Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 ··· 23 24

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. - (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:

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 19:50

The problem is I think some people think I am saying ;"You shouldn't rely on them you loser and Im looking down my nose at you because you do and I don't".

Perhaps peoples insecurities are clouding what I am really saying.

You said "we got a letter recently saying we couldn't have them anymore, 2 weeks later that was it, no more TC for us. "

This is my point. Why would you not want to warn people these things happen?

That is almost what happened to us.That is what the op is saying just about happened to her sister.

Im trying to caution people.

Be careful, because one day they could all stop your TC without warning. Im sorry if people don't want to hear it and yes it frightening but it really does happen.

That is is not anyones fault is they do. Its the systems fault.

Im baffaled how this could possibly insult anyone just to say "look be careful, things can go wrong. It's not your fault things are like this for you but just be aware how the system is not always fair".

doley · 19/05/2011 19:52

You mean why do people rely on the first quote they get ?

Well in your sister's case her boyfriend moved in ,and changed her entitlement . ..right ?

heliumballoons · 19/05/2011 19:52

Agree with shirlyknot from the fisrt page. YABU to think you shouldn't rely on WTC. My wages as a LP parent literally cover rent/ CT/ bills.

Or do I have a sense of entitlement thinking I should be able to eat?

Your sisters situation is slightly difficult becuase she sounds like she's frivilous, thats her choice though. I often say I have no money, I don't really but ocassionally £10 for a take away is affordable if I've saved else where. Doesn't make me a liar though.

xstitch · 19/05/2011 19:53

It is because the way it is said it suggests that the money is used on un-necessary things thereby stretching finances where as some people have them and they are use to live as frugally as possible with nothing really left to cut. Which brings me back to my question originally aimed at niceguy but I would appreciate an answer from anybody, what should I cut?

heliumballoons · 19/05/2011 20:03

Well FWIW I just put in the details couple living together, 1 child in education, 1 working 30+ hours and 1 working 13 hours into WTC calculator. It comes up with a figure of £58/pk.

No your sister should not have relied on the figure being correct - although why they would give an estimate of £80 when its £4.90 is anyones guess. Thats also imo a major mistake.

I haven't read your post x-stitch. But I would say ifyour only buying necessities then there probably isn't anything you can cut. Thats what TC are for. An affordable life - not a luxury one.

SkyNewsAddict · 19/05/2011 20:06

Coco "Im baffaled how this could possibly insult anyone just to say "look be careful, things can go wrong. It's not your fault things are like this for you but just be aware how the system is not always fair".

To be fair, 'just wanting to warn people' of the dangers isn't how your posts have come across at all.

I think those who truly rely on TC realise how precarious their situation is, I doubt the people on the edge of surviving and not surviving really need a warning!

I see that you maybe didn't mean to, but I think you have come across as '"You shouldn't rely on them you loser and Im looking down my nose at you because you do and I don't".

From what I can tell, you were in a bad situation and you made life better for yourself by retraining. I just want to see you understand that not everyone can do that, for a multitude of reasons. You never answered my question.

xstitch · 19/05/2011 20:07

Yeh but people keep implying I am using it for luxuries and shouldn't have them. I am so ashamed of applying for them as it is.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:07

xstitch you seem so down and lost.

How long have you been out of work?
What job were you doing before?

Which part of the country are you in?

Do you dc's father help at all?

Do you have any family?

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:09

Skynews go back and read my first ever post on this thread and tell me how I came across like that.

SkyNewsAddict · 19/05/2011 20:11

XStitch You are who the TC are designed for, people who need them to get by. Its not a bad thing. Once you are older and not paying for school shoes/childcare/feeding children you will be paying into the tax system and helping out the next generation of families struggling to get by.

SkyNewsAddict · 19/05/2011 20:13

Coco I'm not talking about your first post.

You yourself said that you think that thats how you might have been interpreted, I'm agreeing. Personally, I think you have. I can see that it isn't how you intended to come across. Others might disagree with me, I can only give my opinion.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:15

I would just like to point out my first post:

^I would NEVER rely on tax credits as income, they are so unreliable.

