Both work and we claim UC but still can't afford to live.

[Mocha1]

We have 3 kids, 2 who aren't at school yet, my husband and I both work 30 hours a week for charities so not highly paid. We also have childcare for part of the week and then juggle the kids between us the rest of the time (We don't want to work more as we dont want the kids in fulltime childcare). We rent and down't own. We claim UC but we are still really struggling to make ends meet. We really try to live to a tight budget but I have no idea how to lower our expenses any more.

Am I missing something? Is this normal? does anyone have any tips for saving money/ making more income somehow? I feel a bit at a loss as we keep dipping into our savings for just day to day expenses and we're nearly at the end of those.

Our income at the moment (I'm on MAT leave) - £3980
Outgoings- £4250

Do these outgoings seem like a lot for a family of 5 living in the south west? I've been going over our budget and I have no idea how to save any more unless we literally never bought another birthday present or went to a soft play ever again.

You don't deserve to claim benefits.

No, UC was to top up earnings where people are unable to work enough or earn enough to support themselves or their families. It wasn’t a general subsidy to those making an active choices not to earn.

The two are very different. They have chosen to work in a lower paying sector than was available to them, they have then chosen not to work full time in that sector, they have also then chosen to have three children knowing their previous choices would make for a tight budget.

UC is to help those who need it, not to subsidise lifestyle choices. Its precisely families like the OP who bring essential benefits into disrepute.

It's not up to you, thankfully.
Why so unnecessarily rude?

Apologies then, I thought the father was working full time.

I think it’s so sad that working families can no longer make the choice to go slightly part time to give their children more time with their parents when they’re little. Op, you sound like a lovely mum who is just trying to do the best for your family. Personally, if you have enough savings, I think using your savings to enable you to stay part time while the children are so young is a very valid choice, and I only wish that society was set up so that you could stay part time for longer 💐

Stop renting. Buy a flat with 2 bedrooms, the mortgage is 700 to 1000 depending what the price is.

OP has 3 children. A 2 bed will be too small!

I worked for a not for profit but after we had our second child I moved to the private sector and increased my salary instantly by 20%. I basically focused on how I could get the absolute best pay to fund those hard childcare years rather than doing a job I massively enjoyed.

also better if one of you goes full time. The part time one can pick up the slack with the kids.

Renting on a limited income is financial suicide. Get on the property ladder even with a squeeze in space but you will have 1000s liberated.....leave what people are going to think or judge if you live in a flat, HA , maisonette, kids sharing bedrooms, etc. Just find a way to serve your own selves with the money you've got and be merry. This is how we are and I am able to save 1000s per year

Bit of a silly suggestion. As you say, depends how expensive it is, could easily be more than that. Particularly if OP is older, or has bad credit. And that's assuming that they have the deposit, which is unlikely given they claim UC. Not to mention 3 kids in a 2 bed flat isn't going to be much fun...

Larger working families can’t afford / smaller ones have more chance to stay afloat and go part time

to be fair, 10s of 1000s....your finance is even higher than mine

Free childcare hours pay for themselves through tax revenue (research shows a net gain) and keeping working parents (often women) in work to avoid employment gaps. It also reduces inequality.
Not that I claim any, but I certainly don’t see spend there as a negative thing.

Ha ha ha.
Nope.
I don't claim any benefits.
It wouldn't be any of your business if I did though.

They need to ask child poverty has increased since it was brought in. Obviously you don't care though.

It wouldn't, unless you declared on a public forum

It's still not your business to judge. HTH
PS No apology for your widely inaccurate assumption?

If there is work available, UC should not be available. And why do you think anyone with an iota of a work ethic would be jealous of someone on benefits? Being oon benefits should always arise from a need, never a choice?

Some working people get UC (because wages can be very low in some jobs). Thankfully you're also not in charge of eradicating child poverty.

I didnt think UC was designed for 2 parents to make a lifestyle choice that neither of them will work FT.
I am a high rate tax payer and work 6 days a week and i really do not mind that people on low paid jobs get UC to effectively ensure they have enough to live on, i think that is what society should do. Whether that is free childcare hours, benefits , help with housing costs etc.
But it really should not be used so both parents can enjoy the luxury of being part time.
One of you needs to work FT. Sorry if you think that is hard and you dont want that for your children - well you should have stopped and thought about what you wanted for your children and worked out how you would afford that BEFORE you had them.
Like a lot of us did.
I wanted it a lot of privileged things for my children , so I stopped at the 2 i could afford

And then you moan these women aren't working and claiming more UC.

SAHM parenting started in the 1950s. Before that, mum took baby to work or left their child with an older sibling to look after.

Both of which would be frowned upon nowadays, in most professions.

I’m not moaning. I think there should be incentives for a parent to be at home with their child.