Money Moral Dilemma: Should my daughter claim Universal Credit?

riding_pink

If she is eligible, do it. She’ll likely spend years of her life paying thousands in taxes, and you say she’s job hunting so she’s unlikely to be claiming for long but they can support with interview costs too. It’s not fair to expect you to pay for her, but if she wants to dwindle away her own savings when there is support available, that’s up to her 

primrose_penguin

You should be proud of your daughter for having standards and morals. If she is looking for work and does not feel she should claim Universal Credit at this time because she does not feel it is right, then support her decision. If she shows these qualities to an employer I do not think she will be out of a job for long. If things get difficult she will know when to claim. Good luck for her future.

Newly_retired

There is a four week delay before UC is paid, though an advance is possible but has to be repaid.
 All things being equal, won’t she be able to get a job within four weeks?

SStitanic

She may be right not too. At the moment she’s free to pick and choose her next job. Once signed up to U.C she will be expected to take whatever is available that she is fit and healthy to do, some of those jobs may not be what she wants. 

JuliusCaesar

She should claim it, and pay most of it to you as rent. She is an adult after all.

squirrel59

I can't get over some of the comments here. If you want to know what is wrong with our country nowadays, read the responses on this forum. 

Benefits are for people who NEED them. 'Entitlement' in itself should not be the deciding factor.
Your daughter does not need benefits and is therefore, rightly, ashamed to ask for them. Good for her.

Spoonie_Turtle

squirrel59 said:

I can't get over some of the comments here. If you want to know what is wrong with our country nowadays, read the responses on this forum. 

Benefits are for people who NEED them. 'Entitlement' in itself should not be the deciding factor.
Your daughter does not need benefits and is therefore, rightly, ashamed to ask for them. Good for her.

You might want to check which board you're posting on:

"Its about helping people get their entitlement! Not about benefits policy!

This board is here for help and support for those on or looking to claim benefits, not for judgement.

Its ONLY focus is helping people with their money.

It's here to help people find out what they are entitled to under the current system, and to help them get it.

Benefits provide a lifeline for many, and this site is here to help people with their money, and not to judge. Of course, how to illegally defraud the benefits system shouldn't be discussed here, but ensuring you're getting your entitlement is exactly what it’s about.


Thanks for your co-operation


Martin"

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/365935/its-about-helping-people-get-their-entitlement-not-about-benefits-policy

Qwertybaz

Of course she shouldn’t claim, that’s what the bank of mum and dad are for! You obviously can afford it. Benefits should only be claimed by those that really need them otherwise the whole system will collapse 

TheShape

HillStreetBlues said:

I do wish the staff would actually stop and think about posting MMD in this forum, as clearly it totally ignores the sticky and this forum rules.

The crux of the question is should someone with some savings claim the benefit they are entitled too.  It's a question that totally insults everyone on this forum that gives their advice freely, as it goes against everything they do, It's about claiming what a person is entitled too without judgement, nothing else.

Original post reported for breaking the forum's own rules.

If the original post is allowed to stay, then it's very difficult to suggest that other forum members can't just pile in with personal judgement about any forum member who asks about benefit entitlement.

Lorelli

MSE_Kelvin said:

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

My daughter is 18, lives at home and is taking a gap year before starting university next September. She had a temporary part-time job that recently ended and is now job hunting. Technically, she could claim Universal Credit, but she doesn't think she should as she has some savings and few outgoings, and our family isn't short of money. I suggested she claim it and put it towards her university costs, but she feels that's not what Universal Credit is designed for. Should she claim it?

Unfortunately the MSE team can't answer Money Moral Dilemma questions as contributions are emailed in or suggested in person. They are intended to be a point of debate and discussed at face value. Remember that behind each dilemma there is a real person so, as the forum rules say, please keep it kind and keep it clean.

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.
Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Suggest an MMD.
View past Money Moral Dilemmas.

If she's entitled to the money she should claim, but she should be honest and honour her 'commitments ' ie what she agreed to do in exchange for the benefits. That might mean not being too fussy! Also worth noting that she might not get 'contribution based' jobseekers allowance if she hasn't 'paid enough in'. She'd likely be entitled to an allowance of some sort if she has no income however her savings will be taken into account and she might be surprised by just how much personal info she needs to share. They'll also want to know why/how her job ended ie did she make herself jobless. It's not as easy as you imagine to claim.