robthedog:
Top pay
A combination of Low Pay for far too long, coupled with people who wouldn’t (before the lockdown…) consider going onto Universal Credit - has kinda distorted the picture here.
On UC you get deducted 63% of any earnings over £515 per month, which means if you have a job above and beyond working in a chippy on a saturday night - you’re gonna get docked for doing any job that involves multiple shifts per week…
SO - you try to get your overheads down:
Better to do 4x12 shifts than 6x8 - reduces your commute cost by a third…
Better to do 2 shifts rather than 4 if you have an unemployed wife and kids - because 2 keeps the max UC benefits up, whereas 4 shifts will have you lose two thirds of it in “taper back”…
Thus, “Less” really IS more. UC is rather different from Tax Credits, but essentially it is an “In Work” Benefit rather than just a “Benefit”.
It is become rather hard now for “Workshy” types to remain long-term on full UC payments before they get pushed “Hey, how come you’ve not taken one of the many jobs around your area? You’re not registered disabled bud - so what gives? - Tell you what: Have a job by this time NEXT month - or we’ll be benefit sanctioning you!”
The only thing wrong with it - is that this “Taper” should start at 40 hours @ Minimum Wage level, rather than the wages you’d get serving in a shop for 6 hours on a saturday night - NOT your average job being held down by a family man - is it?