In thinking that there is nothing wrong with claiming benefits?

[Mumofaflump]

Please READ this whole post before jumping on me.

If a woman has worked, and paid her NI, why shouldn't she take benefits? She is only taking back what she has paid in after all.

I am currently on maternity leave. I have worked full time for 9 years now and fully intend to go back to work when I am ready. I claim child benefit and as SMP is barely a third of my usual salary I am claiming housing benefit as well.

I am very tired of being made to feel like a layabout and a scrounger for doing this.

Am I being unreasonable?

Please note - I am not condoning any sort of benefit fraud, I am merely annoyed at the stigma surrounding people who take benefits - even when they are fully entitled to them.

Carmina - I wasn't trying to be controversial, although I understand that a minority of AIBU is created with the sole intent of upsetting people. I genuinely wanted peoples opinions on my particular situation and this is a place where people are not afraid to say what they think.

So you live alone with no partner?

In rented accomadation?

Not overly sure how it is important to the thread Tiffany but no, I live with my fiancé, BUT, I am the main breadwinner. Yes, I privately rent, for me personaly it makes far greater financial sense then buying.

I know you weren't trying to be controversial - but you were preparing yourself for a good verbal kicking - it ain't gonna happen because you're not doing anything wrong.

but if you're pumped up and wanting it i'm sure i can find something you're being unreasonable about - ha ha ha

YANBU - you have made your contributions. Its not like you made a "decision" at 16 to never work and only claim.

Also its not like we get a "bonus" or medal at the end of our lives for not claiming either. The way I see it is by the time I retire, there won't be a state pension and most of the NHS will be privatised so I don't feel bad for taking anything now (I haven't as yet but just started ML and not sure what DH's employment/pay is going to be like come the summer so may be claiming). I know NI and tax go on a lot of other things but dammit its my money too!

Well if he provides a wage then it's household income, so relevant to benefit claims
Thats the relevance

Which benefits apart from housing do you claim?

Carmina....Noooooooo!

I don't like arguments (hence the body armour!) I was just preparing to be hung drawn and quartered by those who just like to pick. I have seen what AIBU is like! :)

My lovely but sadly misguided mother is always finding me claim forms for various benefits. You see I am a 'single parent' which to her means I am poor, vulnerable and in need of alms. However, being gainfully employed rather puts the mockers on any freebies! Still... I gamely go along and send off the form just to please her. I bet it gives the lads at HMRC et al a good old laugh when they open the envelope.

If you need the cash and you tick the right boxes, make the claim. Gawd knows I've tried....

I don't feel guilty for the benefits we get. I'm at home with my young DCs, and studying an OU degree, so hopefully in a few years I'll be a teacher and paying tax etc.

I could work now instead - but it'd only be a crappy no-future job that I'd be able to get ATM, so instead I've chosen to study for a better career.

Tiffany - Oh, I know his income is relevant. I have done this properly, as in it's a joint claim. I have said, I claim child benefit and housing benefit. That's it.

You not entitled to tax credits?

yanbu
but sadly people like to sneer at people they deem less worthy than them.

Oh, I don't know.

Hmmmm.

Feel a bit foolish now for being all knoweledgable (sp?)!!

I understood what you meant about 'getting out what you'd paid in' - the point of benefits should be a sort of insurance policy, i.e. you pay your tax and NI in the hope that you never need to claim it back. But sometimes life deals you a shit hand, and you need the safety net while you get back on your feet. You sound exactly like me when I had DD 4 years ago - I had worked and paid tax and NI for 11 years. When I found myself needing benefits to cover the costs while I was on maternity leave, I didn't feel guilty. That was why the welfare state was established.