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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

benefits - can anyone advise?

667 replies

namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:20

hi i am a regulare but have name changed for this. i was wondering if anyone would e able to help me here. i have seen on the news about benfits being cut/capped but cant seem to find any exact figures.

was wondering if anyone could be able to help me and see if my benefit will be capped or cut, so that i can be prepared for this.

i recieve weekly:
£135 child tax credit
£48 cb
£65 incone support
£145 hb
£12 ctb

i no this seems like a huge amount when written like this but in reality it isnt. once i have paid gas, elec, water rates (£28 per week!), tv licence etc there is not much left for food/nappies.

i would be very grateful if anyone could help. i am not intending to be on benefit forever and i do want to better myself for myself and my children.

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:22

nobody knows yet

start saving a bit now in preparation.

Flojo1979 · 21/10/2010 22:23

They wont be capping people like u, they are capping ppl who receive a lot more, ie ppl with loads of kids etc. No one knows exact figures yet as they havent been published and arent due to come in to effect for another 2 yrs, which hopefully you'll have got a job by then!!

ilove · 21/10/2010 22:25

£1600 a month???????????????? Christ, I work 2 jobs and don't get that!

Flojo1979 · 21/10/2010 22:29

System screwed aint it. I wish they would cap benefits, way too much money. I'm was on them and i kept complaining that they gave me way too much money. I didnt need all that to live on and neither does all the other dossers.

ilove · 21/10/2010 22:30

I'm absolutely gobsmacked. Seriously. There is something VERY wrong.

GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:34

how many dc??

embarassingly i love,i get more!!

its too much,i do agree....

Original poster
namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:35

thanks to those that have helped. thanks flo nice to know im a 'dosser'. you know nouthing about my situation so please dont judge me.

OP posts:
Original poster
namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:36

sprinkle 3 dc

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:36

how i understood it was.....no family out of work will receive more money than the average family....words to that effect were used

so whats an average family income then??

kidsncatsnwine · 21/10/2010 22:37

I am doing something soooo wrong. Hell I work full time and bring in £870 a month:( and needless to say no-one pays my rent....

I don't like the cuts anymore than the next person but it does seem the benefits system works for people who don't! Somehow I can't ooze sympathy...

GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:39

no,we arent dossers......i came out of an abusive relationship. was forces,so nowhere to go from married quarters. MOD hostel for a year,then housed here miles from family,didnt know a soul here. had to build a life in a semi rural community where all the jobs seem to go to family/friends etc....word of mouth....and we're 'incomers' as well as a 'broken family'

looking for work with no family help and no local knowledge or contacts...rubbish transport...not easy. looking all the time,as well as dd

i get a fair bit more than you in both benefits and of course,maintenence

Original poster
namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:40

kids you say your income from working is £870 per month. do you recieve any cb? working/child tax credit?

OP posts:
ilove · 21/10/2010 22:40

Christ. I have 4 children, one at Uni that I am supporting hence the second job. And I bring in less than the one sat claiming benefits...and don't give me the shit of "oh I can't work I have a baby". I could, did and have. Benefits have never been an option in my mind. Obviously, I'm the mug.

Fuck me. £400+ a week with 2 kids....for doing NOTHING.

magnolia74 · 21/10/2010 22:40

135 a week with 3 kids??
Sorry thats quite alot. When dh was made redundant and we had no money at all coming in we got less than that for 5 children Hmm
Which is why dh got retrained and changed careers!

GraveyardMistsAreYellow · 21/10/2010 22:41

Three children? It isn't that much in your hand though. And HB isn't paying an obscene amount of rent for someone else's property investment either. No judging from me - been there, with just one child and it was fucking miserable in many ways.

GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:42

its £223 a week tax credits with 5 dc.

Original poster
namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:43

sprinkle :( i can relate to your situation regarding the abusive relationship :( its an awful situation to be in.

i dont recieve any maintenence and i am privately renting a damp cold house with no central heating as i had to leave my council flat due to dv :(

OP posts:
ruddynorah · 21/10/2010 22:43

aren't they proposing a cap of £350 a week for families where no one is in paid employment?

magnolia74 · 21/10/2010 22:43

Not for us it wasn't Sad

StewieGriffinsMom · 21/10/2010 22:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilove · 21/10/2010 22:44

No way. Even with the HB taken off, that is £260 per week cash in hand. Knock off the £28 for "utilities" and she has £232 for food/clothing/general spends.

Bloody hell.

Add on free school meals, and prescriptions, etc etc etc...

ruddynorah · 21/10/2010 22:44

why is your water so expensive?

ilove · 21/10/2010 22:45

Not entitled to WTC as I work too many hours (60 a week). Not entitled to CTC as my eldest is 19. Yes, I claim CB.

GypsyMoth · 21/10/2010 22:45

where did you hear that ruddynorah?

its still quite a bit.....are they working it out per family so a family with one child gets the same as a family with six dc??

Original poster
namechangerrr · 21/10/2010 22:48

ilove do you really need to come on this thread and put me down?? i am not hurting anyone, i am sinply claiming what i am entitled to.

i have already stated that i do not intend to be on benefits forever. i am not on them because 'i have a baby'. i have just escaped a violent relationship and am lucky to be alive. i have lost my home and savings. i have previously worked and paid into the system so please dont judge me. i am trying the best to provide a stable life for my dcs and come to terms with what has happened to us.

OP posts: