AIBU to be miffed about Chester Zoo?

What are you meaning by high earner?

Exactly. The way some people talk about, you would think they were expecting a tax rebate in the post.

Or to put it more simply - how is anyone's life improved by the zoo not offering these £1 tickets?

The vast majority of people on UC are on low incomes.
Some people not on UC are also struggling.

For a limited time period the zoo is offering £1 tickets to people on UC. I (and some other people) think this is a positive thing because some children from poorer backgrounds can have a nice day out at Xmas.
It is unfortunate that all struggling families cant access the offer, but the zoo isnt in a position to do full means assessments and audit applications.

It seems a very strange thing to be upset about (particularly if you can afford to visit the zoo yearly). Would it really be better if nobody can access the offer? Frankly, that seems a bit mean-spirited at Xmas time.

What are you classing as a high earner?

So yeah. UC will get you FSM even if you're a high-earner.

As MN helpfully pointed out to a high-earning poster who was experiencing some guilt about whether to claim what they were 'entitled to' but don't need and MN was pointing out it's not just the cash but the other benefits not direct cash like FSM from next September and from this thread, free zoo tickets.

What would that look like to you?

If it would include taking things away from disabled children who are already at a disadvantage, how exactly would that be fairer?

You are only currently entitled to free school meals if you are on UC and earn less than £7,400 a year.

That is changing from September 2026 when everyone on UC will be entitled to free school meals.

I'm a single parent who doesn't qualify for UC. I work full time and I have a subscription for the zoo.

I am happy to pay my subscription and I am also happy that some disabled or poorer children might get to visit the zoo this Christmas. Why are people so mean?

If someone gets awarded benefits then it has been deemed by the government that they need them. That is a fact. It is your opinion that you think some people do not need it.
Someone claiming them is doing nothing wrong by claiming that money if they are entitled to it.

And?

That still doesn't refute my post which you were trying to refute, that there is a welfare system where people are entitled to taxpayers money that they do not need.

I do know what you mean OP. I don’t begrudge it but for those saying that you can afford it, you probably can’t! We don’t receive benefits but we aren’t high earners so we sort of fall into the middle bit where a day out at £100+ for everyone before food, fuel etc is only really feasible once a year. It’s a tricky one because I want those kids to enjoy it but at the same time some of us in the middle get little help. I don’t know what the answer is.

It gets so tiresome hearing people whine about poor people getting help. The reason people claim universal credit is due to the fact their income is very low. If you’re not entitled to claim it then your income is not very low. How hard is that to understand?

And to begrudge people help with their rent!?

Tell you what. Quit your jobs and get a job as a care worker, 12 hour shifts on minimum wage. Then adopt a disabled child or two. Then move into a private rented house that costs more than a mortgage, so you’ll never get on the property ladder and never have any assets or be able to retire until you’re 80.

Might be shit but at least you can get a cheap ticket for the bloody zoo.

The DLA was for David Cameron's son, not him. DLA/PIP is also a gateway to other help.

Use it then. Perhaps it is worn out from all the hard work from your PHD.

And whilst it was, indeed, a thread about Chester Zoo, as often happens on Mumsnet, we have diverted into related topics of discussion. Did your university not encourage wider debate of issues?

Yes, I saw that, thanks. It’s great that this can benefit families like mine who have a disabled child. I wasn’t really against it, I was just thinking that I do get where OP is coming from to an extent.

You seem to have willfully ignored the point I was making.

There are numerous people 'entitled' to benefits who do not 'need' them.

DLA and PIP aren't means tested for a start.

The then millionaire prime minister David Cameron claimed DLA for his disabled son.

Entitled to it, didn't need it.

I work in a deprived area, many, many of the families don’t work. There are obviously complex reasons for this. People claiming UC because they earn under a certain threshold and are entitled isn’t really what I was referring to. It’s the people who don’t work out of choice. It’s the people like the Mum I mentioned, who wanted a letter of support that she couldn’t look for work because she had children and cooking/cleaning.
maybe in some areas the majority of people not working are SAHP with one parent earning well, but not in the area in which I work.

That’s my point. The government need to reassess who they help and how. Rather than showering some groups with vast amounts of financial support, it would be fairer and better for society if this was shared more widely to cover the growing number of people who are struggling since the pandemic and cost of living crisis. The same applies to businesses, but they aren’t accountable. Of course, this would be very unpopular with those who are receiving generous amounts and don’t want to lose any of it because they feel they ‘deserve it more’.

(Moving house to downsize is also expensive. Doing a ‘flit’ might be beyond what people can afford.)

Exactly. Glad someone on here has some sense!

Exactly. This is how the system works. Those in most need get through benefits. Some people are so ignorant.

fully agree, have a look at entitled to for the benefits calculator. You may get some childcare paid for.

I have a PhD; I have a brain. You on you other hand... 😬

PS "this isn't about zoo tickets"... this is LITERALLY a thread about Chester zoo 😂 Genius you are.

Being eligible for benefits used to be because you needed them, not because you are 'entitled' which many people are who are not struggling for money

That makes no sense. If you apply for benefits and get them, you were clearly entitled to them. All the people I know on benefits would be struggling immensely if they were not on them. They are a lifeline.
I think a lot of people saying they get nothing and are struggling should apply and see if they get anything.

I agree that life can be hard for all people but the benefits system is set up for the section of society that the government considers needing protection. People with mortgages who are struggling have the option to downsize or move somewhere cheaper however unpalatable or difficult that would be. People renting on low salaries topped up by UC don’t really have this luxury. There are varying degrees of poverty and I feel for you if you are struggling.