Is receiving £30k pa on benefits “living in poverty”?!

A couple where all 6 kids have SN probably have SN themselves. They might not be capable of making measured and sensible decisions about something like the impact of multiple disabled children. If a whole family is SN, then it tends to be their normal.

I said upthread about a couple I know with LD who keep having kids and having them taken away. That is because they love kids and really want to have them, but they can't look after them.

The couple having 6 kids may have the capability to look after them, but not to know that having more is a bad idea. If that makes sense. The kids should not suffer for that via their parents having benefits cut. What will that achieve? The kids are already here.

Of course it is. It’s the epitome of “I’ll do what I want and everyone else can manage things to make sure I get what I want, and if you don’t cheer and support you are evil and clearly don’t want me to exist!!”

It’s just selfish

They had some of the kids during the 2 child cap though, did they not? So it doesn't look like it made any difference in their case.

Exactly.

I've got no issue with people who are disabled being supported with benefits, but the system is flawed when people who are reliant on benefits and who can't work choose to have 6 children.

The problem is, once the children are here, they shouldn't suffer for the choices their parents make. I was very anti the 2 child benefit cap but then cases like this make me doubt. I really don't know what the answer is.

I don't know. Desperation leads people to make decisions that might seem odd to the rest of us sometimes. It's not great for the taxpayer, obviously, but we've opted for a system that lets people make their own reproductive choices so we have to support the children that are born as a result of that regardless of their parents' situation. I'm not sure if there are any society-level solutions in these cases other than to support the families. Some of the kids might go on to be high rate tax payers or even just regular contributors and balance it all out again despite their own disabilities. I haven't listened to the programme but it does at least sound like they're being brought up with a lot of love surrounding them.

But surely once you get to three or four, all with disabilities, it becomes obvious that there is some kind of genetic link and further children are likely to be affected? And instead of their child caring for them in their old age, all eight of them will be dependent on the state forever.

That is true, but a lot of people on UC rent privately and have to make up the shortfall from the small amount they get in benefits.

People in social housing will get their rent paid in full if they do not work and assuming they don't have spare bedrooms?

I remember some clickbait newspaper article on FB listing legal aid as a benefit people on UC get... like it should be counted towards their "income" and compared against working people.

You dont get a rent allowance, your benefits will include a housing element, and depending on the situation you will get an amount towards your housing. No-one get their rent paid in full.

free prescriptions are available to people not on benefits if you qualify. Some councils either don't reduce council tax.

Check your facts before spreading lies

Yep, she is amazing and I hope her DS gets the help he needs. He is a such a bright kid. She is disabled herself, as is her DH (who due to his disabilities has never worked and will not live to his 40s). She does her best.

True

Yes, in many cases I suppose they would. Although I doubt anyone with 6 disabled kids and a disabled husband is lounging.

Except they would need to pay for childcare as well if they were working and not lounging at home all day

Yes, I know, although to be fair, a lot of working people have a similar or higher income to theirs and so could technically do the same on a shoe string. I understand why they're not choosing to though.

Not many working people anyway as they can’t afford to have more than two!

I'm guessing maybe they were desperate for a child that doesn't have a disability and so will be able to help and support them in their older years. That's why a lot of people have children. I agree though, it's less than ideal the situation they're now in but these situations are unusual. Not many people have more than 2 kids these days.

I've come across a few people like this and it really confuses me. They then complain about struggling. The children have disabilities that are genetic

If you already had 2 kids with SN why on earth would you have another 4?

How dare people buy and have a property? How often do tenants thrash the place as well?

Those nasty Landlords eh, fancy working for a living and providing people on benefits with somewhere to live!
MN makes me laugh

This.

The double whammy of selling off social housing at a huge discount and not replacing social housing stock has led to a massive increase in private rents. I suspect it's had an impact on house prices generally, too, as those who can't get social housing are desperate to buy so that they don't have the insecurity of having to move if their private landlord decides to sell up.

I worked in welfare rights before I retired last year, and housing costs was the biggest element in almost every UC claim that I saw. I'd love to know what proportion of the "benefits bill" ends up in the pockets of private landlords.

And that is completely understandable and I hope she is able to access support and/or a more suitable school place for her son. However, she is working as much as she can given her caring responsibilities. The family on the programme were in a totally different situation: neither adult had worked for ten years but they had continued having children they are unable to support.

My friend has twins with SEN they can't go into school so has to home school them.......I don't even have a lift at my station so traveling is very hard for me. I'm still in treatment.