Universal Credit

[HomerJSimpson]

Rude! And out of order, imo.

Sorry you see it that way but do you disagree that the son could have done more in work to plan for a rainy day, especially given the fickle nature of the work he was in. It has been rumbling on and SILH has bailed him out regularly in the two year period so perhaps he's simply taken it for granted the bank of mum and dad would always be there

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Sorry you see it that way but do you disagree that the son could have done more in work to plan for a rainy day, especially given the fickle nature of the work he was in. It has been rumbling on and SILH has bailed him out regularly in the two year period so perhaps he's simply taken it for granted the bank of mum and dad would always be there

I wouldn’t dare to tell another poster his son (or daughter) are taking advantage of them and to state he has no idea how to manage money.

We get what silh tells us and don’t know his son’s motives.

Would you like it if we questioned your marriage on the basis of you discussing possibly hiding what you spend without telling your wife? Money management

 

[drdel]

I wouldn’t dare to tell another poster his son (or daughter) are taking advantage of them and to state he has no idea how to manage money.

We get what silh tells us and don’t know his son’s motives.

Would you like it if we questioned your marriage on the basis of you discussing possibly hiding what you spend without telling your wife? Money management

Surely the point is that SILH has chosen to broadcast the subject on a public forum knowing full well that posters will shoot from the 'hip' and not hold back.

Revealing such private family matters may not have been the most prudent subject to put up for debate.

 

[Pants]

Surely the point is that SILH has chosen to broadcast the subject on a public forum knowing full well that posters will shoot from the 'hip' and not hold back.

Revealing such private family matters may not have been the most prudent subject to put up for debate.

TBH, this thread doesn't come close to what Homer has posted about his private life over the years .......

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Surely the point is that SILH has chosen to broadcast the subject on a public forum knowing full well that posters will shoot from the 'hip' and not hold back.

Revealing such private family matters may not have been the most prudent subject to put up for debate.

I believe there’s a difference between offering an opinion as as you rightly say SILH has chosen to post, and making comments on somebody he has never met and knows nothing about SILH’s relationship with his son.

“He clearly has no idea about money management and has always thought the parents would see him right. Simple as that and it has nothing to do with UC but a failing on SILH's son”

To use the words in bold Homer must know his son very well.

 

[Hobbit]

I believe there’s a difference between offering an opinion as as you rightly say SILH has chosen to post, and making comments on somebody he has never met and knows nothing about SILH’s relationship with his son.

“He clearly has no idea about money management and has always thought the parents would see him right. Simple as that and it has nothing to do with UC but a failing on SILH's son”

To use the words in bold Homer must know his son very well.

110% agree.

How Hogie manages that relationship has nothing to do with anyone on here. But I do feel that there is middle ground here. If your best buddy told you, time after time, they were digging out their child you might suggest something, but only suggest. It might be a "yes but.." affirming their action but questioning what about trying.

My short answer would be, "again?" And let them think it over. If it then became a 2 year why, why, why, my "again" would be more than just "again."

 

[Deleted member 1740]

TBH, this thread doesn't come close to what Homer has posted about his private life over the years .......

This. Then when someone responds and he doesn't like it he goes crying to the mods.

I think Homer sees this thread to have a pop at SILH.

 

[Pants]

This. Then when someone responds and he doesn't like it he goes crying to the mods.

I think Homer sees this thread to have a pop at SILH.

I think that it's more the case that he will post almost any rubbish, without thinking too much about the content, just to get his post count up. It's a compulsion for him but fortunately it seems that he has been limited to 20 posts a day (?). At certain times of the evening, if you go into (say) Out of Bounds, the last poster in many threads is HJS.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I think that it's more the case that he will post almost any rubbish, without thinking too much about the content, just to get his post count up. It's a compulsion for him but fortunately it seems that he has been limited to 20 posts a day (?). At certain times of the evening, if you go into (say) Out of Bounds, the last poster in many threads is HJS.

Only for the last 5 years, not exactly news
But it does mean that the whole post count thing isn’t a thing any more.

 

[PJ87]

Sorry to relight this classic but had a nice day out with old friend yest

His other half doesn't work ATM, he is working at Waitrose whilst he retrains to become a teacher. He really did start again. Lost IT job up London zero qualifications so been doing GCSE, a level now uni to become teacher . Mrs wants to be a teaching assistant

Anyways he on UC (replacing working tax credit) tops up his wages as a low earner around his uni work

He was saying how last month got paid less because he did overtime so the amount adjusted and because he is taxed on his wages he took home less than if he hadn't done the shift. Wasn't complaining but he was like does make you think why bother?

The system as an idea is good. However it's just broken from top to bottom

 

[SocketRocket]

Sorry to relight this classic but had a nice day out with old friend yest

His other half doesn't work ATM, he is working at Waitrose whilst he retrains to become a teacher. He really did start again. Lost IT job up London zero qualifications so been doing GCSE, a level now uni to become teacher . Mrs wants to be a teaching assistant

Anyways he on UC (replacing working tax credit) tops up his wages as a low earner around his uni work

He was saying how last month got paid less because he did overtime so the amount adjusted and because he is taxed on his wages he took home less than if he hadn't done the shift. Wasn't complaining but he was like does make you think why bother?

The system as an idea is good. However it's just broken from top to bottom

I dont believe UC works that way, one of its principles was to make it worth while to work, they taper the reduction in your benefit so that it is always worth while working.

