/support/funding!

Ffs people some of you never took GCSE history and it shows. This is Tory propaganda and I've reported it.
Oh and UC is entirely a Tory system so they have chosen to give people that much money, Labours tax credits was peanuts in comparison.

The fact that you think it's irrelevant what she gets from the father/s of her children confirms all that is wrong with the benefits system as it stands.

If she gets silly money from the father, then yes i absolutely think it's morally wrong to also claim from the country and she should feel guilty about it.

I cannot understand why maintenance is not taken in to account when assessing benefit payments.

That is what has most shocked me in this thread.

I think you’ll find medical professionals have been practicing this for quite some time. That’s what all those scans and tests are about when you’re pregnant. Is that social eugenics or practicality?

Why are we simultaneously saying that OP NEEDS to pay £1,500 a month in rent so she can stay in her community, near family etc (hypothetically) but then also that all the caring responsibility is on OP and there's nobody else to step in? Is the taxpayer paying that high rent to keep OP next to a support network or not?

The hate propaganda is coming from the Tories that's for sure, but I am not convinced people are better off on UC. The Tory tag line is that you are better off, but I am yet to meet a parent who has been migrated to UC who is better off now than they were.

Conquer and divide the people, get everyone hating everyone, that's what's going on with society right now and too many people are buying into it.