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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

£35k tax free for working 20 hours a week....

775 replies

BitchyWitchy · 22/10/2010 23:42

In response to the 'Benefits' thread, I thought I would post this...

We took the decision to reduce DHs hours a few months back as we realised we are better off with him working part time than full time and this is what we get WEEKLY (4 DCs):

Wages (20 hours per week) £209
Housing Benefit £188 (leaving £7 for us to pay)
Council tax benefit £19 (leaving £3 for us to pay
Tax Credits £196
Working tax credits £13
Child benefit £60.50

Thats over £35K tax free! DH's fulltime wage was £34k before tax.

Also get free prescriptions and dental care, discounted kids activities and leisure centre membership. DH is home 5 days a week and I am loving having him around to help out with the DCs and doing stuff with them which he could not do when he worked 50 hours a week! 3 DC are at school so we get quality time with the youngest.

We are also doing free OU degree courses so we can get better paid jobs in a few years.

Wish to bloody god we did this earlier when we were BOTH stressed out working fulltime and brought in LESS that what we get now after childcare.

We shall enjoy this until 2013 I can tell you! I don't give a monkey's what anyone thinks of us. DH is still working after all and who would really continue working fulltime knowing they get all this? It may not be right but while it's on offer, should we refuse it?

OP posts:
TandB · 23/10/2010 11:09

'kungfupannda, feck off. I am not taking anything out of your pocket. You must be mightly dumb to think that.'

[Enjoys a rare pedantic snigger over "mightly" dumb]

Oh the irony.......

MaMoTTaT · 23/10/2010 11:11

wonderstuff - they are NOT capping the benefits for people that are getting Working Tax Credits (ie the working poor).

and no - I can't get the figures to add up in any shape or form, and I've been through entitled2 a thousand times

sarah293 · 23/10/2010 11:16

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GMajor7DeadlySins · 23/10/2010 11:18

Wow. Just read the whole thread.

I missed out on the debate so far because...er...what was I doing?...hmmm...let me see...ah yes!! I was out WORKING!!!!!

Envy Envy Envy

Livingbytheriver · 23/10/2010 11:18

We hav to claim HB top up. Each and every time there is a sniff of a pay rise or promotion for DP I am onto the spreadsheet, doing the maths to work out how much closer we are to not having to claim flippin HB top up.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the HB top up (we would have been homeless without it), but I hate having to claim it. All the forms, the intrusive visit from the HB compliance office a (complete stranger who although very nice comes to your home and has the right to look through all of your wage slips and bank statement), queuing up in the local council office with a newborn and a toddler when your claim has gone wrong and having to discuss your private affairs at an open desk because someone else has nabbed the only private office. Stressing because HB allowance are going to be re-evaluated and will probably go down next October. Tears because your payment has not gone in on the day it was meant to and now there is no money for food.

You make it look glam OP, but I hate it hate it hate it, so DP will continue to leave the house at 6.30 and return 12 or 13 hours later and study around that time (ok so he is lucky and can get in 2 hours of study on his daily commute). Perhaps we are mugs, but I can't wait until we don't have to claim any more.

MuGGGhoulWump · 23/10/2010 11:25

I don't have a problem with what the OP's doing. It's madness to work more hours for the same money or less.
I wouldn't do it, and don't.
As it happens I'm about to lose my job due to ill health and I'm gutted that I'll probably never get another one.

Original poster
BitchyWitchy · 23/10/2010 11:29

scary - thanks for feeling that for me - takes a load off.

Although you lot seem to be missing that DH does actually work and pays tax and NI (£267 per month to be precise) so could actually be paying for some of you!

OP posts:
violethill · 23/10/2010 11:30

Still waiting for the OP to tell us the name of her DH's wonderfully flexible employer, who increases and decreases people's hours according to when it suits them!! Bet she either won't tell us, or will now claim that it's some special arrangement just for her DH cos he's such a fabulous employee Grin

hubblybubblytoilntrouble · 23/10/2010 11:30

Don't blame the OP at all. Not many of us would choose to spend less time with our kids and be worse off for it.

If we could do it, I wouldn't hesitate, but we've only got one DC so it doesn't make finanical sense.

Instead, my DH works 60+ hours a week (only gets paid for 40 of course), frequently has to spend weeks away from home, missing out seeing DS grow up. It also means I have to somehow struggle by through chemo/radiotherapy on my own whilst he's away.

I can't work right now due to ill health, but not entitled to any benefits (DLA doesn't pay out for cancer, ESA contribution based and I've been a SAHM) Instead, we have to struggle through, £200 a month left after the bills are paid to cover commuting, food, cleaning products etc.

If DH could reduce his hours, be here to help me through this, see his son grow up and we'd be no worse off, you really think I would pass up on that. Ha!

sarah293 · 23/10/2010 11:33

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Caoimhe · 23/10/2010 11:34

Oh I still don't believe this person is real. Honestly what could possibly be her motivation for posting such a thing? Is she doing it to help everyone else by suggesting they all join the bandwagon? Or is it some sort of deranged attempt at justifying her bizarre choices?

