3K a month benefits

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I had made a previous post which I believe had been taken down over a lady giving me £10 for no reason, in no way was that post to brag about my benefits I had stated how much I get a month to show I’m not struggling for money so the only reason can be I was judged on my appearance and then someone had asked if this is benefits which I said yes as I have no reason to lie. I have read a few notifications on my drop down and people saying I’m doing this to wind people up and there is no way I get 3K a month benefits, I was asking a genuine question. Some comments were quite rude. So here is how -

Universal credit for me and 2 kids plus LCWRA
£1775 - my rent gets taken straight from this I get paid £1225
high rate adult disability payment £734
Child disability payment x2 £868
Child benefit £42 a week
Scottish child payment £213

minus rent £3208 paid directly to me per month.

Now no this is not fair to people who have to work. However they are able bodied people and it’s not my fault I would much rather be healthy and live a normal life.

Why do people want disabled people to be in poverty because they are healthy and have to work?

People don't want disabled people to be in poverty, but neither do they want to feel that their taxes are funding someone else's lifestyle choice.

I think it can stick in the craw that you are 21, don't work and have chosen to have 2 children, plenty of money, cleaners etc when other older people who work full time find it very difficult to afford to house themselves and have a family.

Also I think that children having ADHD and autism( who are able enough to attend school) is not viewed with the same sympathy as having children disabled with more profound problems.

The seemingly high amount of benefits you receive is about the equivalent of over £50k gross if you were working. In anyone's books that would be a very high salary for someone who is 21 years old, especially someone who has presumably got very few qualifications.
Having children at 16 and 17 is also generally not viewed as a wise or desirable choice either.

I wonder if you would have made the choice to have 2 children at that very young age if you had been healthy and had had to fund your and their lifestyle by working? Somehow I think not.

Curious to know what disabilities your children have?

No idea the point of this post. Totally seems like bragging.

For a single parent family of children with significant needs and a disabled parent? It certainly wouldn’t be comfortable. What would you say would be a good amount?

My sister claims for two children (both ADHD and autism). She also claims PIP for her own ADHD and autism.

The money is spent on activities to “use up their energy” - swimming, ballet, judo and drama classes.

The children are not severely disabled and yet she receives a high rate, worth hundreds of pounds each month. For the three of them, it is enough for her not to have to work. She managed this by reading online guidance and having a friend (also in receipt of support for her two ADHD DCs) advise her on how to answer questions about her son needing to be monitored to stop him running into the road etc…

I have autism but work full time in a senior managerial role. I have never considered applying for PIP as I didn’t think it would be approved in my case. I’ve been really surprised to hear how many people are receiving it for autism and ADHD.

Bragging that she lives a miserable painful life and has children who are disabled? Or bragging that for once the benefits system means that a family in dire need of help has actually got it? It’s not OP’s fault that the benefits system fails others or that other people might cheat the system.

I could have guessed the children had ADHD.

The assertion that it’s ’really hard to get PIP for ADHD’ is a nonsense. 50% of claims are successful. If you go on the DLA threads here, the conditions are almost exclusively autism and ADHD, and it’s very rare they are turned down. Plus the fact we have 3 million people on PIP - how hard can it be with these figures?

Why does such young children having adhd require such large payments?

It’s definitely nonsense that it’s hard to get.
8% of 15 & 16 year olds receive DLA for adhd or autism! It’s an enormous number.

Exactly, it sounds like you are boasting!

They are absolutely possible!

Autism and ADHD

Yes I assumed so.

Where do you get free cleaner and carers in Scotland!? We have 4 disabled children and a cleaner would be fab!

I don't know about a cleaner, but you can apply for funding for some respite care via the council.

Depends where you are though, I applied for the funding, I was granted the funding, but unfortunately its impossible to find somewhere to get the respite so I can't use it.

This.

I don’t speak for anyone but myself, but I think you receive too much in benefits (and benefits in kind).

I sympathise with your disabilities and those of your children. But the benefits safety net should be to provide safe housing and enough money for food. That’s it. You are currently receiving the equivalent of £52,000 per year, which is itself the equivalent (more or less) of the median salary for two people. That is too high, in my book. Far too high.

If you genuinely cannot work, we should make sure that you are housed and fed. That’s it.

Yup, can't give those pesky disabled folk anything above the absolute bare minimum in housing and food, how dare they have any joy in their lives.

I think it’s more than that isn’t it? Isn’t her income £3k/month AFTER rent has been paid?

Disabled folk aren’t pesky.

@Wildflowers99 absolutely can be the case. I’ve seen claims of £1750 per month rent paid to Somalian’s living in a room in central London Hyde park area there were 16 of them x £1750. A lady who has lessons at the yard my horse is at has 5 home schooled kids who all have a pony. A friends daughter never ever worked 4 kids has had a 5th to not get work she will be 60 while her last is 18. It is unbelievable but sadly not I dont know how many have a diagnosis of AdHD and autism on benefits but alot I would imagine. When I worked at the DWP you just knew what came out of their mouths would be my child has a disability

Clearly you think we are since you think that we only deserve food and a roof over our heads and that's it.

You’ve sure as heck made mumsnetting your full time job on the basis of your energy and focus and dedication to your thread OP!

Of course an ideal world would see everyone with enough for both basics and joy.

But I can’t afford a fortnight at Disney World every year with the kids. I don’t see that as a lack of joy. I take joy in the things I can afford.

There are people who can afford a fortnight at Disney World every year with the kids who can’t afford a fortnight in the Bahamas as well. Do they have the correct amount of joy, or not enough?

There are people who can afford Disney World and the Bahamas but not Necker Island.

And on and on it goes. Degrees of joy dependent on income. I think that any family working should bring in more than any family not working (excluding absolutely necessary disability-related expenses). Do you disagree with that principle, because it seems that this non-working family is being given a lot more than an equivalent working family would receive if paid the median salary.

Yes it’s possible, I don’t live in Scotland so our amounts are different. Solo parent, I’m disabled (highest rates for both components of PIP) and child severely disabled (physical disability and epilepsy/ seizures) they also get highest rates for both on DLA.
I own house so I get nothing for living costs, nor do I get any council tax benefits.
i receive for myself and my child every 4 weeks:

£737.30- DLA
£737.30- PIP
£337 ish carers allowance
£102 child benefits

then Universal credit every month of just over £1700 I believe which is made up of: standard element for myself, standard element one child, additions for me being severely disabled, addition for child being severely disabled

hard to work out monthly amounts as most benefits are per 4 months but it works out around £3600-3700. I have to pay for my mortgage etc with this. It is entirely possible people are receiving over £5000 even with just one or two children if they are on highest rate disability and the parents are then they have their rents paid.
the money for us goes on paying for carers etc.
I do find it mind blowing people get the same for a diagnosis of ADHD, sorry but I really do.