AIBU to thank David Cameron and the other one for buying me a cooker

[CreamolaFoamless]

My cooker oven exploded about 3 weeks ago.

and thanks to the great british system .......which everyone berates at times

I have been given £280 to buy a new cooker.

(I have paid my taxes) but seriously £280 for a new cooker , the month before christmas , thank you

I would never have known this was possible unless a really clued up person advised me about it

oh ffs if the op came on here stressing that her cooker broke and she couldn't afford a new one, lots of posters would be telling her that she might be able to get the funds for a new one

but because she has already done that and just wanted to share and let other people know then she is boasting???

My husbands ex has custody of their 7 year old son, for the last 7 years she has remained on benefits and doesn't appear to be doing anything to remedy that. In August she got a sum of money to clothe him for school, yet he still wears last years uniform. Nothing wrong with getting as long as you can out of uniform but she shouldn't have claimed the money if she didn't need it. That pisses me off and unfortunately doesn't help with the genuine cases. Benefits are supposed to be a temporary safety net. I will acknowledge that with unemployment soaring that the net will have to widen. I'm also more pissed off at the bankers and politicians that got us in the mess in the first place.

I'm not saying that's the case here, if you're truly in dire need then more power to you.

I agree though, that a persons very lucky if you can afford to just go out and fork out for a new cooker or any appliance at short notice, my husband has a pretty good job, I'm currently a student after being paid off six months ago, if my cooker packed in it would be microwave food for a few months till we saved. That probably applies to most people, especially nowadays with rising prices on everything!

Is this some sort of voucher or £280 cash?

OP why would you start a thread to let people know you have received this money if you don't even know what it is?

Fwiw I would take the money if it was offered to me too but you are coming across as boastful. As you said up thread, technically you shouldn't have got it, what makes you think the rest of us would?

Gramercy - would be a giro NOT a voucher as not meant to support any one retailer or dictate where an item can be bought from. Amounts are low and usually based on a new item at the lower end of the price scale but offering a range of items. In reality based on Argos prices and with cookers sometimes added amounts for delivery and connection.

cream I still don't know what sort of grant you have been given you are not giving much away.
There are two ways of looking at it IMO:

1. You have been given a grant because of genuine need and hardship.

OR

1. You have taken a grant despite no great need or hardship.

Not clear which applies to you.

If it's the former, I'm genuinely pleased for you.
If it's the latter .

It's not a voucher, it's money, why shouldn't it be?

Rational, the fault lies with your husband's ex. I get money for DD's uniform too, she has decent uniform, whether I spend that actual £50 on the uniform at that time, is irrelevant.

You only need to read the link earlier in the thread to realise that the OP is probably in a crappy situation to qualify.

As I have said, I'm eligible for one when I move too. Feel free to swap places with me.

I want to stress that this money is hard to get and is not just thrown at people. I think that we are not getting the full story here unless the OP decides to be a bit more open about her situation.

"Rational, the fault lies with your husband's ex. I get money for DD's uniform too, she has decent uniform, whether I spend that actual £50 on the uniform at that time, is irrelevant."

I never said the fault lies with anyone but her. If you don't need the money though it shouldn't be claimed. This woman can afford internet and runs a car, on benefits, she can afford uniform anyway if she can afford luxuries like these.

School uniform is paid by the LA - usually every other year.

I have the internet too, and am about to get a car, OK, It's a motability car but I'm paying for it.

Where I live you get £50 a year uniform grant if you qualify, which doesn't necessarily mean benefits, it can be low income, as can free school meals.

Netto, I would never begrudge someone a motability car, that's entirely different.

I was a single parent for years, I worked 12 hour shifts in a full time job but I could never have afforded a car. I have no idea how it can be done on benefits.

Enjoy your cooker. Ignore the bitter people

'Although I had virtually no food in the house, no heating, no hot water, and benefits weren't due for another ten days (paid fortnightly), they refused me, saying I had to learn to eke things out better.'

Mate of mine just got turned down last week, too, zukie. The guy on the phone was a complete and utter wanker as well. Really made her feel shilte.

£50 a year would buy half a PE kit at my ds's school, that is shocking netto.

When I worked on SF it was still giro payments but most payments are now paid into bank or PO accounts..

There is abuse in all benefits including motobility but the vast majority of genuine customers should not have to suffer because of the few. The gov't are doing a good job of pitting the poor(including the working poor) against the even poorer. Job done as far as they are concerned. If they really wanted to catch benefit cheats they would put their money where their mouth is - much better to slash the money of all and get the public to back you while you do it !

What kind if school is it where pe kit costs £100?

£100 trainers? :o

Normal bog standard school in the Midlands Rational - all the schools here are that much. It is shocking, and detentions for not having the right kit. Rugby tops alone cost £20. There is also an indoor kit as well, oh yes and specific swimming trunks etc etc. Makes me very angry.

vallum- do they have a second hand store in school?

Nice to see another benefits thread has ended up in the same old way

SORRY!!!! whole uniform costs over £100 including PE kit - not just PE kit.

Not that I know of kitty

There was a thread on here a while back moaning about who much grammar school uniforms cost and I worked out it was the same as ds's school.