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.

This isn't true. It is a 'wind 'em up and reel 'em in' kind of poster.

I would ignore it and talk about toy poodles or something.

Claiming that a single person or childless couple can claim housing benefit of £900pcm (even in London) makes me think this is a wind up. Myself, DP and 3 DC are only entitled to £550 pcm. My DP is looking for work and the Jobcentre do check that he is. I'm waiting for youngest DC to start school year so I can also look for work (DS has disabilities that makes finding childcare in this area very difficult). We have being on benefits and can't ever imagine how could be worse off working than we are just now.

You are talking out of your anus!!

How come as a singleton you are entitled to £900 on rent??
Bills £30/month - bollox..what, gas, electric, water, food council tax........no way!

Nice try tho!

GetOrf - do you have many poodles? :)

what a load of shit

I have a pink one.

Getorf you may be right. Still, benefit of the doubt.

Converse, it's not impossible at all. LHA for a single person over 35 is £630ish in Brighton. It's quite possible it could reach £900 in london, as it's based on the lowest 30th percentile of private rents in the area.

Actually I don't think I have ever seen a toy poodle in real life.

The pictures of them are lovely though.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=toy+poodles&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1167&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbnid=g8xR_S1LKZTX7M:&imgrefurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/toypoodle.htm&docid=QKyTwjoNlTt9WM&imgurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/images6/TOYPOODLEPUPStwo_pups1b.jpg&w=393&h=360&ei=r19cUIHKOoeo0QXN0oHIBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=109&vpy=139&dur=258&hovh=215&hovw=235&tx=124&ty=92&sig=117811176043170969706&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=133&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:71" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look

and <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=toy+poodles&start=214&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1167&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbnid=iRlJiYNEzjuM7M:&imgrefurl=www.kawaiikakkoiisugoi.com/tag/police-force/&docid=G97cvmcpzdNsmM&imgurl=www.kawaiikakkoiisugoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/toy-poodles.jpg&w=310&h=325&ei=0F9cUNP9IIOp0QW81YC4Dw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=426&vpy=260&dur=329&hovh=147&hovw=141&tx=120&ty=113&sig=117811176043170969706&page=10&tbnh=127&tbnw=123&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:214,i:127" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lady gaga poodles

Darn, you've figured out that I AM LadyGaga!

Assuming this isn't a wind-up.

Do you want to be a loser and scrounger throughout your life OP?

If so, I fail to see how that will bring lasting and long-term happiness. But then that's just me.

Have to go back to work now to pay for your hobbies, lunchbreak over.

Sorry, forgot water - that's 200ish a year. I am for real.

So if I get a job will the housing benefit stop automatically? I was told to keep the claim open but friends have told me that it got stopped and they had to reclaim - in the meantime not being able to pay rent so they got into trouble.

Sorry, I don't know what a 'loser' is.

LHA in SW London is £229pw for a one bed.

And I don't want to leave where I am because this is where I am (my vol work, my friends, my art etc).

what's the real name for those little fluffy poodle dogs?

DD wants one

They're called poodles you wazzock

I think (and thanks Erik) that I might be ok if I find work locally and make sure housing benefit claim is kept open?

Toy poodles.

I remember going to the vets and seeing a poodle with legs shaved, fluffy paws, bow in hair...think some of it was pink.

Everyone took the piss..was hilarious. Poodles are for life, not just for a laugh :)

look at the face of this little fella border terrier

noo, i've found it now

bichon frise

Apparently poodles are really nice natured dogs, despite looking like a cross between Barbara Cartland and Crystal Tips

A bike would increase your radius for cost-free travel.

I liek Standard Poodles!