£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?

One thing I know is that I will not, on my deathbed, feel bad that we claimed some extra benefits for a few years so we could afford to live and spend some time with our kids while they were growing up. I do actually have a conscience and there are a lot worse things happening in the world than this.

Life is short people!

MillyR, it is about money as we would be able to AFFORD the time, were the system not as it currently is.

I cannot believe I am still up!

'not' be able to afford the time.

I dunno. What man (or woman in my case) would choose to work 50+ hours a week and hardly ever see his kids, leaving his partner to deal with them alone, when as a family they could have more money by him going part time. Anyone who says they wouldn't take up this option if it was on offer to them,

• well I don't believe them frankly. I would, and I'm not ashamed to say so.

Do I think that should be the case? No.

I cannot say I blame you, Bitchy.

I wish I could, but I cannot, because I don't see 'we are all in this together'.

I see this as 'Do as I say, not as I do' 'Answer the bell when I ring for you''Don't go getting ideas above your station.'

personally I'm hoping to teach my children that working hard and supporting yourself is the preferred option rather than relying on the state as we have to now while they're still young. but hey - different strokes

And I really despise the holier than thou attitudes that are on MN at the moment.

X-post with gaelic. I agree.

Btw, MaMo, there is Chopin on BBCFour at the moment in celebration of the 200th anniversary :).

MaMoTaTa as someone claiming full benefits as I believe you are, you are really taking the piss trying to shame me. I am sure there are all manner of excuses why YOU are not working are'nt there?

You are getting rather tedious.

hmm chopin - sounds good - DS3 restless tonight - probably wake him.

Sat here in the silence, fucked off with the world right now.

Wondering how drinkable the bottle of wine in the fridge that's been open for over a week still is.

Maybe I'll drink it anyhow.

See, IME to date, working hard to support yourself leads to being right royally sh*t on. It should be the right thing to do, it should provide its own rewards, but it doesn't. And you only have children once - that time is precious, taxpayers' money isn't (clearly, or it wouldn't be wasted so freely).

Rather amazing pianist.

I only ever got to about Grade 5 . . .

I would drink and just listen to this performer over the keys.

So light, so Chopin.

Stop it! Stop tempting me with Chopin! I love Chopin (used to play him rather well, not any more though ).

I know gaelic - I was there once upon a time.

I preferred it, despite all it's downfalls, to where I am now, and where I'm going to be for the foreseeable future, even if I managed to find a job.

It's fucking shit.

At least supporting yourself leads to fewer places to be shat on, you do at least get some respect for working, for not claiming benfits, for not being scum

Of course, now the license fee has been frozen, who knows how long we'll have such broadcasts.

Perhaps they should start broadcasting Wagner over loudspeakers on vans, telling us 'Arbeit macht frei!'

He's so tricky to play, isn't he? You have to hold the upper part of your hands so high or strike the keys too hard.

I don't know your situation, MaMoTTaT, but it sounds crap.

ack you probably do know me - i've been prolific posting over the years, FAQ, QoQ, FannyAnnie, Gwenick, ToccatnFudge,

Oh, you know, gaelic, single mothers are the route of all evil, and all their progency.

None of them can play piano. They are all chavs.

I even see it on Facebook. A poster on a nurse friend of mine, posting that she (my friend the nurse) was working all hours to support those who don't chose to go out to work.

I sat on my hands for a few hours, then posted that I was unaware all NHS users were feckless dole scroungers.

I can't see how Chopin would wake a child.

On the contrary.

Oh, that solo phrase . . .

Concerto in E minor, Op. 11, Polish National Orchestra accompanying.

the sound in this house travels right through, he's restless tonight (been itching to go to bed since lunchtime as he realised it was one sleep to see daddy), keep waking up wanting breakfast ). He'll hear antyhing from the TV.

Don't feel like chopin tonight anyhow, trying to avoid the wine

oooo, it's really good, MaMo! :)

glad you're enjoying it

He is tickling the keys.

Oooo.

This is the perfect send off to bed, for sure.