To be scared of getting a job in case I'm worse off?

[BenefitScrounger]

NC and prepared for a flaming.

I've been claiming JSA for over two years now and am on the Work Programme. I have no qualifications and all I could get (I think) is a minimum wage job. I have been lying about my attempts to get work because I think I am better off out of work.

At the moment I get full housing benefit plus council tax, free dental care/prescriptions (if I need them) and £71 a week to live on. My bills aren't covered obviously, but they're not huge, and I have lots of free time to indulge hobbies etc.. I don't feel the need to buy stuff very often as I'm not into fashion/beauty and I eat cheaply. I can afford to eat out once a week with a TasteCard. The only thing I miss is holidays abroad but I'm not sure I would be able to afford them if I got a job anyway.

If I got a full time minimum wage job, would I be worse off? Just thinking of travel expenses, student loan repayment and time lost - not sure if I would still get any council tax benefit?

Has anyone had experience of this? By the way, I'm childless and live alone.

You could always move to a cheaper flat or a cheaper area.

And, in anticipation of the question "why should I?" the answer is because needs must.

Where is cheaper for a one bed? I don't want to move out of London.

No no dont go back to work Liz- or we will all be worse off! nobody benefits from a bad journalist whos writes for a bad newspaper having people like you in employment

Do you live in central london? How are you entitled to £900pcm housing benefit otherwise?

Your computer has a calculator I presume? Find out the NMW and minus your rent.

Move somewhere cheaper.

Everywhere else in the entire country is cheaper.

Oh FGS. You are so entitled it's untrue. If you want to live in London then get a job and pay to do so! Twat.

So the essence on your thread is that you can't actually be arsed to look at any of the options, you'd quite lke strangers on the internet to figure it all out for you?

Really?

Really?!

Closes eyes, pictures dream job, opens eyes, nope still in an office.

I am one of the first to defend the welfare state for those in need. But yeah, there are no words here. I really, really do hope this isn't real because it is such amazing ammunition for those who want to dismantle social security. I can't stand people who believe the world owes them something, if you are healthy, able and under 65 with no dependents I don't see the issue.

So how are you paying that rent now?

This has to be a wind up, but just in case its not.

The reason you should work is because it's the right thing to do. Benefits are there for people who need them, as a safety net. Not for people who would prefer to stay at home and do their hobbies.

if you are happy allowing the tax payer to fund your lifestyle when you don't need them to you obviously have very little pride or self-respect though, so I imagine my reason won't make any difference to you.

OP - I and several others have already told you you will be able to claim housing benefit if you earn the minimum wage, so why keep asking about that?

Thanks Erik. I have worked in bars (which is why I said Wetherspoons) but I got quite sick after a few months. Mentally I mean. Some of the customers were very rude to me - asking to see my tits etc.

I don't want to be in that environment.

A man asked to see my boobs when I worked in Waitrose. Unless you never leave your house you will always come across wrong'uns

Here's a link to some Directgov Housing Benefit advice

If you have a read and have a look at some of the links about checking eligibilty, you may be able to find out whether you'd still get any housing benefit, and if it would pay for all your rent, or if you'd have to think about moving somewhere cheaper. No idea where you are, but £900 a month would be a massive amount in my area.

Please, please, tell me you are a troll or a bored school child. How can anyone really post this without being totally ashamed of themselves!

Ah, well, god forbid you should have to do anything you don't enjoy. OR put up with people being mean to you.

But would I be better off on min wage or not?

I was asking here because I have exhausted other avenues, and wondered if someone is currently in the same postition.

Seems not.

Ok so go and work in a shop, or a supermarket, or an office, get a cleaning, caring job, so many options. Lazyarse.

Op . We would need to know how much your outgoings are. Rent etc

Why do you think you would lose your flat?

If the customers were sexually harassing you why didn't you tell the management? who would have thrown them out.

I have done cleaning/caring. I was worse off!

If you're that bothered about being morally or ethically right on - why not volunteer? Go to your nearest volunteer centre or get on do-it and find something to do - you may even find work from it...This sort of sickens me, I see people every day in my job who are desperate to volunteer but have some kind of special need or vulnerability. They find it hard to work but want to help. Could you bring yourself to do this?(volunteer I mean?)

You haven't exhausted other options, google and a calculator can answer your questions.
Are you so unbearably lazy you can't manage 10 mins for that? Surely Jeremy Kyle has finished and you have a few minutes before Home and Away?

OH MY GOD! DO THE MATHS YOURSELF!

35 hours x NMW amount, X 5 X 52, work out how much of that is above the tax threshold, take tax and NI off the rest.

Clearly you are incapable of any kind of problem solving.

The system is set up so that you will always be better off working. There are variants that can make that less accurate especially when you have children however working vs non working, unless you have huge transport costs, means you will be better off. The benefits system would be absurd if it didn't work that way, in principle.

Get a job within walking distance. It's not complicated, especially if you live in London!