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.

Then blame the system, why demonise the people in the system, will it change it?

I asked my husband to leave on Friday after the latest bout of domestic abuse (this one involved a knife and I drew the line)

I work PT, 20hrs a week. I didn't need to pay childcare because h looked after them after his shift had finished. He is no longer willing to do this. Or contribute to the mortgage.

I have applied for tax credits, but there is an 8 week back log, so can't get any help with childcare costs for 8 weeks. I have no choice but to hand in my notice. I have no one (thanks to the isolation caused by h) who will have them to gone 7 at night.

I have worked out the benefits I will receive and because of the Mortgage Assistance benefit (which will roughly cover half the mortgage) I will be able to keep the house until I start working again when I will get put onto jobseekers when my youngest turns 5. Not ideal, but for the time being I can keep my children in their house and that feels quite important after the recent upset.

I have worked all my life and feel ashamed that I am forced to go onto income support and threads like this do nothing to help. But then it's my fault for reading them I guess.

why are you confused

person A does not work and receives entire income from grouping of persons B -- result disposable income x
person B works very hard and contributes to income of person A -- result disposable income x - y

I don't think this is confusing or difficult whether or not it's legal, in fact I've assumed it is all legal, the whole point of the thread is that it's legal and that you don't have to be fraudulent to achieve this

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos no you don't get it, be thankful that so far you have not had the need to.

I believe you are actually allowed to do voluntary work on Job Seekers Allowance if you ask permission of the job centre. And are still available for work and going for interviews.

DifferentFutureAhead I am sorry you have had such a hard time.

viv - you are, yes. But you would get very short shrift if you deliberately gave up a job in order to volunteer, and you'd be required to keep going in for interviews and work. The comment about being a SAHP/doing voluntary work came across as if it'd be a matter of choice, just wandering down the job centre and picking up your generous cheque before you went off!

The thing I don't understand is why some people are judged as needing more money than others. I had thought that as people who are working can claim certain benefits they would be topped up to the same level.

I was stunned to find that child maintenance payments are not taken into account. I have two ladies working in my office one has a DH who brings home £1500 a month, they receive no benefit. The other is divorced and her XDH pays her £1500 maintenance, she recieves tax credits and council tax benefit and free school meals. I cannot see how that is a fair system. The first lady has one more mouth to feed.

yes the maintenance thing is very weird

accuracy, by that logic I might as well spend my entire life resenting everyone who earns more than me and being bitter about everything I saw in life. It's pointless.

The amount you get from benefits is not large. Why focus on the people on benefits?

Accuracyrequired Nuttyprofessor It's because maintenance is not guaranteed. The non resident parent can withhold payment one week/month and then the lone parent has to go without. Which could mean no food, heating or the rent not being paid. Even if it comes out of wages, the NRP could just quit work without telling anyone.

They did take into account a few years ago, but scrapped it due to the above problem.

Maintenance...., you are left waiting fir an ex to pay it. They could lose their job or just not pay it one month. You are at theiri mercy. What if you rely on it? If it's withdrawn suddenly then what?

All I was trying to say was that there are people that don't want to work and prefer to be on benefits.

Not everyone who is funded entirely by benefits is sitting there wishing they had a job. Some are, but some aren't.

I think it's silly how some people on here like to make out that everyone who lives on benefits is suffering some terrible hardship that they have been forced into and have no choice about. Many people (not all) do have a choice, and they choose not to work because of a system that makes them better off not to.

KK
CTC 113.65
HB 121.18
JSA 71.00
CTB 50.00 APPROX
MTCE 98.00
CHB 29.00
Free school meals £20.00

Total = 477.83
No travel costs to and from work currently 50.00 pr wk

Wage £250.00
Mtce £98.00
CHB £29.00
CTC £ 25.00
Total = £402 plus £50.00 travel, £25.00 CT, £20 school meals(though one is on pack up as I can't afford school dinners for 2 children)

Speaks for itself doesn't it?

Well no, as I say most people dont' think about it that much, not even the op, but when there's a thread you might say it

i think you are exaggerating a bit

The maintenance thing is strange but the CSA is crap shite anyway since I don't get a bean even though ex-p earns twice as much as I do. And breath

NowThenWreck hubby's job is well paid enough to live on, not for luxury..... But I was more meaning if I was a single parent.... Even FT with my job and the cost of local nursaries I'd only have about £40 a week! (term time only job)

Not saying I wouldn't claim myself if that was the case - like I said before its the system I'm against not the people who claim..... It ain't their fault the system is rubbish! (min wage being non-living wage, child care being so expensive etc..)

shera04 - Thanks, it may be difficult for a while but it's better than being where I was

I don't know katharine but it's weird - if you're getting maintenance you should be scrupulous enough not to claim

Fair enough. I have gone in all guns blazing because it does bug me, and I do find the attitude hard to understand.

Lrd I think you are tying yourself in knots to NOT criticise the system that allows taxpayers to have less disposable income than the people they fund, and to make it so that those taxpayers who express concern about it are the ones at fault!

x post

goodnight

But accuracy, I have criticized the system. I said I thought it was wrong.

op NO!! Because there is a £350 cap!

I think we're both posting too fast here! Especially me. Sorry!

I think there is a lot wrong and I get angry with lots of different bits of the system.