Gosh, BW, if you are real have you any idea what people who know you in RL think of you? Just imagine what they say about you behind your back!

As for the idea that your dh (Mr £34k man Hmm) is super special and can increase his hours any time he likes - PMSL. Grin Bet his employer is already rejoicing at how little redundancy they will have to pay him (on top of the last few months savings on NI and pension contributions they've made!).

sarah293 · 23/10/2010 11:37

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domesticsluttery · 23/10/2010 11:42

I can't imagine that many people would choose to live like the OP anyway (or am I just being naive?)

There are plenty of people on minimum wage who work 40+ hours a week for £14k and IMO it is perfectly fair that they can get benefits to top their earnings up to a level which a family can actually live on.

It is also fair that people who have caring responsibilities should be able to work more flexibly around them and have their earnings topped up.

However people in the OP's situation are clearly milking the system for all it is worth. That is if the OP's situation actually exists...

Quattrocento · 23/10/2010 11:44

I think this thread is harmful. Sure enough in life there are people who scrounge and people who pay their own way.

By boasting about being a scrounger YOU are creating a climate of indignation against scroungers. It makes people think 'Well cut cut CUT benefits for lazy scroungers' and when the cuts do come, as more surely will, people who are in real need will suffer.

Strawbezza · 23/10/2010 11:44

It doesn't ring true. The £34K full-time wage would have had 4 DC's worth of child benefit and child tax credits added. Bringing it to more like £40K. So the OP is definitely worse off financially now.

animula · 23/10/2010 11:45

I agree, Riven.

I do wonder if your idea about a blog (to counteract this craziness) might not be a Very Good Idea. Perhaps you could squeeze it in amongst everything else? Wink

Seriously, these threads are so grim. I think your experience, and that of LivingBytheRiver, is more the norm. But there seem to be willing ears to hear this BW-style stuff. It's just all so dodgy.

PaulineMole · 23/10/2010 11:45
Hmm The figures add up, sure, but the story doesn't in the slightest.

Very good work though OP. Now run along and have a (waitrose) Biscuit.

shimmerysilverghosty · 23/10/2010 11:46

Agree Quattro. Scary stuff.

firsttimemum77 · 23/10/2010 11:49

Gory09 I was responding to another poster who said children would be deprived if the op had to go to work! Which is utter bullshit and is a saying that those of us that work deprive our children!!!!!

I was not having a go at SAHM. I would love to be able to spend more time at home with my child and would do so if I could afford to do so without having to rely on benefits, but I can't so I have to work full-time. Good for those that don't have to work and get by without thinking they are entitled to benefits so they can stay home and raise their children, that they chose to have.

My issue is with those people that think it's other peoples responsibility to pay for their children!

MaimAndKilloki · 23/10/2010 11:50

Reposting, because the OP really should be aware of the fact that attitudes like these have consequences.

"OP - although I can (sort of) understand your logic. That attitude is amazingly unhelpful, especially as it can create more problems for those actually in need.

People already believe that benefits are mainly claimed by people who have chosen them as a lifestyle, rather than through need. And are already more than willing to make the life of those who are already struggling even more hellish.

DH and I get abuse in the street because we cannot work, abuse from total strangers who claim to know our financial situation!

You (and people like you) talking about benefits as a beneficial lifestyle choice can actually cause harm to others."

ssd · 23/10/2010 11:51

I could easily be in the op's position.

dh earns £20k, I would get more money from benefits than I do working in my 20 hr a week minimum wage job. If I gave up work we'd be better off financially. but not emotionally. much as my job is monotonous and boring its good for me to go out to work. its good for the kids to see mum being tired as she's been working and they have to do things for themselves instead of me being at their beck and call. also we have a morgage and I help to pay that, in a small way.

I don't think the op is being smug, I think she's being short sighted and slightly niave. I know big companies and politicians rip us off, but I like to feel I'm contributing to my family and living off benefits to get more help from the state would feel like a huge step back for me.

domesticsluttery · 23/10/2010 11:52

"The £34K full-time wage would have had 4 DC's worth of child benefit and child tax credits added. Bringing it to more like £40K. So the OP is definitely worse off financially now"

Very true.

I hope the free OU course isn't in maths...

violethill · 23/10/2010 11:55

Pmsl

domesticsluttery · 23/10/2010 11:56

ssd very well said.

Both mine and DH's wages per hour are low. We live in an area where there aren't very many highly paid jobs, and as we are so far from large towns and cities commuting to another area is nigh on impossible. However I couldn't imagine our children growing up and not seeing at least one parent working FT. Obviously sometimes people lose their jobs and it becomes inevitable, but definitely not as a lifestyle choice!

MaMoTTaT · 23/10/2010 11:56

I worked out last night that they would have got roughly 35k (after tax and including child benefit and child tax credit) if he was working full time on the salary quoted (she said it was 34k before tax).

They currently get £32k (24k of which are benefits - or 21k of benefits if we discount CB)

If he were to stop working they would lose £500 a month