Page 9 | Do people on here wonder how someone like me copes? I earn £12K/year.

hekissedmybottom · 2023-02-17T10:27:00+00:00

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.

FatSealSmugSoup · 17/02/2023 20:14

LondonQueen · 17/02/2023 20:11

Which LA is this as the rates are set by central government, not local. It would be nice if more would extend the criteria. There are lots of hungry children who could benefit from FSM despite working parents.

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I’m afraid I’d rather not say. Needless to say it’s Scotland.

Headabovetheparakeet · 17/02/2023 20:15

@FatSealSmugSoup

Are you sure you're actually getting FSMs and not just the universal school meals for kids of a certain age (varies across UK) in primary?

MrBallensWife · 17/02/2023 20:17

Badbudgeter · 17/02/2023 20:08

I thought you had to earn under £7k ish to get fsm.

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It's £7.4k to be precise according to Gov.uk.
If your children get FSM is it because they qualify due to their age?,reception,yr1 or yr2?
I was also under the impression its a decision made by Government and not LA as to who qualifies for FSM?

meganorks · 17/02/2023 20:19

Well no, that wouldn't cover my mortgage and council tax (on a 3 bed semi, nothing fancy) So I wouldn't be able to pay bills or eat. A quick look at rentals near me shows that at a push I might be able to rent a 2 bed place (for me and kids) for £750. But still wouldn't leave me enough for just bills and council tax.

MrBallensWife · 17/02/2023 20:20

MrBallensWife · 17/02/2023 20:17

It's £7.4k to be precise according to Gov.uk.
If your children get FSM is it because they qualify due to their age?,reception,yr1 or yr2?
I was also under the impression its a decision made by Government and not LA as to who qualifies for FSM?

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Apologies,I quoted the wrong poster,this was meant for @FatSealSmugSoup

FatSealSmugSoup · 17/02/2023 20:21

Headabovetheparakeet · 17/02/2023 20:15

@FatSealSmugSoup

Are you sure you're actually getting FSMs and not just the universal school meals for kids of a certain age (varies across UK) in primary?

I’m quite sure. I work for the LA and my kids are in high school.

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 17/02/2023 20:22

Children in P1-P5 in Scotland get the universal FSM.

Headabovetheparakeet · 17/02/2023 20:26

@FatSealSmugSoup

Fair enough, good on Scotland!

Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane · 17/02/2023 20:38

Being self employed and on Universal Credit is vastly different to being employed part time on universal credit most claimaints are subjected to a minimum income floor , after declaring they are self employed for x amount of months and this is then used to calculate their monthly entitlement irrespective If they have earned much less than this!

Headabovetheparakeet · 17/02/2023 20:41

Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane · 17/02/2023 20:38

Being self employed and on Universal Credit is vastly different to being employed part time on universal credit most claimaints are subjected to a minimum income floor , after declaring they are self employed for x amount of months and this is then used to calculate their monthly entitlement irrespective If they have earned much less than this!

It is an issue - how would you fix it?

OldTinHat · 17/02/2023 20:48

Gingerkittykat · 17/02/2023 19:34

Why are you not entitled to any UC? If you rent they should definitely be paying something towards your housing costs.

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I was told by Entitled To that if I switch from ESA to UC that there is a chance I won't be awarded as much as I receive now on ESA. Their advice was not to risk the swap.

I don't rent which is one blessing. I do get discounted council tax though.

Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane · 17/02/2023 20:49

I wish I had the answers, I've got friends in this situation and I really feel for them !

I am very grateful to be able to work part time and get a top up, I take approx £4k a month with my UC and wages combined 🙈

OldTinHat · 17/02/2023 20:50

I downsized to get rid of my mortgage, just to clarify!

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2023 21:25

We are on similar income. I usually forget that most people earn more until someone tells me about buying something or going somewhere that we could never afford to do.

Naddd · 17/02/2023 21:38

VikingsandDragons · 17/02/2023 12:05

Honestly yes, surviving on £12k a year seems unfathomable to me. Within 30 mins of me there are some very deprived areas, so let's say you lived there, £450 a month is the cheapest rent I can currently find on rightmove. £6600 left for the whole year. Council tax, another £1500 (assuming band B, single person's discount. Now down to £5100. Gas and electric, I can't see how this can be less than £150 a month, mobile phone let's say another £10 and assume no broadband or landline phone. No savings. No pension. TV licence though £159 per year. Contents insurance another £25 a month. Food, £40 a week seems like peanuts but I've seen some say they can do that. I have to assume no car, but allowing maybe £10 a week for public transport? No holidays. No kids activities. No childcare. No life insurance. No pets. No netflix, boiler cover, memberships etc. Basically stripping life right back. That's leaving £801 spending money for a whole year. £15 per week. That seems like a really worrying place to be to me if energy bills rise or your landlord increases the rent, £60 'spare' per month is no wiggle room at all.

What skills do you have? What is your WFH job? I'm a huge, huge proponant of a non-traditional working model as a way to supplement income around a family life or other commitments, not just training and education as a way to increase trading your time for money. If you want to change things then let's see what options are there for you.

Well they'd probably get help with rent and council tax. Prob help for any children they have. Help with childcare costs. Etc

SkyHippoOnACloud · 17/02/2023 22:40

SirChenjins · 17/02/2023 18:36

@Cocobutt so are you saying that posters are stirring the pot and people don’t get benefits packages of £35-40k pa?

Those are probably the people living in high rent areas where even the cheapest rents are astronomical, so their housing element will be high.

SlimeIsBanned · 17/02/2023 22:45

Wow @Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane £4 grand a month and you work part time?? That's like a £70k a year full time job!

SirChenjins · 17/02/2023 22:59

SkyHippoOnACloud · 17/02/2023 22:40

Those are probably the people living in high rent areas where even the cheapest rents are astronomical, so their housing element will be high.

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I would imagine so - and I imagine there are many like that. Landlords must be rubbing their hands.

NewNovember · 17/02/2023 23:40

MrBallensWife · 17/02/2023 18:17

You don't get free school meals if you claim working tax credits.No matter what your income is.

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You do if you have transitional protection.

NewNovember · 17/02/2023 23:48

@FatSealSmugSoup sorry to butter your Scottish bubble but the criteria is the same in Scotland as England. You get fsm because your earnings are higher purely due to transitional protection.

Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane · 18/02/2023 00:44

Yes - and that is after my rent has been paid , not a stealth boast! Childcare takes a big chunk of that tho and I don't think I will ever get a job with that salary!

Badbudgeter · 18/02/2023 09:11

SirChenjins · 17/02/2023 22:59

I would imagine so - and I imagine there are many like that. Landlords must be rubbing their hands.

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I always think that it’d make much more sense to invest in social housing rather than pay massive rents to private landlords.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 18/02/2023 09:18

Trinityandmadisondrivemeinsane · 17/02/2023 20:49

I wish I had the answers, I've got friends in this situation and I really feel for them !

I am very grateful to be able to work part time and get a top up, I take approx £4k a month with my UC and wages combined 🙈

Really? Is that because you have a huge childcare bill?

ButterflyFlicker · 18/02/2023 10:12

Uk state pension is less than 12k per year per person

Comedycook · 18/02/2023 10:13

I take approx £4k a month with my UC and wages combined

Wtf...that's the equivalent of earning £80k a year. Surely UC doesn't top people up by that much?!