Tax Credits = benefit-dependent society?

We've already done all this.

bbc average salaries piece

A salary of £32K put you in the top 25% of earners (a year ago).

40% of people do not earn over £40K.

Ah that amde no sense, ds was trying to colour my carpet as I typed

Sorry

OK I am a carer; out of workforce

DH was made redundant, and of the 3 companies in his field only one remains

Dh ahd 3 options:

Sit on dole

Sit on dole waiitng for either vacancy in old field or something else locally (not much, particulalry abdly hit ehre)

Retrain

Whilst retraining Dh wanted to earn some money, so he set up in business. He works varying hours each week due to demand / training workload but neverr ever less than 16 hours

Way I see it DH is doing the RRight Thing

and Tc's are helping him get us back off any help

Big plus for anyone surely?

Elvis maybe soem people choose to work PT but what about the people who can mange or find PT work but not FT? Disabled, sick, carers, Dh as all he could do around post retraining redunsancy

yet dh will be back in work soon hopefully FT

So won't the PT tax credits have done their job? Helped us cope withr edundancy in a dying fireld and got him back in a growing one?

What's wrong there?

Okay, I've done a quick calculation on entitled to.

Based on a 25 year old single parent with 1 child, the figures come out at

16-29 hours worked per week
Annual salary £10k
weekly childcare costs £85
child tax credits award - £184.05

30+ hours worked per week £181.06
Annual salary £20k
weekly childcare costs £175
child tax credit award £181.06

Okay, so a rough estimate, but it doesn't seem like part timers are taking a whole load more than their share.

I've probably missed out something massively important

foureleven - I think 'fairness' is a very poor guide to how we should organise ourselves as a society. Along with 'choice'.

Every one has different levels of resilience and energy, just as each child is different. Some will be quite happy in a nursery all day playing, others will find it distressing. The WOHM VS SAHM tiff is just silly.

I have to say I am kind of lucky, in my job I have no option, I work school hours. However, the pay is pitiful, (as I have already stated, 10k a year, works out at 7.04 p/h) so I have to rely on TCs. Round here it's considered a decent income in comparison with the alternative jobs available. It's almost impossible to find a job paying more than the minimum wage. So I could work more hours, see my son less, quit my only chance of improving my situation (I also study languages with the OU), and still be no better off than I am now. I would also be exhausted and no use to my son, who has already lost his father (deadbeat loser). Why should he lose his mum to work?

Acanthus - yes it is. We should just stop wasting all this time and money on means testing.

cordonbleugh - what is 'your situation?' that you hope I never end up in? I dont get it?

"oh, so you claimed tax credits yourself?! why all the slagging it off then?!"

Please show me where I slagged people off for claiming tax credits?

My point is - tax credits are to top up low incomes. If you have a low income because you have chosen to work less hours, its not fair that you can get your money topped up.

So we've established that earning £50k puts a household in the top 5% (or was it 1%?) in this country, and that tax credits are paid to families with children right up to that income?

That's bonkers, surely.

Actually my initial comment about a degree being a luxury was because of the lady who said she needed the time at home because she was studying for Maths degree ?for fun?. I concede that studying for a vocational degree in social care etc etc is indeed a different case in point.

oh, so you claimed tax credits yourself?! why all the slagging it off then?!

Again - you chose to work full time, nobody forced you. If the government chooses to provide top ups in the form of tax credits for parents who wish to work part time, then why shouldn't we take them up on it?

there's a difference between having an independent personality, and being independent.

Anyway, what's the point in me bothering to argue my point anymore, you clearly have very (ignorant) set views on the subject and nothing I or anyone else says is going to have any effect.

So you carry on thinking I'm lazy, and god forbid you should end up in my situation.

ANYWAY

Again - I WAS alone for For 2 years, and I worked full time. 20k salary, childcare costs £800. TC paid a lot of this for me, I was very grateful and worked every hour god sent.

My profile description was nothing to do with this arguement, I was refering to my personality. I have a naturally independent personality. Living with a man doesn?t mean that is any different.

ANYWAY - Cancel all tax credits,benefits etc. and have a Citizens Pension/National Income like the Greens propose. Save billions in bureaucracy, no more whining about scroungers, resources freed up to help those who actually need extra help.

exactly wubbly, now I have a job, even though the amount of tax I pay will be minimal, given that my annual salary is only £7042, I can start paying back what I've had from tax payers money for the last few years. And when I go full time, I can pay even more back in taxes. As strange as it sounds, I'm actually looking forward to paying taxes again, because I'll be bloody proud to be able to say that I pay my taxes in order to help people less fortunate than me.

not in the purest sense of the word, no.

You rely on your partner to pay half of all your outgoings, I presume he does things around the house? And is involved with his children?

Therefore, you rely on another human being to live the lifestyle you have chosen.

You may be independent in the sense that you are your own person, you are not controlled by anyone, you have your own thoughts and feelings etc.

But that's not what we're talking about here.
Single parents have to do it all ALONE you are not alone, you have a partner to help you.

It's also absolute rot that a degree doesn't open doors for you.

My DH is dyslexic and left school with few qualifications. He worked shitty jobs all his life until he took his degree. He's now doubled his salary in the last 2 years. He still doesn't earn a fortune by any means, but he's on a career path now and has a real opportunity to advance further in his field.

cordonbleurgh, I think you're a great example of why tax credits work, you've been given a chance and have seized it with both hands. I've no doubt that over the years to come you'll more than pay back what you've received in taxes. Good luck to you!

cordonbleugh - So you cant be independant and married or with a partner?

but foureleven, how can a single parent afford to work full time, taking into account childcare costs? Unless of course, they've got family who can take on the childcare for nothing?

On a salary of £40k, which is way, way above the national 'average' (and frankly unrealistic for most people) the take home weekly pay amounts to around £535 - a hefty sum. Taking an average estimate of £200 a week, for 2 children that's leaving you with just £135 to house yourself, pay utilities, council tax, food and clothes, travelling etc. If you use the national 'average' salary of around £31k (still pretty unrealistic in my view) you'd have £10 left in your pocket after your 40 hours!

I don't honestly see how that is feasible or am I missing something?