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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that too many people rely on the Tax Credits for their income.

593 replies

IdRatherBeInBed · 19/05/2011 11:42

Bit of background first

My sister and her boyfriend has got back together after they split up last year. She was then claiming income support.

He has moved back in with her so her benefits have all stopped. she works 13.5 hours a week, he works over 30 hours. They earn £17k between them. Which lets be honest in this climate is not alot of money.

Shes just called Tax Credits to let them know hes moved back in and wanted to know what she would be entitled to WTC wise. Due to her HB/CTB stopping. Her rent is £500 per month, CT £100 per month. She is entitled to £4.90 per week.

I am sad for her because after all rent, ct, bills have gone out shes isnt left with anything. her food bill for the month has had to be cut to £200 per month. She has a car on finance (through my dad) which is shagging her tbh due to engine size (she got it when still with partner before splitting up and he had to get a 1.8 sport^^) her insurance with just her on it is £115p/m. Hmm - (she isnt 25 yet)

Anyway she called them last week to ask how much she could be entitled to, they told her £80 per week so she was like
"ooh we can afford this, we can afford that" so went out and spent £100 on clothes for her, him and nephew. I told her not to rely on what they have said because it could be wrong but she wouldn't listen and was saying 'it will be right'. Today she rings me bollocking me as to why she is only entitled to £4.90 per week.

FFS why bollock me - i dont work for them.

WIHBU to have said to her 'cancel your £24p/m gym membership, get rid of the car or change it if you can, stop getting things from catalogues that you cant pay for and get your arse of a boyfriend to stop spending money you don't have on shit like £5.50 magazines each week, stop getting shit for the garden you dont need, you don't need so many fucking flowery things to make a garden look nice.

Or what i come across as a complete and utter bitch.

She is one of these who says "oh i have no money" but yet has enough for new clothes or go out for a meal, or takeaway"

OP posts:
MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:11

You're just in time for cake tethersend.

There can be something a little bolshy about benefit entitlement, but in my opinion I don't think you can need it enough or be grateful enough if this is so.

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:12

Thank you shirleyknot, i think i'll give up on that argument :)

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:15

Yes. Of course you have to give up because you are arguing the goverment always helps and clearly the dont.

Scary isnt it?

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:16

eats a slice of bamboo cake

No... I just want to help you with your paperwork next time...

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:18

Well if being rude to perfectly polite posters makes you feel good inside then best of luck

ShirleyKnot · 19/05/2011 23:19

Aw. I hate being ignored and having to talk through a poster, it makes me feel like Chandler out of friends and, seriously, who NEEDS that?

I like it when a poster finally shows their true colours and displays them in all their glory.

ARF

Ambi · 19/05/2011 23:25

We never used to before DHs redundancy. Now I'm financially supporting our family whilst DH is trying to get his business to the point where he can earn something too, when that happens we won't need to rely on them, at the moment it pays for DDs nursery fees so that we can both work.

YABU to generalise everyones situations.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:28

MotherPanda

Whilst my DH was unemployed, he was unable to get jobseekers allowance because the govermnet deemed

So you know full well the goverment dosent always help yet you decide Im a liar, Im wrong and need help with paperwork!

WTF

Ambi · 19/05/2011 23:31

Oops posted in the middle of an argument and just seen OPs mention that it was a personal thread about a relative not a generalisation.

As you were BrewBiscuit

ShirleyKnot · 19/05/2011 23:34

You're cool Ambi - your point was weirdly relevant

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:36

But we did have basic income enough to live - which is why we didnt get it, we earnt much more than the 5460 the government said we needed. Fair enough.

You are claiming you had zero! They couldn't possibly have used the too much income argument on you, unless you had savings, or you had already earnt enough that year?

If you tell me the full story then i will understand, but your current argument does not make sense. This is why I suspect that you had already earned some income that year, which the government deemed enough for you to have spread over ther year, or that you had savings. or that you didnt apply for all the different kinds of help you could have been entitled to.

Why where you rejected?

Now, I am not trying to be rude to you personally, but I dont want to continue this, frankly, quite childish argument with you unless you want to explain yourself fully.

As many of the other posters have pointed at, you refuse to answer questions, but expect answers from others.

GetOrfMoiCase · 19/05/2011 23:38

Right - I have not read the thread (I normally hate people who say that and think they're twats but hey ho) but of course people are going to rely on tax credits for their income. I think people would protest if people used their tax credits for Glyndebourne tickets and marks and sparks cherries.

Reserve your ire for hugely profitable companies who employ their staff on short contracts and on minumum wage, therefore meaning that people cannot live on a weekly wage and need to claim government support.

And thank god we live in a country which provides this support as opposed to letting people go to the wall. I am a higher rate tax payer, and am glad that we have decent welfare provision in the UK.

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:38

Ambi - I feel as if you just gave me a towel break....

GRRRRRR.... MotherPanda in the blue corner...

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:39

applauses getorfmoicase

yikert · 19/05/2011 23:44

"And thank god we live in a country which provides this support as opposed to letting people go to the wall. I am a higher rate tax payer, and am glad that we have decent welfare provision in the UK."

We have a country that pays for this by borrowing large amounts of money on the bond market, that have to be paid back at some time in the future.

Original poster
IdRatherBeInBed · 19/05/2011 23:47

Confused never knew this thread would get like this, i half expected there to be a couple of replies not 316 messages!! lol

OP posts:
tethersend · 19/05/2011 23:49

I thought we had a country which paid for it with the taxes of hardworkingfamilies?

It gets terribly confusing, doesn't it?

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:49

^tethersend Thu 19-May-11 23:09:44
I'm late to the party as always, but just checking if anyone has mentioned the huge sense of entitlement people have towards the benefits they are entitled to.

Makes me sick.^

I love the way someone can come along, say this and it gets ignored and accepted.
Yet all I did say was that I did need help didnt get it- and get abused for it!

MotherPanda · 19/05/2011 23:50

Idratherbeinbed - I think money is something we are all a bit touchy about at the moment, so it brings out the argumentative in us all. sorry it drove away from the main issue (your sister) a bit

GetOrfMoiCase · 19/05/2011 23:51

The total amount of money paid out in welfare benefit (and in that I include tax credits, child benefit, income support, DLA and jobseekers) is dwarfed by the amount of money we pay out in state pensions.

However the coalition will never look at sensible restructuring of pension payments as they would alienate their core voters.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:52

tethersend- should be rely on tax credits then?What do you think?

ShirleyKnot · 19/05/2011 23:53

Enjoy sweetheart, I'm going to bed

tethersend · 19/05/2011 23:56

Come on Shirl, don't be a wanker...

Shit, you're not pregnant are you?

tethersend · 19/05/2011 23:57

I wish someone would ask what I thought once in a while.

Oh well.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 23:58

I asked Tethersend! Look up ^

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