From the .GOV UC site:

4. Universal Credit earnings taper rate
Once you earn more than your work allowance your Universal Credit payments will be reduced at a steady rate. This is known as the Universal Credit earnings taper.
The Universal Credit earnings taper rate is currently 63%. This means that for every £1 you earn over your work allowance (if you are eligible for one) your Universal Credit will be reduced by 63p. this amount will be deducted automatically from your Universal Credit payment.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The system lags by a month. I think it works this way. Let's say I get £200 a month UC top up to my salary, and let's say in August I get some O/T and so end of August I take home an additional £100 from that O/T - and so £100 more than my July basic earnings take-home.

As @SR points out - that £100 will knock £63 off my end September UC payment - so my end September UC top-up will drop to £137. But in September I don't get the O/T - I go back to my basic (July) earnings - and so at end of September my total income (work + UC) will be less that what I received in July because I worked O/T in August. End October my UC top up will go back up to £200.

I think. So I can't see how, if circumstances are normal, over a period of three months, the lad in the post lost out through working. He most certainly would have had less earnings+UC the month after doing the overtime - but it should go back up.

 

[Foxholer]

I dont believe UC works that way, one of its principles was to make it worth while to work, they taper the reduction in your benefit so that it is always worth while working.

From the .GOV UC site:

4. Universal Credit earnings taper rate
Once you earn more than your work allowance your Universal Credit payments will be reduced at a steady rate. This is known as the Universal Credit earnings taper.
The Universal Credit earnings taper rate is currently 63%. This means that for every £1 you earn over your work allowance (if you are eligible for one) your Universal Credit will be reduced by 63p. this amount will be deducted automatically from your Universal Credit payment.

The previous 3 topics (that being 4) are important!

For low earners, UC tops up to £512 (or £292 with housing support), then tapers. So OP's 'tops up' is correct (if he is earning <512/292) and still pays 37% of additional up to limit. One of the 'good' things about UC (at least over previous efforts) imo.

UC is meant to be a 'support' benefit, not simply a 'dole'!

 

[PJ87]

The system lags by a month. I think it works this way. Let's say I get £200 a month UC top up to my salary, and let's say in August I get some O/T and so end of August I take home an additional £100 from that O/T - and so £100 more than my July basic earnings take-home.

As @SR points out - that £100 will knock £63 off my end September UC payment - so my end September UC top-up will drop to £137. But in September I don't get the O/T - I go back to my basic (July) earnings - and so at end of September my total income (work + UC) will be less that what I received in July because I worked O/T in August. End October my UC top up will go back up to £200.

I think. So I can't see how, if circumstances are normal, over a period of three months, the lad in the post lost out through working. He most certainly would have had less earnings+UC the month after doing the overtime - but it should go back up.

Maybe he will benefit next month and was saying the instant loss he will get

He can't wait to get off it

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Maybe he will benefit next month and was saying the instant loss he will get

He can't wait to get off it

Like most who have been forced onto it.

 

[SocketRocket]

Like most who have been forced onto it.

Forced, what do you mean by that?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Forced, what do you mean by that?

Assuming he's talking about his son losing his income and no savings to fall back on and so no sustainable income (as may are suffering) and forced to apply to UC

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Assuming he's talking about his son losing his income and no savings to fall back on and so no sustainable income (as may are suffering) and forced to apply to UC

As many have had to do and as encouraged by the government. And ‘forced’ through circumstances of loss of income to seek support of the state made available and at slightly increased level. And I wasn’t actually. And remember you can claim UC with savings of up to £16k, so for many claiming UC is nothing to do with not having any savings but all to do with loss of income.

 

[chrisd]

As many have had to do and as encouraged by the government. And ‘forced’ through circumstances of loss of income to seek support of the state made available and at slightly increased level. And I wasn’t actually. And remember you can claim UC with savings of up to £16k, so for many claiming UC is nothing to do with not having any savings but all to do with loss of income.

I seem to recall that many of the benefits from Government and Councils allowed the claimant to have some level of savings, this has been allowed going back over a number of years and the the level of savings gives a degree of security to the claimant given that they might be home owners with children and might need, and understandably are wise, to put money away to cover say, a new boiler or some emergency repairs to their house. It would seem to me a counter productive scheme that says as soon as you are unemployed you have to spend every penny you have before you can claim UC. I get the case you are trying to make but in no way can the Government can allow wages or redundancy owed to become "savings" as let's face it, someone getting a £16,000 redundancy payment would pop that money in the building society and be claiming UC straight away and that really isn't what the UC system is designed for.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I seem to recall that many of the benefits from Government and Councils allowed the claimant to have some level of savings, this has been allowed going back over a number of years and the the level of savings gives a degree of security to the claimant given that they might be home owners with children and might need, and understandably are wise, to put money away to cover say, a new boiler or some emergency repairs to their house. It would seem to me a counter productive scheme that says as soon as you are unemployed you have to spend every penny you have before you can claim UC. I get the case you are trying to make but in no way can the Government can allow wages or redundancy owed to become "savings" as let's face it, someone getting a £16,000 redundancy payment would pop that money in the building society and be claiming UC straight away and that really isn't what the UC system is designed for.

This is all true and of course I get it.

It is perhaps an inequality in the system - allowing those with savings and registering for UC to benefit more than those with no savings, but who only have none because income was delayed until after registering. And that has only ever been the point I raised.

Bear in mind that £6k is equivalent to about 6months UC for a couple. I think we all expect (hope) anyone on UC to get a job within 6months. In which case, for the person with £6k saving but without UC, £6k savings need not be totally depleted if the claimants live/spend as they would be expected to do on UC alone, and seek work as they are expected to do.