AIBU to think I would be better off on benefits

[parno]

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.

Who claims benefits because they want to? Honestly, it is pretty rare and envying people like that suggests you have no work ethic or morals. Normal people want to work.

Who claims benefits because they want to?
People who can claim more money on benefits than at work?

sweetkitty presumably the 'new' dad will have to support them or she'll have to get a job.

Don't underestimate the cost on your mental health of not being in work.

Take it from one that knows.

YANBU.

There are many people that are currently much better off on benefits than they are working, the system is shite. It is unfair that some people don't have to pay towards school meals or trips, that's what CTC and CB are supposed to be for. I think these things should be free to all or none.

Thankfully though, it seems to be changing. When the cap comes in and the government have sorted it all, people will be better off working, and having a job will pay. The way it should be.

If I chose to have a baby and quit, I'd be better of financially. Sad but true. But I don't want tht for myself.

kitty, most people have morals and do not want to claim benefits unless they are entitled to them. Of course this will include some people who could not earn enough to keep themselves. That is the whole point, isn't it?

All I'm saying is, I think envying people on benefits is pretty low.

Thanks water I honestly have no idea how it works and no LRD I don't envy anyone who claims for free what they ate perfectly capable of earning themselves.
I also don't envy people who have no choice to claim through physical or mental illness, disability or situation.

Uniform grant depends on area.
Where I am it's £50 a year.

Ok, fair enough kitty. I think very few people claim when they could get a job. I also think the cuts to disability benefits are a disgrace. So I get a bit heated about it all.

LRD so you think it impossible for someone to say 'I can't be arsed to work, I'll just claim benefits' ?

Freddos
I don't know why I'm bothering, but here goes. Yes, there are a few who don't work because they're better off on benefits, but they are in the minority.
As usual, you've come along with your blanket statement about all being better off working, as they should be etc. Forgetting about those with disabled children, those with mental health problems, those who are going to lose their benefits on a regular basis because they will be penalised by the office where they sign on for missing a bus etc. and are unaware or unable to defend themselves. But heyho, it's your taxes and you don't give a damn.

Sorry LRD x post!
I don't think it's that rare nowadays. That's what is so wrong.

I claim cause I have to, I'm a single parent to a 2 yo, I work 22 hours a week and childcare costs are phenomenal, I earn just over 10k a year, if it wasn't for my tc I wouldn't be able to afford my cc, I hate relying on handouts but I had to swallow my pride and learn to accept it, it's certainly not a choice

No, I never said that, of course not.

Though, I do think people who say things like that are likely to get a big shock when they try and fail to claim anything!

Cross-posted too. I do think it is rare. Honestly I do.

But I also think - even if it were really common, god, would you want to be like that?! No. It's still good to work for so many reasons.

I spent a year on income support a couple of years ago - not by choice! I had worked since I left school, worked during college, went back to work when my first born was 3 months old, same when my second was 3 months old and when my youngest was 6 months old.

I got about £120 per fortnight income support, plus £140 per week child tax credit, plus my rent and council tax paid for me - oh I also got the free school dinners for the 2 kids at school at the time and a one off winter fuel payment. I don't think we lived "hand to mouth" but it was hard and as I'd always worked I felt "cut off" from the real world. Luckily I found work after a year and my new partner also moved in, now we just get basic rate child tax credit - no HB, CT, WTC, we are probably worse off and we'd be no better off if I did or didn't work.

BUT, I like working, I like knowing I'm doing something, there's times when I'd love to be a sahm and have a constantly tidy house but I know within a few weeks I'd be bored stiff.

I'm not begrudging anybody who is on benefits, I've been there after a nasty break up which involved moving from my job and home. It saved me from all that but I wouldn't willingly go back into it.

Dawndonna, disability benefits are a separate issue, and I'm not forgetting them at all. I just didn't include my thoughts on that in my post, which I stand by.

Whether you like it or not, there are people that are better off on benefits when there is no disability in the family, and that is wrong whether they want a job or not is irrelevant.

watermargin said this

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

is this true

I think I may have to do a refresher in maths but even so I am better off.

CTC 113.65
HB 121.18
JSA 71.00
CTB 50.00 APPROX
MTCE 98.00
CHB 29.00
all weekly amounts plus £20.00 pr wk free school meals. No travel costs to and from work currently 50.00 pr wk

Against £250 pr wk wage
plus mtce as above and CHB as above.

Can I just put it out there that I don't doubt for a moment some individuals do struggle on benefits but in MY case I would be a bit better off.

LRD I actually think that people with a disability which prevents them from working ( either physical or mental health ) should be able to live as well as an average wage earner and be able to claim it all through benefits. I also think that people who just can't be stars should receive nothing. Zilch.

When my dh was made unemployed we received more than we get now he's working. Actually it was about the same but we never got round to claiming schools dinners so would have been more
Seemed mad at the time but it did help the continuity of our lives as it was only 6 weeks each time.
Didn't help my mental health though and we feel better with him earning an income

My dhs mental health (mine was ok)

"envying people like that suggests you have no work ethic or morals. "

I would say actually doing that suggests a lack of work ethic or morals

I don't really see envy from posters, I see resentment