A YOUNG mother has revealed that she works and still receives Universal Credit, but is just about scraping by.
Ellie, a 23-year-old mum from the UK who works as a paramedic, explained that she and her partner earn a total of £3,600 a month and are still entitled to £363 in benefits.
But the content creator was keen to “combat the stigma that people in Universal Credit do not work” and took to social media to share a breakdown of the benefits she is entitled to, versus how much she actually receives.
Posting online, the brunette beauty, who was accused of living a “luxury” lifestyle, said: “We made just over £3,600 this month and we still receive Universal Credit.”
The band 5 NHS paramedic, who has a two-year-old and a partner who works a full-time minimum wage job confirmed that she and her man are eligible for the standard Universal Credit allowance, which is £497.55 a month, as well as a £875 housing payment.
Not only this, but the couple are also eligible for a £292.81 child benefit payment, as well as £593.09 for childcare costs, bringing their total entitlement amount to £2,258.45.
However, the mother confirmed that as a result of her and her partner’s wages, over £1,800 was deducted from their allowance.
She added: “They also overpaid us a little while ago, so we’re still paying that back, so that gets deducted as well.
“Our total deductions were £1,894.64, which means we will be receiving £363.81.”
Ellie’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ellie.paramedic.mum, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 235,000 views, 1,916 likes and 337 comments.
Social media users were stunned by Ellie’s video and eagerly raced to the comments to share their thoughts.
One person said: “This is why I always tell people to apply, there’s so much unclaimed because people think they earn too much, and they may well be entitled!”
To this, Ellie wrote back and expressed: “£7.5 BILLION is unclaimed from UC every year, if people want to be mad at my £360 go ahead, it’s barely a drop in the ocean.”
Another added: “Well done for doing this video. So many people are too quick to judge.”
Am I entitled to Universal Credit?
According to the GOV website, if you’re on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit.
To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you’re 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.
Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition.
A third commented: “That’s crazy.”
Meanwhile, someone else asked: “Genuine question here! Could you survive without the UC support?”
Two cars is a luxury, so you could live without UC, just don’t want to support yourselves
TikTok user
To this, Ellie wrote back and explained: “Probably not tbh. Just the house bills are nearly £3,000 alone including childcare.
“Then we have our own bills (running two cars, phone, debt repayments/finance plans for furniture). We just about scrape by even with the UC!”
Will I be better off on Universal Credit?
Around 1.4million will be better off on Universal Credit, the government calculates.
A further 300,000 will see no change in payments, while around 900,000 will be worse off under Universal Credit.
Of these, around 600,000 are expected to get top-up payments if they move under managed migration, so they don’t lose out on cash immediately.
The majority of those – around 400,000 – are claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
Around 100,000 are on tax credits while fewer than 50,000 each on other legacy benefits are expected to be affected.
Examples of those who may be entitled to less on Universal Credit according to the government include:
- Households getting ESA who and the Severe Disability Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium
- Households with the lower disabled child addition on legacy benefits
- Self-employed households who are subject to the Minimum Income Floor after the 12 month grace period has ended
- In-work households that worked a specific number of hours (eg lone
- parent working 16 hours claiming Working Tax Credits
- Households receiving tax credits with savings of more than £6,000 (and up to £16,000)
- But they could miss out on any future increase to benefits and see payments frozen.
Those who move voluntarily and are worse off won’t get these top-up payments and could lose cash.
Those who miss the deadline and later make a claim may also not get this transitional protection either.
The clock starts ticking on the three-month countdown from the date of the first letter, and reminders are sent via post and text message.
There is a one-month grace period after this, during which any claim to Universal Credit is backdated and transitional protection can still be awarded.
The most recent data from the DWP shows 61,130 individuals have made a claim for UC, and 39,920 awarded transitional protection.
Another 40,540 are still in the process of moving to the new benefit.
But to this, someone else replied: “Just about scrape by? I would say two cars is a luxury, so you could live without UC, just don’t want to support yourselves.”
Eager to set the record straight, Ellie then responded and confirmed: “It’s not a luxury, it’s a requirement.
“I work shift work, no public transport at 3am and it’s cheaper to run a car than get taxis.
“Then my other half needs a car as he needs to drive to pick up our child. Without two cars one of us would have to give up work.”
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