To think that welfare claimant includes a wide variety of people and stereotypes don't work?

[SanctiMoanyArse]

Yep therad about a thread and i've done this before; largely new corwd on MN though.

On the otehr thread its my life my problem, or we're all cider glugging stereotypes who neglect our kids.

It's not true though.

I am a carer with a Dh desperately working to start a business after redundancy and my kids are wellca reed for; toehr people are disabled, recently redudnant....

Why can't people see there is a huge difference between people who paid NI for as long as possand are fighting to get back on tehir feet and the horrid stereotypes who can't be bothered?

Don't they realise that unless they earn mega ££££££ they too could be vulnerable if bad things happen? If their child gets ill etc?

That it actually hutrts vulbnerable famillies to equate them with scroungers? genuinely hurts, as in damaging their confidence and ability to pick back up and start over?

Why did being a carer make me a valid target for nastiness?

"does that extend to those who receive CTC or WTC....? never quite understand,because if we have children,then most of us claim something"

Yes, it includes you.

The only benefit I've ever claimed is one week unemployment and six weeks Statutory Sick Pay. i feel privelidged, rather than proud of that fact. i've been lucky so far.

I am glad that taxes help those who need support/medical treatment/etc etc.

I don't see as it as 'my taxes' 'paying for' other people.

cleaning jobs - sorry

Ivy cuts, usually: I can only work school hours so almost everything I have applied for is public sector becuase that's all there is I can do.

I do also have an issue with references as I have good ones from Uni but the last couple of jobs I had were in the charroitable sector and for schemes now long gone (through cuts again usually). I am trying to get voluntary work but even that seems to be at a premium.

ATM the plan is for DH to fisninh qualifying and work as hard as he can around it so whatever happens he's almost guaranteed work in 2 years (he chose a field that is on the up deliberately and has gained quals in useful sidelines such as being a sparky)

I have 2 options; I am doing a PT MA in asd and would like to do private aprental support on a not for prfoit basis (eg around applying for DLA and funding, navigating teh schools system, understanding DX's etc). But I'm not very clued up on that so really just satrting to look into it: the otehr option is if DH can get contracts with some ability to work from home (quite likely) I'd like to train as a SW, in which case the two eyars for that to be liekly may be good anyway as they're reviewing it all again (I worked for HomeStart before so related-ish).

I did plan to teach but the degree I did was a specific subject and the PGCE base was moved to the other side of Wales and I couldn't manage it. Shame though. Would have liked that.

Hello JoFeb! (Jo lives nearish, so knows my area)

I know they;re not in paper but it's still an interesting comparison.

Well your dh is working and trianing - so that must be hard - but why does it bother you if you get WT CTC - mst people do under £30k know and it was £50k till very recently

I know people who treat the benefits system as you could argue it was intended, to help out in times of need. But I also know people who treat it as a career choice. I think I posted this on another thread, but I know of two sets of people (one of whom I'm related to) who are reacting to the 'off IS when youngest child is 7' thing by (in the first instance) having another baby to continue to live off the system (they admit to this btw) and (in the second instance) crying and moaning that either another child will have to be born, or the excuse of "I have back pain" will have to suffice so she can live off of ESA or DLA (and no, the person in question does not have back pain and is actively looking for ways to back up her lies).

So in answer to your question, YANBU, because of course there are people who genuinely need help and genuinely intend to help themselves at some point when they are able. But when there are (sorry for the language) twats like those whom I live near and are related to, you can't help but think that the benefits system is easy to play and open to horrific abuses. This will inevitably lead to stereotypes which are unfair on a lot of people.

OP, as stupid as it probably sounds, the only way to deal with the criticism is to grow a thick skin. While there are scroungers out there, decent people in real need who are not playing the system and milking the taypayer will be lost in the fog. It's a shame, but while there are those out there devoid of morals, not much will change.

But like moondog so rightly said above, this very very clearly does not include you. My guess is, OP, that you are a good person who feels bad about having to rely on benefits. This doesn't mean criticism is directed at you though, at least not by anyone with a brain or a soul .

Ivy it bothers me becuase I am fier4cely old school proud and like standing on my own two feet. Heck it took me a decade to accept summer SN club LOL, I am that stoic-but-self-neglectful person!

YANBU.
Two carer household here, and actually I've just posted in employment, the effect that being a long term carer is having on my long term employability is frightening.

I do get cross at those claiming when they don't need to though, tars us all with the same brush.

claiming what glitter?

i mean,plenty claim child benefit but dont need it,and of course they have the choice,nobody forces the money on them

But unless you earn over the national average - then you will not in the uk stand on your own to feet - as CTC and WTC kick in and top up wages along with child benifit which is payable to all

it is not a life style choice to except a job at minimum wage and work for a company 37 hours a week and get the wages that the compnay pays topped up by the goverment

Those who choose benefits as a lifestyle choice rather than out of necessity, ILoveTIFFANY. Whatever benefits they may be.

YANBU. But I think most people are aware that there are 2 types of claimants. Growing up in the area I did, I know that the Daily Mail/Jeremy Kyle stereotype is not just a fiction and that there are plenty of people for whom benefits are a way of life.

It used to make me mad going round to the house of a schoolfriend, as her mum would be constantly at home watching tv, often in her pyjamas in the middle of the afternoon. She had 5 kids with 3 men - the youngest has just had a baby at 14, another has been in and out of prison. It used to make me furious that I hardly saw my mum when I was growing up because she worked long hours in a demanding job to pay taxes to support people like my friend's mum. There were plenty of others like her as well, and those people do need sorting out. Maybe it would mean more money for carers and seriously ill people.

IvyKaty I know and actually I think TCs are a ownderful thing: making it pay to work, there's the ticket IMO

But we were above that national average and now would be on @ £50k if things hadn;t happened (bear in mind we;re in Wales, thats hard cash here!)

So its a sense of what should have been as well, I guess

Unemployment is high and rising. Moaning about the long term unemployed is really just pissing into the rain at the moment.

There are fewer jobs to go round and many recently redundant, experienced, qualified people chaising them.

well there are plenty of us that could say - what if...

gosh if I was to think back and go through life - I could now be very differenly off financaly - but I am not as my life has taken another course and things happend and people left and people stayed and things wern't as I planned

but there is nothing wrong with a little helping hand and nothing worng with taking that helping hand to give the chidlren you love a better life

Oh I know and I wouldnt swap the boys for anything

But tehres a little voice saying if I hd tried X or Y (not sure what X or Y are LOL) we might have both

We may yet though

Dh's field is lighting design (not, as Xenia seems to think, putting in light bulbs but X factor style / architectural specialism etc) and that can pay well if you do the hours