If you could decide how much people get in benefits

[OneLemonOrca]

There are benefit bashing threads being posted often, with complaints that certain people on benefits can afford a better lifestyle than them when they work, and that it is being made into a life style choice?
So if you could decide, I am just wondering how much you think benefit claimants should receive in certain circumstances or what their money should or shouldn’t be able to pay for, to get a general idea of what mumsnet thinks is “right”.

To be clear when the country is run by a millionaire who is so out of touch with how the rest of us live it’s hardly surprising.
I frequently spend time sat in A&E and it’s utterly awful but that’s another thread entirely.

I came on this thread to say this, I'm really pleased to find it was the first proper response!

Where did you get the 20 plus years of part time and benefits from???

I think benefits are far too generous.

This is the outcome for a family of 4 loving in private rental accommodation in London with a monthly rent of £1600.

One adult working 40 hours for minimum wage.
One adult not working.
Children aged 10 & 8.

Total benefits entitlement
£2298.79 / monthly

£1721 post tax earnings

Total household income after tax = £4020

That's equivalent to earning £65k on PAYE.

How can that be right?

Wow!

That website is notorious for being inaccurate.

Shit!!!! That is a lot. Taking the piss, frankly

It's top of the list of websites recommended by the UK Government.

It is well known was being unreliable. I am a member of UC groups.

Even if it was a few hundred quid out it’s too much. Bloody 2k a month with another wage coming in 🤯 shocking and no wonder we are skint.

Just basic for essentials not for things like nail extensions lip fillers ect ..I work lots of hours and some ppl on benefits are definitely better off than me ….and to be brutally honest when my kids were small I was better off than some ppl who work lots of hours

So wrong

piss take tbh benefits defo need a shake up fucking joke wtf is this happening

It is the high rent. I have two children and have a mortgage. The most we get is usually about £300. Most people will get similar amounts.

It’s the rent though. We need social housing in this country.

Aren’t both adults in a couple required to work to qualify for UC if children over 3?

Not if one of the children is under 3.

If we completely ignore the rent, it is still an extra £500 per month.

But how many families with jobs are living rent free? Even in the cheapest parts of the country that's worth at least another £400 per month - so it's a minimum of £900 per month tax free cash.

I said if children over 3 😊

If one parent works full time then that appears to be enough to satisfy UC. The earnings threshold has just increased to around £1400 a month so if one parent earns that, the other is put in light touch group and won't be hassled to look for work. Unbelievable really. On the other hand lone parents with a child over 3 are now expected to look for 30 hours work.

@Miley1967 Thank you.

As you say, unbelievable.

Yes there are some groups of people who will do very well out of Uc if for example they live with parents or have a mortgage paid off. If they have kids they will benefit form the higher work allowance meaning that something like almost £700 a month is disregarded from their earnings before their earnings start to reduce their whole UC award. this makes a massive difference and is meant to sort of make up for there being no specific UC element to help with mortgage cost. But you still get that higher disregard if you own outright so have zero housing costs or you live with family who charge you nothing to live there so for example a lone parent living back home with parents.

I disagree with the concept of a UBI as I feel it lowers the incentive for people to work.

Benefits should be available for those who need them especially if they are unable to work for provable reasons and/or they are carers etc. For all others, I would like to see an overhaul of the tax system so that working, even part time is very attractive financially. For this the amount earned tax free should be raised and to take it even further I would like to see a flat rate tax system. Lower tax rates not only encourage people to work but also increase tax take.

Increasing minimum wage levels can cause inflation but by keeping the minimum rate as is along with with a higher tax threshold those working keep more of their money.

More people in work should reduce the benefit take up, especially if benefits are tightened as to who can claim them. This may not unpalatable but there are too many people claiming them who should not be or rather claiming is more financially positive than working.

Flip that. A single person in my area gets £676.53 per month, or £156 per week and that INCLUDES housing allowance. A room in a HMO is £500-£600 pound. Would you be able to live on the £76.53 per month that’s left after rent? I certainly wouldn’t call it “generous”.

Yes I agree. We should aggressively track down the men who don't pay for their children. So many women and children could be lifted out of poverty if men had to properly financially support all their kids.

And yes I'm sure there are some women who run off and don't pay for their kids but it's by far more common with men.