Do all 18 years old go on UC if they cannot find a job

[Crystalovertherainbow]

Do the family needs to show their income or the new adult is considered their own financial unit now , even if they live with the parents and their UC is given them

DS claimed UC as soon as he was able at age 18. I have a high income and savings and it wasn't asked about at all, just any savings in his name. He has LCWRA due to disability so he has never been required to look for work and doesn't have any meetings with an advisor.

@CharlotteSometimeslikesanafternoonnap you still aren't saying what you would do if your 18 year old literally couldn't find a job?
Presumably you would be financially supporting them.
Not all families can do that.

Of course it's possible. They are an adult without means to support themselves if they can't find a job. The government will provide them with a basic income like any other adult. In return they have to accept work commitments and in the case of someone with no health issues or disabilities this would usually amount to them having to agree to do 35 hours job searching a week.
My ds will likely to be doing this when he graduates in the summer whilst he looks for ( largely non existent) graduate work or any work . I will be doing this ( well claiming contributions based JSA rather than UC)as I am losing my job soon. the job market is shit at the moment and people have to survive. It would be unreasonable to expect my dh to support three adults on his not great wage.

When did you last try and find a job?
I was made redundant in Sept (professional). While I was slowly sinking into depression applying for jobs in my field, I did what people said "just get a job in Tesco". I applied to Tesco (2 different roles) and Aldi. Rejected from them all. They have about 2000 applicants for each post.
It's not about "deciding to claim benefits", it about the state supporting a young adult trying to find work in a shitty climate.

Editing to say that thankfully I started a new (professional) role in Jan.

When I was that age we all had jobs from 16 working part time in the local supermarkets or clothing shops. So no one was signing on at 18. We were all off to uni. Getting a new job or taking a gap year, and had 2 years work experience. Everyone worked at weekends in year 11 and 6th form.

I feel sorry for kids now. The supermarkets don’t seem to have as many teens in them. Those first jobs were so important for graduate interviews.
I wouldn’t blame someone now for claiming UC.

Well yes I guess there’s no choice in a family on low income.
BUT we live in a small market town and all my children have managed to secure work when needed. Two went to uni, two did not. They all got paper rounds at 13. We did not do pocket money so there was an incentive.

One of my children now is on UC due to a different situation.

If my 18 year old could not get a job, she'd have been returning to education. Sitting on her arse was not an option and I'm amazed that so many people think claiming benefits at 18 is actually to be encouraged.

Searching for a job for 35 hours a week is not sitting on your arse.

If an 18 year old is living at home they would probably only get the Job Seekers part of UC which is around £70 a week - or £10 a day.
Hardly a "lifestyle choice".

Your child is privileged to have a parent willing and able to financially support them.

@CharlotteSometimeslikesanafternoonnap I don't think you have a clue what's actually required when someone is claiming Job Seekers.
Proof of 35 hours of job seeking a week must be provided and going on training courses may be required.

Then that’s a different matter. What myself and a few other posters are pointing out is that it shouldn’t be ‘all’ (as per the op) neither should it be presented as a normal option (as some have suggested). You finish education, you find a job, you contribute to society. Not finish education, go straight to benefits then consider your options. Someone mentioned £300 up thread. That’s a lot of money to a kid that’s being housed. Where’s the incentive?
I accept that it might be particular to the area I live in, but I have lived in about ten different places in the uk over the years, I do not think it would take me longer than a day to find a job in any of them. And if it did, I’d buy a ladder and a bucket, advertise on Facebook and start washing windows.

I don't think many 18yos I know even know this is an option? They either go on a gap year ( where I'm sure they find work) or to Uni or an apprenticeship? Id think it fairly unusual and 18yo couldn't get some sort of work ( bar/ waiter retail etc?!)

£338.58 per month from this April 2026 for an under 25. UC is having a bigger than normal rise to the standard element.

Why are they not going to college to better themselves and give themselves a chance of finding a job in this climate? The opportunities for a school leaver are very limited - why limit them further?

It's still not a huge amount though.
Just over a tenner a day.
In some parts of the country half of that (if not more) would go on public transport costs to get to places to go job searching.

College is usually finished by 18.

DC1 has finished a levels last year and has applued ffor literally hundreds of jobs. 3 interviews and no offers of employment.

They live at home, we feed and clothe them, give money if needed.

They don't "need" benefits and are using 3rd party supporting charities for cv, interviews etc.

Benefits are for urgency and / or beed, not just because they are there.

We have a declining birth rate, an aging population and a sky rocketing welfare / benefits bill building up with fewer peoole paying into the pot. We are heading for s shit show, this contribures to boundaries for retirement age / w
working life being moved constantly. The NHS will be defunct as too many people pull out of the system and don't pay in. I think in a few generations the national pension will be radically altered or removed. Financially the country is in distress.

I genuinely fear thst Reform will get in and claim to rescue the country by saving millions by private healthcare providers. I am terrified we will lose the N HS and I don't think many peopke realise what a precarious position many people will be in - I thinka lot of peoole will have the belief thst it will stop certain groups (immigrants, mainly) using the NHS without realising unless you can afford private heallthcare or have it supplued via an employer (at basic cover or costly add on to.the user) thrn medical care will become a privilege of the wealthy.

Think of how many people can't get a NHS dentist and can't afford private dental care so can't have treatment

Now apply that to the nhs.

Crippling knee joints that needs replacing? Got £15k? No? Can't get it replaced. Can't work because of it? Tough. Get it replaced or lose your job.

Your mum.has breast cancer snd nedds treatment? £10k firdt round nit includi g other drugs. Can't afford it? Can't get treated.

It is exceptionally simplified but unfortunately for a lot of oeople who are being lulled by parties such as Reform this needs spelling out as simplified as possible.

No it's not - college is where you do SVQs, HNCs, HNDs etc etc

college is not free. It is free up to the point you are 18 on the start date of the course, after that you have to pay.

Do you mean university then?

No - university is where you do undergrad and postgrad degrees

The other benefit of claiming benefits (!) Is that the job centre might eventually find you a job. They did my DC.

I say might because it took over a year of them saying "have you applied for anything" and sending him on unrelated courses before they did.

Who is encouraging it?

Depends where you are, what course you're doing, family income etc.