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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:
Hammy02 · 26/10/2010 09:44

Not a great message to send to your kids is it? Neither parents working with no good reason? OP's kids will get a hell of a shock when there are no such thing as benefits in the not too distant future.

MaMoTTaT · 26/10/2010 09:59

"but not enough to allow a government to keep single mums with 3 kids on 34k a year."

well for starters they're not keeping them on 34k a year - that includes his salary Hmm

And secondly I'm a single mum of 3 kids and I can assure you I don't get anything like 34k a year from the government

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 11:17

I see it includes his salary, but if you take that off which i roughly worked out at £10.800 he will still be getting over 24 grand in handouts!

That is alot more than many people get when they are working.

MaMo - do you get about 24 grand too, out of interest including all the bits the OP has included? Just out of interest to see if this is across the board. With free prescriptions etc can be worth an awful lot more than that.

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 11:36

Actually, the more I think about this thread the more I question whether the OP is a troll. Only this thread and one other, and now not been seen since 'igniting the fire'. Hmm

LynetteScavo · 26/10/2010 11:42

Is this true?

You get Housing Benfefit and Council tax benefit if you only earn £209pw? Seriously?

I need more information on this. It sounds very attractive. I'm Shock

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 11:50

I have just re-read the thread and seen that the OP was apparently not trolling and has given her real posting name further down the thread.

Sonnet · 26/10/2010 11:54

This situation is why we are in the mess we are in - it should never pay to work less hours - we have Tony & Gordon to thank for this.

Are YBU you ask? - of course you are as you have the ability to work more hours but choose not to and let the state subsidise your lifestyle choice. Carry on if you lack morals but time is running out and I do hope your DH can jump back on the carreer/job wagon.

wayoftheworld · 26/10/2010 12:18

...they both worked full time before children.....her DH worked full time before children.... they intend to return to work in two years time...

...is anyone reading this thread? or party politics have sipped through....

...can't be bothered anymore..[snooze emoticon]

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 12:23

so what are you saying wayoftheworld???

That if we all work prior to having dc, and intend to work after, that we should all be entitled to 3 years off in the middle? Hmm

Hammy02 · 26/10/2010 12:28

Yep, wayoftheworld, can I stop working, have £35k dropped into my account for 3 years and piss of travelling? Excellent.

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 12:29

or in other words, let's all take it easy for 3 years, do a little work and sit back and wait for 72 grand to be given to us!

If this is really true, and you can get 24 grand a year through choice, through fancying reducing your hours, without any reason, then there is something very very wrong with the system.

No wonder the country is in such a state.

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 12:30

hammy02 - remember you will have to do a few hours work a week, pain that it will be Grin

the 24 grand i mention is because he earns 10ish

Hammy02 · 26/10/2010 12:32

Now is a perfect time to head of travelling, winter in the UK, Summer in New Zealand. Where do I sign? Oh, I promise to pick up a couple of bar jobs on my way. Just so that I can feel as though I'm doing my bit!

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 12:35

Obviously you will be flying first class won't you pmsl

Hammy02 · 26/10/2010 12:36

Hell aye. I am certainly not going to slum it with plastic cutlery! For I am entitled!

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 12:42

"Op knows she will have to start paying taxes when she starts work; she is content with what little she has is making her family happy." by wayoftheworld"

little she has ??? are you having a laugh??

Since when has 35 grand been a little

wayoftheworld · 26/10/2010 13:00

masssiveKnob as your name is self- explenatory.

Do not take this on me as this is what destroyes good talking threads like this...

And please if you all want to travelling around the world with 4 DC in tow, picking up bar jobs on the way, by all means go ahead.

The point is for people who are border line income and struggeling to get by any means. There is support out there, but because of the stiggma that knobheads like you create, people much rather struggle than seek help...

Incredible that you can be so thick to accept that there cen be other ways whic are mmoral.

scaryteacher · 26/10/2010 13:03

£34k is not a border line income though is it? That's what I would have got after three threshold points as a teacher and it isn't bad money at all.

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 13:05

pmsl, is there a bottomless pot for everyone then? Where would all this money be coming from may I ask?

What would it result in??

Oh yes, the tax payer. The tax payer who would have to pay even more to subsidise those wishing to hang slack for 3 years.

Your post is hilarious. You live in cloud cuckoo land woman.

MaMoTTaT · 26/10/2010 13:11

MassiveKnob - if you take off the child benefit as well it's more like 21k, I suppose if you want to be pedantic you could also take of the CTC they would have got when earning the 34k.

And no - I don't get 24k a year.

But my rent is really low here - if I lived elsewhere in the South East it could well be more due to the housing benefit.

the only "static" figures for comparing benefits on a like by like are Child benefit, Child Tax Credit and Income Support/JSA as Housing Benefit and Council TAx benefit vary across the country.

When you start working you still get the child benefit and child tax credit, but lose the IS/JSA - and get working Tax Credit instead.

You could still also be claiming housing benefit after you start work as well.

Oh and then don't forget to factor in the childcare element of the tax credits as well.

Confused yet?? Wink

MaMoTTaT · 26/10/2010 13:13

oh and actualy you never actually "see" the housing benefit and council tax benefit it's not disposable income as you pay it straight back to your LL (or with council tax benefit never actually "see" it at all)

Tootlesmummy · 26/10/2010 13:15

Wayoftheworld you are taking complete shite. £34k is not a low salary and whatever you think they are abusing a system and you seem to be condoning it! unreal.

If you think I'm going to continue to work 50+ hours per week to support my family so people like this can take the piss, feck right off.

Massive got it spot on, you live in cuckoo land.

MassiveKnob · 26/10/2010 13:22

Grin yes, confused I am!

I suppose, although you don't see HB and council ben you still don't have to find it as it were.

Thanks for replying anyway.

My argument is with OP and Way, due to the fact that the benefits system was meant to help those in genuine need, and that I never have a problem with.

Whereas these 2 (or 1), think we can all jump on the bandwagon, without a thought of how much that would cost, and where the money would come from, and what else would go, as a result of paying those who choose to blag from the state.

Let me think now, oh yes, education, nhs, the forces, to name but a few.

All of which are suffering with cutbacks as it is. Have you not heard of the lads in warzones without proper safety equipment? Schools without enough teachers so class sizes are huge? Hospitals without enough staffing?

Yet, they suggest we are all daft not to do as they do.

S

bodycolder · 26/10/2010 13:27

Can this really be right?You can orchestrate the benefits system to get what you want from it rather than what you need?

wayoftheworld · 26/10/2010 13:27

masiveKnob and totlesmummy this is a conversation and as such is for all of us to better our understanding of Benefit System as well as of the lives of people affected or not by it.

There was a thread on MN few weeks ago about a woman who had given birth and had not yet claimed CB because she felt she did not need it. She got THRASHED for being soooo big headed as not to claime what she deserves.

Here is another example of another situation where rather than driving their lives aginst the wall and being left with 35k, they choose to ask for help FOR A SHORT TIME.

I don't call this benefit cheat and imorality.

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