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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:
TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 23/10/2010 21:19

WetAugust - The OP's DP is just doing what they are being encouraged to do by the system. So they are doing what the Government wants them to do.

scaryteacher · 23/10/2010 21:22

No, they are doing what the Labour govt who introduced these rules encouraged them to do. The Coalition will hopefully change this and target the money saved to where it is most needed.

hubblybubblytoilntrouble · 23/10/2010 21:33

Scaryteacher, it's not just the last Government.

I remember well when Thatcher decimated the industry in the North and my Dad was made redundant.

My Mam had to give up her job as legal secretary as we worse off with her working. All the pride in the world won't feed your kids.

hubblybubblytoilntrouble · 23/10/2010 21:38

Just re-read my last post and the noticed the lack of 'a' legal secretary and we 'were' worse off. Still, it gives me a rather exotic accent [hgrin]

enabledebra · 23/10/2010 22:13

I have no idea of the motive of the OP for starting this thread. I don't know if it is genuine but I believe the figures are (I haven't done the calculations but I agree it would be thereabouts.)

The tax credit system created a completely new kind of claimant- people who had options rather than those unable to support their families through work for one reason or another- and inevitably some people with choices very soon started to exploit the system (there is also the option of alternating working full time during one tax year and then part time the next- that can be a more profitable option especially if you have fewer children than the OP and/or have a mortgage rather than renting- if she hasn't already maybe the OP should do her sums and see what pops up.)

This new kind of empowered claimant treats the the benefits system in a similar way to the way those with the option treat the tax system - they play it to the max.

It's all the same game and it all takes money out of the system. For some reason holding back money due to the system seems to be more acceptable than taking it out, but tax payers paying their full due pick up the tab in both cases.

The important thing to remember is that we mustn't let this new kind of claimant lead us to withdraw our support for those without options- we should just change the relevant rules (Tax and Tax Credits/benefits).

Sadly, the spending review has not addressed these issues it has simply attacked those without choices. These people as a group are our most vulnerable members and we must support them against this government's shocking attack against them and not get put off track by the entirely separate issues highlighted by the OP and I'm so glad to see that this also seems to be the view of the vast majority contributors to this thread.

earwicga · 23/10/2010 22:21

Well said enabledebra!

off to find out how to be an empowered claimant

earwicga · 23/10/2010 22:23

Ooh - I don't know how that got to be bold. Looks like I'm being bolshy now :( (I wasn't, but truly don't know how to survive on benefits let alone be better off)

Original poster
BitchyWitchy · 23/10/2010 22:23

Actually getting pissed off with being called a troll so am outing myself, I am

BigMommaOf4

Of course I had to name change as I kinda thought I would get this backlash but not quite as bad as this Hmm.

Little white lie in that DC4 is 3 months old not 3 years old. I will be going back to work, when I can be arsed. DH has nothing to do with trollies!

All figures are correct and claimed lawfully, not fraudentlyHmm!

Who the hell is WWC?

MaMoT&T you still did not answer my question about why you are not working. I only asked this as you seem to think you have a right to abuse me for my choices. What a surprise that you seem to have no answer!

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 23/10/2010 22:27

ignore the troll patrol,they love a good conspiracy and waving dem glistening torches

ivykaty44 · 23/10/2010 22:31

I think this married couple working the system will be the type of scrounger that the goverment wants to stop taking from the system and then causes great hardship to genuine people that need that help. It is no differnet from trying to plug tax aviodence systems

genuine people in distress about losing their spouse, job or health will be penilised due to people like the OP

MaMoTTaT · 23/10/2010 22:32

why am I not working?

Short version - exH strangled me to unconciousness a year ago, I split up with him in March, until the early summer still suffered panic attacks at random things that people said/did and written stuff. Depression came back again.

I'm now much improved (Thought nearly smacked my best friend DH's - DS3s god father the other day when he walked behind me and tried to make me jump by touching the back of my neck Blush) already on the look out for work, will go back to work next year when DS3 starts school, or earlier if something comes up and I can find the childcare quick enough.

Boostini · 23/10/2010 22:46

I wouldn't do it. I have pride. I would think it was more admirable to work harder and increase my salary beyond £35K p.a. However you and your DH clearly think you are so clever in working the benefit system to your favour, so good luck to you.

Bagofrefreshers · 23/10/2010 22:46

BigMommaof4 is the poster who thinks the epitome of motherhood is bathing one's DCs every night, as per her thread a few days ago. Those of us who don't bathe our DCs every night, are, in her opinion, lazy.

gaelicsheep · 23/10/2010 22:48

Perhaps if the Govt wants to stop people taking advantage of a crap system, they should abolish the TC calculator and ban any others? There is no way that anyone would take such a leap of faith without the figures in black and white. It is so counterintuitive.

Very sorry to hear that MamaToTT. I wasn't aware at all. That is dreadful.

izzywizzywoowooo · 23/10/2010 22:49

No wonder she bathes them her 4 dc's every night she has the bloody time seen as she chooses not to work or work little as possible?

Pfft you and your husband stop being lazy and greedy.

Sassybeast · 23/10/2010 22:50

I'd bath my kids every day if all I had to do was spend my time sitting on on arse sponging off the state Biscuit

earwicga · 23/10/2010 22:52

MaMoTTaT - I'm really sorry to read that. Firstly because of what happened to you and secondly that you have to justify claiming benefits to the fuckwit OP of this thread.

Original poster
BitchyWitchy · 23/10/2010 22:52

Now now I used to bath them everyday when I was working full time (home at 6pm) and DH did not get home until 10pm everyday anyway so NER!

OP posts:
izzywizzywoowooo · 23/10/2010 22:56

Either way you do not need this money in benefits...You are just being greedy simple as that.

Sassybeast · 23/10/2010 22:59

'Ner' ? How old are you ? You sound like such a 'lovely person - a fine example to your kids.

MaMoTTaT · 23/10/2010 22:59

thanks gaelic - it's rather random really - we had split up previously , but he asked to try again, and seemed like a different (nice) man, then it turned out he was really very mentally ill, and the attack was a psychotic episode.

We actually stayed together after the incident, but as he started to get better I began to see that he was still the twunt that I had initially split up with and he hadn't really wanted to get back with me, but was so fucked up in the head he thought he had (if that makes sense?).

So we split. He's well again now, working again, and has the boys once a fortnight.

He's still a twunt - but as he's a well twunt that no loonger poses a threat to himself or anyone around him I much prefer it that way.

Obviously the whole random attack had some effect on me regardless of my lack of ill feeling towards him about it - if that makes sense.

MaMoTTaT · 23/10/2010 23:02

I reckon if I had any script writing ability I could write a great movie about the story of my life - could solve all my money woes in one go Grin

jillhastwoponies · 23/10/2010 23:07

Ha ha, I am pissing myself laughing at this thread.

silly cow.

PenelopeTitsDropped · 23/10/2010 23:08

TheCoalitionNeedsYou Sat 23-Oct-10 20:54:27
It's not do as little as you can get away with. It's maximise the rewards for a given effort.

I work day in day out. So does my DH.

When it comes to life saving drugs. I want to be put in the front of you.
It's eugenics by contribution.

Suits me fine.

I've always worked; I've always contributed.

You are why the benefit system doesn't work:

Greed, Laziness, Idleness.

Something for nothing.

Extrapolating from your position: I don't give a shit about my children, my country or anything,

verytellytubby · 23/10/2010 23:18

It must be a joy to bath your children every night if you are both at home to do it Shock.

So glad you think the rest of us are lazy that are too bloody tired as we are working all hours to keep a roof over our head.