How many hours am I allowed to work on UC?

[Joallyj]

I've looked everywhere and I'm getting conflicting information so I thought I'd ask the good people of Mumsnet.

My DH works full time (4 days on, 4 days off, 12 hour shifts, £14.00 odd pence per hour + 18 mandatory overtime shifts a year at time and half).
I have been successful in finding employment recently (13.75 hours a week, £11.41 per hour).

At the moment, my UC is up and down each month depending on the amount of overtime shifts DH has done, which isn't a problem for us. I wondered if my income (I haven't started the employment yet as awaiting on a start date) would cause any fluctuations in our UC income or cancel it out all together? Do I have to work over 16 or 24 hours before it affects my claim?

Thank you.

You should have a work allowance (if you have children or the housing element) this is how much you (as a household) can earn before your wages affect UC. At the amount your partner is earning he will already be using the work allowance.

It makes no difference how many hours you work, your UC will reduce by 55 pence in the pound for every pound that you earn - you are always better off working more as you will keep your full wages plus the 45p in the pound of UC.

Hope that makes sense! But it isn't like tax credits where there are limits on working

You are allowed to work as much as you like.

@Joallyj your DH will already have used your work allowance with his earnings, so everything you earn will be reduced by 55p per £1 of net income. You'll always be better off working.

Surely the more you work the better?

There is something wrong with the whole system if it's more beneficial not to work.

This isn't a benefit bashing thread, I just can't see how it makes any sense not to work at much at possible!

We have children and don't pay for childcare for the youngest (worked it out that it just wasn't feasible and not worth it even with the 85% back). It's been hard for me to find work for the past year due to the children but I have just found one that is accommodating to me.

I've always hated that, in the past, we've come away with less than if we were on benefits. I genuinely don't mind and would probably prefer not having to be on UC. If I didn't qualify for UC after declaring my new employment and starting to earn with them, that's fine by me.

There is definitely something wrong with the systems, but unfortunately I can only work around my DH and DC as I am the primary carer for them.

This makes no sense. Minimum wage (which will be the lowest you earn) will always be more than the 15% of the childcare bill you had to pay. How old are your children?

It all depends on how much UC you’re entitled to.
if your shared income minus work allowance x 0.55 exceeds your UC amount you won’t get UC anymore but if it’s less then your UC will continue.

2 and 9. The elder one is at school but the younger one isn't entitled to the 15 hours free from the age of 2 unfortunately.

Have you checked your eligibility for childcare on childcarechoices.gov.uk? Working parents are entitled to 15 hours a week for under 2s, this will raise to 30 hours a week from September 2025.

I have checked and we are not eligible for the free hours. We would have to pay and claim the 85% back, however this isn't feasible after paying out the bills and rent. It would leave us really low on the budget for food and we are already budgeting for this.

Ah yes. I think you need to be working 16 hours a week. This would be worth it. You’d receive the free childcare and be earning more.

Ahh, thank you so much! This was the answer I was looking for.

Yes, I was only offered 13.75 a week. I would prefer to work more hours if possible, put my child into school and not rely on UC at all.