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.

it is her children and others in the same situation who will be funding our pensions in the future

Will they though?

My issue is with the system and I don't think I'm unfair or horrible for stating that. I'd like to be home more with my children too so I get it.

For comparison I'm supposed to be on mat leave and now entering a zero pay period. Our household income will now be a bit less than what you've stated yours currently is (including UC) during your mat leave. We can't claim UC even if we wanted to as my DP earns too much, and so I have to work in a second job on barely any sleep to get by and it makes me irritated by the whole system. In this instance UC is paying better than working pays.

We've had to tie ourselves in knots to make sure we spend as much time with them as possible and they won't end up in childcare all week. The whole system just doesn't make sense and that probably underlies a lot of people's frustrations.

If you each normally work 30 hours you can still get the 30 hours funded childcare and UC childcare element on top, even during mat leave.

No, I have faith in the good of humanity. Which sadly had been diminished by this thread

How is that an answer? What do you propose they do now to rectify the situation?

What you mean is “here’s my judgment”.

I don't understand what you wanted from this thread though, OP.

Your only options are to spend less or earn more.

You won't provide a breakdown of your expenditure so we can't advise you how to spend less.

And you seem offended by the suggestion that you should earn more.

faith in the good of humanity works both ways. It requires people who need a top up to contribute as best they can. Two parents choosing to work parttime hours and claiming a top up from the state ( tax payers) on top of that is not morally meeting the end of the bargain or doing the best you can.

There is a limited pot of money - every person that takes out more than morally they should is depriving somebody who doesn't have a choice.

I don't mind paying tax, I do think everyone should be able to treat themselves and/or their children from time to time. I do object to my tax funding lifestyle choices.

Very valid question.

I understand you have made a choice not to put them in full-time childcare. If u both work part-time it will be difficult. Im not being nasty but don't believe if you chose to work part-time you should get UC.

And as for playing the charity card, those jobs can still be filled by people who are not expecting free rent etc.

Not if they are brought up to expect their lifestyle choices to be funded by others.

Every parent claiming free childcare hours is being funded by others.

I’ve always thought this as well. Effectively rents are paying the landlords mortgages (mi us tax) so why can’t they do the same for normal mortgages. Or at least a contribution to.

Maybe if mortgages are paid, then the government gets to ‘own’ a percentage of the house? so if they end up paying ten percent of the value , then when the house is sold, they get ten percent back.

Except that if they're working full-time, presumably they're paying taxes and so adding to the national pot which provides free childcare hours.

I’m sorry, not quite sure what you meant by this. You have two options, spend less or earn more, or were you hoping for a third option, greater amount of benefits? (Or someone to offer you money?).

As is the OP but she isn’t claiming free childcare as her partner and her look after their own children.

Or get the tax payer to look after her children.

I think your children are very lucky to have you both. It’s a shame the thread got derailed by people who get the tax payer to fund their childcare. Your children will benefit by having parents who look after them while looking after others in terms of your jobs. Good luck OP ❤️

Not everyone who uses childcare qualifies for the funding.

Most doand it’s still leaving your children with strangers.

Which OP still does if we're going at it from that angle.

So what's your point? Is it ok to leave your child with strangers part time as opposed to full time? How many days is it appropriate to leave your child with strangers?

I think it would help to post a breakdown of your outgoings so people can make some suggestions.
Do you have debt? Expensive phone contracts or TV subscriptions? Cars?
It is also important to remember that things will get a bit better once your kids are all at school, so you can then both pick up more work or more hours.

You are on UC so and some internet providers offer a social tariff that is a bit cheaper than normal. That might be worth looking into too.

Never mind the comments criticising you for working in the charity sector. Those low paid workers in the charity sector have played a huge part in me sticking around (I am a service user at a MH charity).

None imo. But that’s another thread.

I feel like you’ve been piled on here. The only way to get advice on how reduce costs with help is share your outgoings and let folks make suggestions. But I’d understand if you left the thread. MN can go either way and I guarantee if you’d said you both work full time you’d have had entirely different responses. Folks have locked onto the part time thing.

We have locked into TWO parents choosing to working part time whilst claiming UC. Lets all do that and ignore the amount of debt this country is in.

Crazy levels of entitlement.