Do people on here wonder how someone like me copes? I earn £12K/year.

[hekissedmybottom]

I grew up poor, single parent on benefits, partied through uni, worked all my life but never got paid much. My highest salary was 28K/year in London as a single woman. Felt absolutely minted.

Now I'm on benefits with a child as a single parent and still feel well off compared to how I grew up.

I think this kind of life is unfathomable to some people on here.

I do wonder!
I grew up similar to you OP but we’ve just paid 25k out to pre pay our DD childcare up to before she starts the prep school. I’m still on Mat leave! The thought of living on only 12k is just strange to us at the moment. I do know though, you adapt to it and your life changes accordingly.

You're not on £12k a year though You have UC income as well.

By having kids and not working, or having kids and working part time or on a low wage. The UC will top you up so you’re actually better off than people earning just over the threshold (like me).

If you’re single or childfree however, don’t bank on it!

Yes and no. Many people choose not to work, or to work just under the number of hours at which they wouldn’t be entitled to UC. It’s not always working full time on a pittance = government tops you up. For some there is definitely an element of choice.

I'm not sure what answer you were expecting. I read your post and wondered how on earth you managed to support yourself and child(ren) on 12K a year.
Then I realised, that with benefits you must must have a pretty decent income.

The main thing I wonder if why you phrased your post to give the impression your income (not what you earn) was much lower than it is.

Oh dear I think this thread hasn't gone the way the op had hoped.

It's unfathomable because the rest of us have market rate housing costs.

Your £12k wouldn't even pay my rent.

Er no

Well OP might not be claiming; she hasn’t confirmed. But it’s annoying that the very generous subsidy she is probably given funded by other taxpayers is likely disregarded, because ‘poor me my wage on paper is low’ gets more sympathy and admiration than ‘including benefits I’m on 30k, anyone wonder how I cope?’

When the harsh reality is those of us just over the threshold have the lowest income versus highest expenditures on rent, mortgages, nurseries. And we get told slogging our guts out and living hand to mouth for 45 years will eventually be worth it because we might get an average pension and then get to choose the nursing home we die in 🤷🏼‍♀️ maybe, if we are lucky.

@Cuppasoupmonster

Yes, she said she's claiming: Now I'm on benefits with a child as a single parent

Oh, my mistake - I was giving the benefit of the doubt, but no need!

Huh? People on benefits pay market rate housing too.

If you earn 20k (after tax) from a job and pay 10k rent per year you have 10k left.
If you get 20k (after tax) in wages and benefits and pay 10k rent you have 10k left.

Both people are paying market rates. Regardless of where the income comes from the outgoing is the same.

So if you choose to work p/t or on a low wage you can boost your income through benefits? Is this an automatic thing - you then get your housing costs (does this include mortgage payments or just rent?) and childcare paid for by the Govt?

@MillicentTrilbyHiggins

I think the point is that your employer doesn't adjust your wages depending on how much your rent is, but DWP do, up to a limit.

I earned similar and was at least as well off as when I was on £25k once my tax free benefits kicked in.
Life is not difficult.
I don't know how people without kids manage though

I know someone living on 12k quite comfortably. It's a state pension.

But they own their home, live alone, don't eat much (in their 80s), don't drive, have a free bus pass and don't go away unless it's to stay with family. They eat out once a week at a community lunch and are part of a community group at £3 a week.

I think your lifestyle is far from this, so your total income must be greater. It may even be higher than some earners who don't receive any help.

OP said she’s self employed!

The thing is, you are going to be significantly better off than a single parent earning twice that, in the short term at least

If you earn more, you will receive so much less

I was on far more, but receiving into my hands far less than you, as a working single mum, for over a decade

However badly off we were at the time, though, I was paying mortgage not rent, and now own my own home outright, so in the longer term, it was worth it

That's true. That limit is also way under market rate in a lot of places.

What an odd post. You'll be in receipt of at least £30k with benefits.

I earn less then 12k a year but im on benefits so live quite comfortably I don't know what op point is

In a nutshell, yes, although it’s all wrapped up into one payment as UC so you can’t really separate out what is for what.

Entitled To confirms a single mum with 2 kids, working 15 hours a week, one child in nursery and one at school, who isn’t looking to increase hours or for a new job, with a £200k mortgage, can claim £1,300p/m on top of the 800 they earn through part time work. So that’s £2100p/m - more than me, by a good few hundred quid. And of course… less work to do.

Since you’re on a low wage, you’ll be able to access free courses to upskill to better jobs in the future. This is what I did when I was earning a similar income not so long ago. Have a look at jobs online and see what appeals to you & work towards gaining qualifications and experience for it.

If you receive UC, you’ll get most of your childcare met so that’s an added bonus. Look at areas where you can make savings by swapping to cheaper deals, groceries & services.

I grew up with a single mum on benefits, had nothing and suffered neglect and abuse.
I earn £50k now. I was determined I wasn't going to live like that again and worked my socks off.

Then tell us how you cope earning 12K a year.
It will educate people which will raise awareness which can only be a good thing IMO.