What is your household income, how much is benefits, and how are you coping?

This is insane to me. Just picking one example for a number of posters who say they have a great quality of life whilst being substantially topped up by benefits. Why do you not feel you should go out and earn more money?! Well, I know why...

My household income is about £8k pcm outside of London and we have about £3k pcm to do with what we like. But I work day and night in a high stress job which often takes me away from my family. You can't have it both ways but it would literally never occur to me to think the state should top up my lifestyle. Surely life on benefits should be a bit crap to incentivise work!

I'm on circa £21.5K net, plus child benefit for 2 x 7 year olds. No maintenance from ex.
No holidays. No extra curriculars. Life is simple, dull and quite stressful!

Yep!

While you're entitled to hold the opinion that you do about 'clear difference', I'm not sure there's general agreement on that one no. Speaking as one who's both higher income than average and a recipient of multiple benefits, the money is exactly the same when I spend it.

But the point remains, whatever you think, either give honest numbers or don't give them at all. Don't bullshit.

Total earned income both parents 40k combined. Only claim child benefit for 3 children. Eldest at uni doing medicine so support him with groceries and laundry.
biggest outgoing in groceries at 900 pcm (6 people)
every day bills 600pcm. (Including all insurances car etc) We live very basic , no Netflix, SIM card £6pcm for me and 12 for dh. No gym, childcare, no holidays. Old cars and phones. council tax band A. No rent or mortgage.

i could only dream of the incomes I read on mumsnet. Dh had brain tumour so work has reduced right down and back op, but don’t get pip. I don’t keep well but don’t take sick leave I work part time 23 hrs p/ wk. I will increase this when younger two are older as we really need the money.

Because working as a childminder is exactly the same as caring for your own children isn't it? Or even grandchildren.

We had significantly more disposable income when DH was a solider, we got subsidised housing, I worked PT and we got UC. It was a lovely life.

Now we earn just a bit more than 100k jointly and have much less disposable income. Two in nursery at £2.5k, our three bed midlands semi has a mortgage of £1.7k a month. Although long term we will be better off, it stings a bit short term that we work so much harder for less.

Household income apx £110k gross from a mixture of jobs and other income streams. Mortgage £520 going up to £570 next month after rate changes. Receive cb for 2 and are in the magical period in-between childcare and uni.
We are doing OK considering!

And is exactly why PIP is being addressed and made more difficult. It’s like a parody!

In real terms, sure the gap is smaller. But there’s a huge difference between money earned and money given to supplement someone’s income, and surely people can see that too.

It is my genuine belief that if you can afford to live in the house you want, and send your kids to the childcare provision you want, without needing to rely on government support to do that - you’re in a decent position and shouldn’t whinge about it.

The person I described is topped up to around £3k a month. My salary is higher than that, but I see every penny of it, and spend it in the way that I want to. I also have more of it left after I’ve paid bills etc.

Being bothered that someone is “topped up” to even anywhere near the level that you just have available is just a weird outlook IMO.

Good thing I'm not looking to care for anybody else's children then isn't it 😂

Also, as nothing you've said indicates that you'd be able to care for any more young DC on top of your own, you'd potentially need to claim help for childcare if you were working. With my taxpayer hat on, I'm not sure how much difference it would make to the common good for you look after someone else's DC instead of your own.

I think the point is that you could still make this argument whilst not using such wildly inaccurate figures as you have. There are not people on this thread 'with a 10th of that' and you must know that.

If you still think the point stands in cases where actually, the difference is much smaller or even non-existent due to top up benefits, say that. Make the case honestly.

I do absolutely claim disability benefits. I just said I don't get PIP because I don't.

So you don’t claim disability benefits. You don’t care for someone else’s children. What’s your point again? Because you’ve got literally nothing in common with the person I replied too who is claiming disability benefits because they cannot work and is simultaneously caring for someone else’s child.

I don't get PIP.

And yes it is for long term conditions. This can include recently diagnosed ones. And ones which people continue to see medical professionals about and try different medication options. Where are you getting these ideas from? You think people only get awarded disability benefits if they've always had a disability or long term medical condition and never see doctors or have medication changes??

I’ve got to agree with this.
our household income isn’t much more than half of OP’s and we’re not eligible for benefits the same way they are.

it seems that the middle are paying for both the low earners and to top up the higher earners too.

I haven’t read the full thread, but I imagine this has been pointed out before. But, a 6-figure salary should not allow you to claim additional benefits. And, if it does, you shouldn’t be complaining about it.

Ah so your situation is literally nothing like the woman I originally replied to who is caring for someone else’s child? What a waste of everyone’s time that was.

PIP is for long term disabling health conditions. Not something you have recently been diagnosed with and certainly not something that remains under review. The evidence wouldn’t qualify you based on what you’ve said here.

I don't have to "make it make sense". And being a childminder is very different from looking after your own children. I have help from family and my partner for a start.

I was working until after I had my third child and returned to work when they were 8 months old. Then got pregnant again due to a migrated coil (not that anybody asked but I'm sure there are people who wouldn't hesitate to rudely ask about my contraception methods) My fourth child is only a few months old. And correct I have only recently started receiving these benefits and been declared unfit for work. I'm not going to explain what my disability/medical conditions are. Currently waiting for consultants to decide on the next steps to see which medication might help. Believe me I would love to work! For the mental health benefits if nothing else.

My household income is similar to OPs.

One of my staff is on circa £24k - she is a single mother of 2, supported by benefits. Her childcare costs are subsidised, she gets UC, all the things we’ve been talking about.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is still more money at the end of my month. We, as a company, bought the girl food last month. I would still, with no offence meant to her, rather be in my boat. I am completely unbothered that her benefits supplement her income.

If you have £90k coming into your house, and can’t afford hair dye - you need to rebudget. Somewhere in that situation is money that is unnecessarily being spent, and could be saved.

I’m not saying that from some high and mighty place - I live exactly to my means too. But I know I do, I know they’re higher than the person I’ve just described, and I know that makes me fortunate. I wouldn’t be asking for sympathy for choosing to do things that mean my money gets spent.

My cloth could be cut, and if we’re fair - so could OPs.

Perhaps ask them why you can’t work as say, a child minder, when you can look after 4 kids. Make it make sense.

I'm in ireland so I don't have council or water tax. My house is air to water so only pay around 150 a month for electric and gas, our phones are 20 a month, bins are 15, sky is 30, amazon is 15, health insurance is subsidised so around 15 a month. Then I have a few smaller bills for classes/ activities for my son.

I’ve got a friend with a spinal condition. She is in a wheelchair. She has carers. She also has 2 children. She cannot care for them independently and has support to do that. Fine. Perfect in fact. She also works.

But someone saying I can’t work but I can care for 4 children independently. No.

Someone who says I can’t work but I can care for someone else child. No.

Two people on this thread just like that. And you can guarantee those 4 kids are being propped up by people like me who chose to have what I could afford. I hope the govt does go after this nonsense.