Universal Credit - Benefit cap

Unfortunately there isn't mouth you can do as the benefit cap is automatically applied by the system. Send a journal message and ask to speak to a work coach. Most job centres are organised by specialties at the moment and lone parent support is one of the specialties. They should have specific resources which they can signpost you to at the very least. It might also be worth having a look at the Gingerbread website as this is a charity which supports single parents. If you can speak to a health visitor about your local families services. Now that children's centres have closed the services are run locally. Most can support families with children up to 19 years (25 if the child has SEN). I hope that this helps!

Is it because you’re having a 3rd? They cap the benefits at 2 children now I heard

@Sam The benefit cap is different. It's a maximum amount which a household can receive from combined benefits (eg, UC, child benefit). UC will add the child element for the first two children only unless born before 2017 or in a few exceptional circumstances (e.g multiple births, non consentual conception)

@Sam No, it's just the general benefit cap. The 3rd child cap doesn't apply to me as 3rd was conceived during abuse. Not that it makes much difference as they'll just cap the extra money anyways.. so when new baby comes I'll be down nearly £600 just because of the benefit "limit" cap

@Becca my first was born before 2017, second 2022 and this one is due 2025 (with exceptional circumstances)

I'm really sorry to hear about the circumstances and hope that you're doing okay in yourself. I would recommend speaking to a work coach. You should be able to request a phone appointment. Send a journal message outlining the issue with the benefit cap, and ask if there is any further support or adjustments that they can offer/put in place. Hopefully there will be something, although to manage expectations they are unfortunately unlikely to be able to lift the cap.

Is this cap the part at the bottom of the statement where they deduct after earnings etc? I haven’t heard of it and my UC entitlement right now is relatively high? (I’m a single parent living alone with my child)

@Courtney Greater London and Outside of London have different rates. The Greater London benefit cap is £2110 and includes child benefit too. So if you're UC, including child benefit, is higher than that they'll deduct some money unless you/child have disability or earn around £800 a month to have it lifted. The benefit cap outside of Greater London is around 1850. And again, the cap amounts vary if you don't have children. The childcare 85% also isn't included in the cap. Google benefit caps, lots of information online. I've only just started getting capped, I was on a 9 month grace period due to changing from a joint to a single claim.

Ahhh ok. I hadn’t claimed pre baby as my son is my first child and his dad and I broke up when I was pregnant. I’m outside London & get child benefit separately as a monthly payment. Including the 85% for childcare, I get £2498 as my entitlement from UC. They take off £300-£350 due to my earnings from work (3 days at my sons nursery) depending on if I’ve worked overtime and got paid a bit more. Living in London, cost of living is SO much higher. I really don’t think the benefit cap for Greater London reflects that. I can understand why it’s so hard to manage on what you’re given considering that & can see why so many people still struggle while on UC. You shouldn’t be feeling forced to return to work just to keep afloat! I’m so sorry this is happening to you😔 Is there anything you guys are desperately short of atm? I would love to help if I can. Xx

Are you claiming child maintenance from the father? X

@Kirsty child maintenance from first two children yes, but it's not much and doesn't go far and is included in my budget for food shopping/bills etc as atm it's making up the short fall due to the cap. Third child no, as the circumstances.

@Courtney you probably earn over £800 a month so the cap won't affect you anyways. But because I'm due a baby in 11 weeks, finding a job with more hours etc isn't viable right now so my earnings aren't high enough to stop the cap unfortunately.. but this is why I don't see how it's fair, because how am I expected to work and earn what's needed to lift the cap when I'm due a baby soon and then will be dealing with a newborn 🤷🏻‍♀️😮‍💨 Oh yeah, the whole system needs re looking at.. my outgoings each month are about 1800, as rent alone is 1200, then all the household bills etc. I got 2090 from UC this month after the cap, and deduction from an advance. Childcare is around £350 a month, and that's not even including food shopping etc every week. So literally, having to live off child benefit each week and the minimal child maintenance I get after it's been used to top up childcare once all the main bills have been paid. Honestly, stressing how I'm going to afford nappies - and formula (if needed)

Ohhhh I didn’t realise you had to earn a certain amount. Surely it should be the other way round?! Like you’re capped AFTER earning?! Wtf??? I actually don’t understand why they’re enforcing it when you’re due a baby soon? Maybe once you’re officially on mat leave it will be lifted again? I’d defo ring the UC line or speak to an advisor at your local jobcentre about it. That seems beyond fucked up! Are there any local baby banks or churches you can utilise? My local one does a community pantry which is 20p entry and you can fill 4 carrier bags with shopping (never used it but handy to know it’s there). A church near me also does a baby and child swap shop which I’ve used loads and might be worth researching! Healthy start vouchers should be available to you and sure start maternity grant also might help (if you haven’t already claimed before).

There’s plenty of baby bank free pages on fb also (literally just called baby bank & then your area). Might be worth looking into. My sister was made jobless and homeless whilst on mat leave and was told she wasn’t entitled to any support and so she’s sofa surfing between us family with her newborn (born mid Jan) and she used the baby bank pages for free formula and nappies etc, and we help where we can too, as her daughter wouldn’t latch so needed formula. Please also speak to your HV too and midwife who can both arrange support for you. Midwife might be able to arrange through hospital. I gave birth outside of london (at RSCH) but they had a charity called stripey stork who sourced and provided any and all goods, furniture and the more expensive items for free (like next 2 me, changing table, clothes, breast pump etc) xx

@Courtney it's because they don't want people on benefits getting more money than those who work, so they cap the total amount you get receive unless earning a decent wage - which like I said isn't possible right now with my circumstances so it seems really unfair. I'd understand if I wasn't pregnant right now and could work to earn, but I can't 🤷🏻‍♀️ with pregnancy you're classed as LCW which surely should make you exempt from the cap. I have contacted citizens advice about it and written in my journal, because it's just unneeded stress right now, and then they wonder why so many people are living in poverty. Oh that's good, as far as I know there is one church local to me that does a baby bank, I don't drive unfortunately and have horrid PGP which flares up if I walk/travel too much. Yes I get healthy start, but again when used for formula etc it doesn't go far. I'm hoping to breast feed to lower costs but isn't always possible. I had the sure grant with my first 12 years ago.

@Courtney I'll have a look on Facebook. I have been looking on Olio and freegle etc but again with transport being limited it's not always possible for me to collect items etc.