They can change by a huge amount for no reason and they often make mistakes and make you pay it back the next year. One year due to their mistake we had to pay £3k back.

My friend on 50k gets £400 pcm. Our income is far lower and we get £20pcm.

Its like the numbers are plucked out of thin air then changed for no reason. I just couldnt rely on them ever.^

I honestly think I said nothing wrong. I at no point implied people who relies on them were losers. Ever.

I said they chanhe to much to rely on them. Just like others have said.

I think the fact I have been jumped on and attacked on this thread for my one and only point as above has been really quite unfair tbh.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:17

However can you pick out one thing I have actually said the confirms what they think?

SkyNewsAddict · 19/05/2011 20:18

Coco In fact, I am talking about your first post (unless I've missed one).

"I would NEVER rely on tax credits as income, they are so unreliable"

Thats great if you never need to rely on them, but thats the whole point, some people actually do need to. My personal reaction to that sentence is 'well, bully for you that you have the choice'.

I don't think we will ever agree on this. I just would have liked you to have said that whilst relying on TC isn't ideal that you realise and accept that for some people that is the reality. Nevermind.

xstitch · 19/05/2011 20:21

I lost my job 3 years ago now just after my husband left me they let me go as a single mother did not fit with the moral ethos of the company. I was a pharmacist. I did manage to find another job (well paid) but it meant moving. XH took me to court and I now have to stay here or give up rights to seeing my daughter again (not much of a choice is it). I will probably get flamed for this but I dropped out of the job for dd's sake.

The number of jobs I have looked for are in triple figures ie more than one a week. Of these only 8 have responded, 4 offered me interviews of those 3 turned me down and one didn't bother to give me an answer. Of those who replied the 2 non-pharmacy jobs said they turned me down as over qualified. The professional jobs get harder the longer I am searching as it looks 'suspicious' I am in Scotland and most jobs advertised (there are a lot less than there used to be) are over 70miles away. The average commute as I have recorded all my job hunting to prove to the courts (that's another story) has been 213miles each way so not feasible.

XH wouldn't help he wants me to go bankrupt and boasts about getting me to kill myself.

There is only my mum who is in her late 70s.

Madamolive · 19/05/2011 20:22

Your friend on 50k gets 400pcm (eyes water)

pass me the vodka...

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:23

This is going around in circles now.

And I would like you to say "well I realise you were just trying to highlight the reality that they can and do end"

I would like to have relied on house benefit as a minimum as a single mum.
I would like to have relied on JSA when we were both out of work.

Didnt happen though did it?

xstitch · 19/05/2011 20:23

That has got to be a typo.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:24

^Your friend on 50k gets 400pcm (eyes water)

pass me the vodka...^

Yes this is another thing that I guess I should get mad about, but Im so used to being messed about by the goverment I just given up trying

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:27

Xstitch can you not get the CSA onto your ex?
How would he have the power to stop you moving? If your dc lives with you its not really his choice is it as you arent moving abroad?

SkyNewsAddict · 19/05/2011 20:31

Coco I think the issue of you being able to rely on other, non TC benefits coming through when you needed them is unrelated. Though I can see that for you its an issue. I think there is well documented problem with people stuck in the gap between needing benefits and actually getting them.

We are talking about TC, people who already get them and who are dependent on them through no fault of their own, like Xstitch.

I accept that you are saying that you intended to just warn people that TC end/change, and I believe you, but I didn't get that from reading your posts.

Cocoflower · 19/05/2011 20:33

But where in my post have I actually said anything different?

xstitch · 19/05/2011 20:33

Because the legal system is an arse, the have an order out against me. He has the right because dd does live with me. I have the choice of keeping dd and obeying the court order and staying or hand dd over to his family,move to work and never see her again.

Get the CSA and he'll take me to court again it was traumatic enough the first time.

TheSecondComing · 19/05/2011 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ScousyFogarty · 19/05/2011 20:38

some said sorry its long....havent said that to a lady for ages credits the tory government will love it if the poor start attacking the poor...Plenty of rich people are doing very naughty things hmmmmm

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 ··· 23 24