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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to worry that some people on benefits won't manage when payments are made monthly

361 replies

SuedeEffectPochette · 12/02/2013 22:08

Of course, many people on benefits are doubtless great at managing a budget, but at the moment people are paid weekly, so if money runs out, it's only a day or so (still bad enough). But when payments are monthly, some people may have a couple of weeks of no money - what is going to happen to them? Also Housing Benefit won't be paid direct to landlords any more, which will lead to a massive increase in homelessness if that money is not passed on. If you have run out of money for food, you won't be paying any to your landlord will you? I think the government should stick to weekly payments.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 14/02/2013 23:05

Actually, GC didnt die of alcoholism, he died of cancer, sorry. But he was an alcoholic, it can happen to anyone.

Booyhoo · 14/02/2013 23:05

cricketballs
my aunt is an alcoholic. she also holds a position of great responsibility within a hospital (i wont say what incase it is too identifiable) that if she made errors, could cost lives.

her brother is an alcoholic and cant get out of his armchair some days because he is so stiff from sleeping in it night after night when he has drunken himself to unconsciousness.

both raised the same way, both alcoholics. both affected very differently by the disease. i'm sure you are capable of seeing that addictions of any kind affect each person differently and whilst one can continue to function in a seemingly normal life others just cannot.

scarlettsmummy2 · 14/02/2013 23:06

Cricket- sone will NEVER be able to grasp the basic numeracy to budget for a whole month, they can barely cope as it is! I think you need a reality check on the fact that there are a many long term unemployed who sadly do not have the skills to be able to budget and will never manage to sustain employment.

Bogeyface · 14/02/2013 23:08

But how can the cost of housing be addressed?

Short of devaluing property to a state agreed level, there is nothing that can be done. We will go round and round in a cycle of everyone renting as no can afford to buy, everyone buying because wages have caught up with property prices, property prices going up due to demand, everyone renting because no one can afford to buy.

Why should the state subsidise low wages?

Fuel prices are a major issue too, as it travel due the outrageous tax on petrol. It isnt down to property alone.

cricketballs · 14/02/2013 23:11

I agree with that wanna that subjecting addicts to hardship will make them less addicted but are we not enabling their addictions by conceding to every issue?

wannabedomesticgoddess · 14/02/2013 23:14

Yes, I agree. The housing was just one example. I am all for raising the NMW. I just worry that nothing would really change because the cost of everything else would go up.

If companies had to pay their staff more they would increase prices rather than absorb the costs.

Building more social housing, building more affordable housing, rent caps. I dont know what the solution is, but the cost of living needs looked at. Fuel prices are ridiculously high.

scarlettsmummy2 · 14/02/2013 23:16

Cricket- addicts will just steal it or worse, drink alcohol substitutes. And many are already getting DLA to fund it so twice as much as if they were on JSA. The government is already giving them money for drink in addition to living costs.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 14/02/2013 23:17

If you think we are enabling their addictions then surely giving them money at any time of the month is doing that.

So what do we do? Cut them off so as not to enable their addictions? Or support them by trying to make life a little less difficult?

Bogeyface · 14/02/2013 23:21

I was talking about this with mum earlier and was thinking.....

Family A and family B are both having to pay their rent top up out of their benefits because their housing benefit doesnt cover it. But they are in fuel poverty and struggling to buy food and clothe their children properly. So they both get evicted due to non payment of their full rent.

They are then homeless and the responsibility of the local authority, who doesnt have enough housing stock to house them.

The LA then puts them into private housing, with a rent top up needing to be paid.

6 months later it happens again.

Family A and B will efffectively be swapping houses every 6 months and no one is better off!

Where are all the families that will end up homeless due to the cuts/top ups/bedroom tax/etc actually go? There isnt enough social housing now so what the jeff is going to happen when it goes critical?

cricketballs · 14/02/2013 23:26

Bogeyface "You clearly dont understand addiction" can I ask if you have had a close relative die of addiction? My sister (in case you missed it) died of alcoholic liver disease following years of laxative abuse etc - I have lived through addiction and of course intelligence is not linked to addiction but did you read the post I was replying to?

wannabedomesticgoddess · 14/02/2013 23:32

cricket, you were suggesting that a hard dose of reality would make an addict wise up and start thinking beyond their addiction.

It just isnt that simple.

cricketballs · 14/02/2013 23:37

maybe though wanna it could be for some

Bogeyface · 14/02/2013 23:39

I was responding to you implying that she wasnt so intelligent if she killed herself with alcohol. I am genuinely sorry that she died. I was with my MIL when she died in ICU after not making it through emergency surgery. The surgery being needed and her death were both a direct result of her alcohol addiction. I saw what it did to her. She knew that she shouldnt be drinking as she did, she knew it would kill her, but she couldnt stop. Thats what addiction is, a total loss of control of the thing you are addicted to.

The surgeon said to me regarding the risks of her anaesthetic ".....a woman of her age......." and I told him she was 56. He said "yes, but she had the body of an 80year old". Thats what drink did to her.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 14/02/2013 23:40

And for some it could lead to starvation, homelessness, even death.

Bogeyface · 14/02/2013 23:49

My (now ex) BIL (her son) is also an alcoholic and he really is the sort that would go on a 5 day bender on a months money. I saw him walk into my house sober and get totally hammered in half an hour without taking a single drink. Turns out he had down a half bottle of whiskey just before he came round as he knew he wouldnt be able to have a drink while he was here.

He is one of the very people I would expect to be a casualty, literally, of this plan. He would be dead within a year, and that is a generous estimation.

cricketballs · 14/02/2013 23:51

wanna - but there are agencies there to watch out for those situations wanna - social services, charities

Bogey - my reply was to the post from Scarlet who was questioning that someone who was of a similar intelligence to myself and their how it changes their ability to manage their addiction

Bogeyface · 15/02/2013 00:00

In response to your reply to Wanna, an addict has to be aware of those people. My MIL and my ex BIL weren't/aren't.

Intelligence does change the ability to manage addiction, I said as much myself. But it doesnt change the nature of the addiction, if it did their your late sister would still be with us, as would my MIL :(

wannabedomesticgoddess · 15/02/2013 00:02

How can SS cope with the fall out from this? They are already stretched.

I just think that we have a duty to look after the most vulnerable. And if that means twice monthly or weekly payments for some people, then so be it.

Bogeyface · 15/02/2013 00:02

Sorry for the typos, on the pad which I still cant work out the cut/copy&paste on!

Bogeyface · 15/02/2013 00:03

Wanna daily payments for addicts was suggest above, which I think is a really good idea.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 15/02/2013 00:04

Yes, daily payments for addicts is a great idea.

Booyhoo · 15/02/2013 00:09

"wanna - but there are agencies there to watch out for those situations wanna - social services, charities"

SS and charities are massively struggling already. they cant cope with the current number of people needing their help and it's going to get worse. dont kid yourself.

and anyway, why should SS and charities be put under increased pressure? it doesn't need to happen. monthly payment DOES NOT NEED TO HAPPEN. it is a cost saving excercise that will end up costing the nation massively, including financially. it is a very short sighted move.

olgaga · 15/02/2013 00:12

Blimey, I said as much on this thread and got my head bitten off for being "patronising".

Bogeyface · 15/02/2013 00:25

On MN I think alot depends on the political leanings of the first member of "Royalty" to post! Sad but true.

I read your thread and though of The Handmaids Tale, not sure why!

Swipe left for the next trending thread