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

[BitchyWitchy]

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?

oh believe me vespasian - I think for the majority of people on benefits they feel the stigma attached to being on them.

And I don't want those who genuinely need the welfare state to support them to feel stigmatised.

I would love for smb to start a thread on what people are entiteled to.

And as I have said before would love to think that should my situation change there would be support for me out there to get me back on my feet.

It'd frighten the life out of me Vespasian - ghostly Roman emperors gliding through me.

Agree MaMo that those who genuinely need benefits shouldn't be stigmatised, but the OP seems to be taking the piss here.

I never felt stigmatised when on benefits, I was not doing anything wrong so why should I. I had worked hard all my life, I fell on hard times and then fell ill. I knew that as soon as I was able I would be working again and was determined to pay back every penny I had taken.

I agree if your situation changes for the worse there shoud be help, but not if you make it change because you can't be bothered to work. It is idiots like that who give benefit claimants stigma.

scary. My dd and I are history geeks.

vespian you are right, but think about this. Any one can get away with anything if people can find a way to do it especially when it is legally. That is the reason that a lot of people here are infuriated with OP rather than the system.

That is why it is good to hear OP's case and understand what is wrong with system and if you feel strongly about it take steps to change it for better.

Changing your tune then wayof?

Vespasian - The Course of Honour by Lindsey Davis who has written a series of novels about Vespasian's Rome, is about him and is a good read, as are the others.

History geek here also.

I will order on amazon now, thanks. I am trying to catch up on my reading over the holidays

Ordered, God bless amazon one click.

Thanks

They should not have had the option.I agree with whoever said God knows what the ops dh told them about why he reduced his hours because in my case dp giving up work as I was about to croak wasn't enough!

yes, that was me, bodycolder. It must have been a complete pack of lies, because I am sure as hell they would not have agreed to it.

I like Vespasian's insurance analogy - that sums it up nicely.

A couple of points - I am surprised to hear that £34k is considered "struggling" or "borderline". I earn just very slightly more than this as a solicitor. I don't consider it to be a particularly high salary, but it is certainly not a low one either.

On a similar point, I am surprised that a number of people seem to consider working full-time as something over and above what should be required of a healthy human-being who needs to support themselves and their family. Some people almost seem to think that the default position should be to be supported by the state while enjoying family life, rather than working being a completely normal thing that has happened throughout the history of humanity.

I think this thread says a lot about our collective expectations as a society.

Hear hear kungfupanda.

It's a sad indictment of our society that some people seem to be almost afraid of the concept of a full time job!

Surely the default position should be that an able healthy adult works to support themself and their family. If a couple agree that only one will earn, and the other will support them financially, then fine, but at what point did this idea of working to support ourselves become such an alien concept?

The supreme irony for me is that most parents raise their children to aspire to achieving, to getting a good job. I have never met a Parent who happily raises their child to expect to live on benefits, and would actively encourage them to do as little work as possible to play the system. So if we recognise that it's not what we want for our children, why on earth does any parent think it's a good idea to set this example?

"The supreme irony for me is that most parents raise their children to aspire to achieving, to getting a good job. I have never met a Parent who happily raises their child to expect to live on benefits, and would actively encourage them to do as little work as possible to play the system. So if we recognise that it's not what we want for our children, why on earth does any parent think it's a good idea to set this example?"

well said violethill.

Thankfully it's rubbing off on my DS's the need to work to support oneself despite me not currently working.

He always makes me smile every time we go to town we walk past the job centre and DS1 invariably pipes up "why don't you go in there and get a job" - if only it were that simple

Agree with Vespasian's insurance analogy - that really does sum it up.

I was amazed that the OP was so surprised at the reaction she got - maybe now she will realise that this is what people who know her in RL think of her family.

yes, hopefully, she has been shamed off MN.

OP what would you do if the ultimate benefit (ie HB) was zero or £1-2k ?

Really don't understand why having declared £25k income, council is then obliged to hand over a further £10k. £25k is ok.

Yes, people like OP should hide away and not ruin our nicely nit society....

Oh you are back wayoftheworld. Mind asnwering my questions above now, or still avoiding the issue?

.. still avoiding the knob...

Now..now ...children behave!! I know is half term, but this website is for grown up only!!

NIT society >>

quite appropriate given the number of threads about benefits claimants leeching off the state

so, I take it, that you cannot answer my questions, wayoftheworld?

1. Where would all this money come from for this fabulous free for all?

1. Would the benefits agency pay anyone who decides to reduce their hours?

You know fully well that the OP dh has lied to get this money.