To wonder what’s the point when I’m left with this after bills?

Where did I say she was rich? Show me the post.

I pay tax also. I work full time.

This. Who then let’s not forget come on to goad her for being rich and tell her she should cut her cloth.

The point is that someone on £70k who is paying £17.3k of tax shouldn't be struggling more than someone on the benefit top ups her tax is funding.

Again. Way to miss the point. A “rich” higher earners should in no way be part of a tax and welfare system where she has less income after deductions than those she is funding. That isn’t sustainable. However, it’s great fodder for those who want to highlight the issues facing the welfare system. Not so great for those who will really need it when the cutbacks are made. It can’t go on.

If you're struggling to pay for things, then luxuries do have to take a back seat.

No, but highly paid jobs like OP's usually require living in an area with more expensive housing.

And that's what we haven't taken into account.

This would be even more unfair to OP if we did take it into account, but we don't even need to since it's so obviously wrong even without it - so we won't open that up to all the justifications.

This.

You were on here telling her she should be avoiding luxuries like bubble bath. Nothing to do with childcare in this instance - you’d still be better off as you’d have it paid for you - as UC would do the lifting.

What doesn’t help but does highlight the issue in this country is when people are goading op for being a higher earner - how dare she. All the while saying how much they have when topped up by the tax payer. Some may say that’s bragging or being deliberately obtuse. Maybe both.

It is a huge problem and is forcing women out of the workplace and out of home ownership.

We don't get with our mortgage either and we are on UC. Many are in the same situation.

And whilst life might not be fair, if the tax and benefit system is so blatantly unfair to the people like OP who is actually funding it, then it has to change.

No one gets help with housing costs if they have a mortgage no matter how much they earn.

We didn't even include her housing costs in this. No help for OP with her housing, no matter how little money she has left since she's 'so rich'

Again, show me where I said it was fair? Life isn't fair unfortunately.

I have more disposable income than OP because I have no childcare costs. That is the crux of the issue - the fact that childcare is so expensive. Also housing costs. I likely live in a much cheaper area than OP.

Leaving the workplace wouldn't make OP better off though as she has a mortgage.

This was you at the start of the thread.

*You have to view childcare as a temporary evil.

I earn less than half what you do, but I have about £1000 per month disposable income because I have no childcare costs any more. It doesn't last forever.*

Someone on UC having more disposable income than someone in the top 5% of earners is infinitely wrong - no matter how you swing it. It is relevant to op because this is why women get pissed off and leave the workplace.

Show me where I said it was fair? I wasn't commenting on OP's situation here.

Do you do your grocery shopping at Harrods or something? How can you possible spend £40 a week on that?

I’m useless at budgeting and finding bargains, but even I think that’s crazy.

But that's only the case for people on UC, not in the overall tax system.

If OP goes from earning £14k to earning £70k (£56k better off) - which is a realistic option for her, comparing working 1 day/week or 5 days/week - she gets to keep £15k of that: 26p in every £1. Nothing like as generous as what your 40p for every £1 you earn.

But if you include her childcare costs (which you really have for for a single mother of a nursery age child) she's only £540 per year better off. She gets to keep less than 1p for every extra £1 she earns.

How can you possibly think that's fair? Or that she should choose to do that?

Yeah it's 55p in every pound. I also claim. And don't work for health reasons.

I know, I get UC myself, but they deduct something like 60p for every extra pound you earn, so you're always better off working more.

It depends where you live in the UK

The more you work, the more is deducted from the UC award. But yeah most people are better off working more hours in the long run. I guess for some 18 hours is sustainable or they really can't work any more than that.

Oh and I don't get free prescriptions either, that's not a blanket thing for everyone receiving UC. Same with free school meals, you have to be earning less than £6k per year to get those things.

Well, the more you work the better off you are as you get to keep more UC £ for £ (especially as I have no childcare costs) so I work full time, I'd be worse off if I only worked 18 hours a week!

Which is what happens at home in normal family life. Not every minute needs to have a form of entertainment/learning.

I am not paying my nursery to educate, I’m paying them to just keep the child safe, warm and fed.

Children in Poland don’t go to school until they are 7, many can’t read/write at that point. It has absolutely no bearing on outcomes later on.