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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think I would be better off on benefits

320 replies

parno · 15/07/2012 21:04

I know I am going to get flamed and I promise I am not a Daily Mail reader, just really cross and a trifle pissed off......however.......

I have just read letter from DD's school advising that this coming school year they will be setting a budget for school trips - £30 pr yr. Parents whose kids are on free school meals do not have to contribute a bean, plus get packed lunches provided when off on trips. It got me thinking. I work full time and earn just over £20k. Get a little bit of maintenance for 2 DC plus a bit of CTC to put towards childcare. However I went on line and filled in the Direct Gov benefits caluculator (not much on tv until Wallander comes on).

It told me very proudly that I would be entitled to over £415 approx per week or £1800 approx pcmonth. That doesn't take into account Council Tax Benefit, free schol meals, money towards uniforms either. I take home about £1300 pcm but have to pay rent and CT out of that. I would effectively be about

I just don't understand why I have spent the last 13 yrs working F/T in order to amke ends meet, missing out spending time with my DC and generally meeting my arse on the way back round every single day.

Have I got this wrong? Is my maths really roobash? Am I turning into Katie Hopkins? Please shout at me and stop me being so right wing.

OP posts:
KatherineKavanagh · 15/07/2012 21:07

You would be worse off on benefits. It's not just the money. It's the hand to mouth crapness

LRDtheFeministDragon · 15/07/2012 21:08

I didn't think it was allowed to insist on contributions to school trips?

MrsHuxtable · 15/07/2012 21:10

I believe you might not get that much benefits if your children are older. Not an expert though...

Glitterknickaz · 15/07/2012 21:11

YABU.
The most you can actually get is £250 a week, inclusive of housing benefit, council tax benefit, the works.

But if you want to live on £13k a year go ahead.

JumpingThroughHoops · 15/07/2012 21:11

I say the same thing - keeping all details correct but using that calculator as a LP - I would get £649 per week - thats with working (and I earn a reasonable salary).

Thats why it sticks in the craw.

KittyFane1 · 15/07/2012 21:11

This is why some people choose not to work.
The system is wrong. YANBU to be annoyed.

Glitterknickaz · 15/07/2012 21:12

Are you all forgetting the Welfare Reform Bill? As of April that lot of figures is out the window.

KatherineKavanagh · 15/07/2012 21:13

The cap comes in soon....

Glitterknickaz · 15/07/2012 21:13

Yep, £250 a week. If your rent is £180 a week that's you screwed.

KatherineKavanagh · 15/07/2012 21:14

Op

Let's see the figures then? Which benefits is that and how much are each?

Original poster
parno · 15/07/2012 21:14

I do agree with you KK and in reality have no intention paking my job in, but how can it be hand to mouth? You get a certain amount per wk/fortnight/month in the same way you do when you get paid, and in my case I would be quite a bit better off. However I recognise I would have to claim JSA so therefore would have to consider jobs which would bring in a lot less than what I currently earn. However I'm pretty sure having previously worked for the DWP I could turn down a job if it worked out that I was worse off.

LRD - You can refuse but I always feel a bit tight doing that as the trips aren't that expensive.

OP posts:
LRDtheFeministDragon · 15/07/2012 21:14

Hmm. It wouldn't upset me to find I might be better off on benefits than working. I value work and have a work ethic, so I feel glad I can work because I'm fit to do it. And I'm glad if (and it really is if right now) the help can be there for those who can't.

ilovesooty · 15/07/2012 21:16

And you can't claim JSA for some time if you've given up your job.

watermargin · 15/07/2012 21:16

yep I know what you mean.

I am a single mum to a young baby and if I went on benefits I would actually bring home exactly the same as I do working FT after childcare costs are subtracted.

the really crazy thing is, I earn a good salary!

Original poster
parno · 15/07/2012 21:17

Right give me a chance to go back, do the calc again and I'll get the figures. Maybe it's the calculator that is powered by the DM in order to justify there overinflated benefit hater stories. Be back in a bit.

OP posts:
Original poster
parno · 15/07/2012 21:18

Sorry their

OP posts:
olimpia · 15/07/2012 21:19

Despite what people generally think, it is not for you to decide whether to work or claim benefits. You can claim benefits only if you fulfil certain criteria (serious disability, being a carer, being a single parent of YOUNG children, etc).
It is not a lifestyle choice. So please don't envy people who NEED to claim benefits.

Glitterknickaz · 15/07/2012 21:19

The calculator obviously doesn't allow for the cap.

sweetkitty · 15/07/2012 21:20

My friend worked p/t and last her abusive partner, she upped her hours at work and had to up her nursery hours, she had one DC in school, one in nursery, was working and she was run ragged, she worked out she was better on benefits and gave up her job as she said she know gets to spend all day with her DC and isn't stressed.

She's had another child since then and is pregnant with another and is still on benefits. The new Dad doesn't live with her as then she would get nothing.

I don't know what will happen to people like her once this new universal credit comes into force.

IllegitimateGruffaloChild · 15/07/2012 21:22

I started a thread about this about 4 years ago (pre-credit crunch), and I would have been better off on benefits, but for a short time. Once DCs were at school I'd be in the shit. I was told to play the long game. I'm glad I never gave up. I might see if I can find it...

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 15/07/2012 21:26

Who gets money for school uniforms?

I know you used to get the grand sum of £30 when DD and DS where little. But that was before supermarkets did uniforms and it cost about £300 to kit them out for bog standard primary.

I thought school uniform help had been abolished years ago.
Wasnt it replaced by the free goat?

watermargin · 15/07/2012 21:26

the cap says that lone parents are entitled to a maximum of £500 p/w

that's more than i get as a full time professional shrug

KittyFane1 · 15/07/2012 21:27

I'm being stupid but if a person claims benefits (just because they want to not because they have to) they might receive around £250 PW. I know that school dinners, bus passes, school trips, prescriptions etc are free to them but would they have to pay council tax, water rates, rent and other bills out of that £250 or do they get more money to pay for these things?

SecretPlace · 15/07/2012 21:29

You might be better off but even if you was would you feel happy with yourself? I wouldn't.

watermargin · 15/07/2012 21:30

I think it depends, kitty, to be fair I know there's no hard and fast rule and I wouldn't be entitled to £500 p/w with one child but it would work out as roughly the same after commuting costs, childcare and various other things are taken out.

at least I'm paying towards a mortgage, so i am better off, I know it, but it's hard :(

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