to want to remind people who say the unemployed and sahm's are lazy and

[martini84]

Should go and get a job that on average 5 people apply for every job and this rises to 45 for entry level jobs.
Not quite that simple.

Morethan, you asked the question of "Ok, my dh has a small business and I am sahm.
During my week I must clock approx 24 hours doing business related work to assist him. My problem is that yes he could do these things himself, but the time I save him he can use productively in the business himself and in fairness he does.
He draws a wage from the business but doesn't take any dividends, the business could stand me taking 24 hrs pay at NMW. This wage would entitle me to more tax credits, which would definitely come in useful."

It doesnt mention it being to take advantage of your tax allowance but being done with more tax credits in mind. If his SE business can pay out 24 hours extra then he could employ you anyway and you could cease claiming benefits. Thats why the system should change as its not there to support low earners earning the maximum they can but just allows people to manipulate the system to gain maximum payments.

All parents raise their children working or not. Theres no special "value" placed on SAHPs as it doesnt warrant it. You can parent and work at the same time easily, being a good parent is about many things. Nobody seems to value the men that are sent out to work simply because they are male. Yet they are no less of a parent and actively ensure they keep a roof over their childs heads and food on the table.

Its not about being rich to avoid working but with all life choices comes finaincial impact, if you cant afford to provide for your children then you cut your clothe accordingly rather than go ahead and have what you want anyway and have others pay for it. Lots limit the number they have, save to cover time off, work different shifts to partners etc so its silly to say its only the rich that can have chidren.

Here we go again re SAHM v Working mums.....The thing is - some people do think that their partners pay their share of tax, pensions etc enabling them to stay at home.

And of course when you are working you create work for childminders and the like. We both work full time and are higher rate tax payers. We have opted out of state education and rarely need the NHS.

Isnt there a link between receiving tax credits and then finding you dont have to work because of those tax credits?

Ooh well done HappyMummyofOne... Right from the horse's mouth, and it seals the argument doesn't it!

janey.

Nobody is manipulating anything
We all have the same choices. From what I remember we started off about the same time, but made different choices.

Happy

Thats obviously the way you interpret the post.
How about

Is this a legitimate job, as I have always done this free of charge before?
I would gain tax credits in my own right, not be paying tax and costing the state more?
You read into what you like. Your regurgitation of old threads with some posts taken out of context, just proves your desperation

Oh and Happy being a sahm does have extra value to my family and it certainly does warrant it in our case.

Touche.

I am jealous of those who have the luxury of choosing not to work. No shame in admitting that. I love my job but given that or full time pottering and hobbies I know what I would choose.

Not taken out of context hence the copy and paste to ensure it wasnt.

My desperation? What am i desperate to become - unemployed and claiming tax credits, no thank you.

The point was you claim being a SAHP is because of high standards and that you would do it without tax credits. You clearly have the money to do so within your DHs SE to pay yourself a wage and come off the tax credits yet dont.

Arisbottle

That is a healthy attitude though, some people prefer to spew venom at those who dare not to work with comments of "I'm not afraid of work" FFs sahm are work shy now.

Happy.

Unemployed and claiming tax credits doesn't exist.

Unemployed people are registered and claim jsa. A sahp isn't unemployed.

Hello, I have been a sahm before tax credits, the wage I would take from dh business would not give us a higher income, but would be from the same pot and I would have ended up with tax credit too, in my own right. Are you really such a loon.

Vivienne 'the moron' comment that was in reply to stopgap In as much as she commented that some of her friends were professionals before deciding to SAH and that it surely wasn't limited to her set of friends but I had to referee the kids mid post so there was a gap.

I thought the post was clear but perhaps I need a sarcasm emotion

Exactly, you were willing to manipulate the SE wage to up your tax credits, those things you dont actually need but maximise anyway. The post also mentions it will ensure you meet the UC criteria where both adults need to be working. Pot, kettle, black springs to mind but obviously as its your DHs claim and not yours its different

A quick google of tax credits shows you dont have to be in employment to claim them, those on IS can claim providing they have children so the unemployed can claim and do.

Some good measures have already been put into place and we can only hope more will follow. If people dont want to work, then thats fine providing they finance that option themselves. Tax should pay for schools, roads, hospitals etc not the work shy.

Joanne, you say, "Well, SAHM is on-call 24 hours a day instead of 8" but that is such lazy thinking! A mother who goes to work for 8 hours in the day (make that 10 hours, with travel time) will continue working for the rest of the 24 hours.

Who do you think does the washing and drying when both parents work? When do you think it gets done?

If someone is on benefits and is able to work and their children are in school, they should be looking for work. If they are unemployable for whatever reason, they should be in college, retraining.

Sorry! Misunderstood. And agree SAHM's come from all walks of life.

Why do people think that as soon as children are school age there is no reason not to work? My children are at school, but only for six and a bit hours a day. If I worked they'd have to go into after-school care, which I don't want for them. I want them to be able to come home after their school day or go to the park/swimming lessons/have friends over etc.

Nobody's arguing with that, Lyra. Many of us would like that. However, if the rest of society is paying for you to do that, then there's something wrong, isn't there?

Imperial, the fairies do it Heaven knows how single people work and do their housework let alone those that also have children. Quite funny given when you see posts on here re housework, most SAHMs state that are their for the child only and not there to do those jobs.

Agree that those on benefits should either be seeking work or retraining but many believe they dont or shouldnt have to and its their human right to do as they please. Which is fine when they finance those choices but not when other workers are paying for them.

Happy

You need to be registered unemployed to receive any unemployment benefit. You have to be actively seeking work.
A sahp isn't unemployed.

Happy
If I was trying to manipulate anything, surely I would be working for dh now and claiming TC in my own right. We would be receiving twice as much TC and costing you more. I hope you apply more intelligence to your job. Don't let that stop your venom, you are so to keep coming back spouting rubbish about something you know nowt about

Imperial, I guess it depends on the circumstances.

I split from my children's father in 2011. While maintenance etc was being wrangled over I did claim benefits for a short time and I didn't feel guilty about it, having paid tax and national insurance for 20 years beforehand. I made that choice because my children were going through enough upheaval at the time without me going out to work and putting them in childcare every day when they'd been used to me picking them up from school most days.

This is a very different scenario to someone who, for example, has never put anything into the pot and can't be bothered to work.

Unemployed people can claim child tax credits.

Of course that is different, Lyra and no-one would blame you for doing that. That's very different though to a lot of women who think they have a god given right to stay at home whether they can afford it or not.

I used to teach adult learners and many were furious they'd been sent to college, even though their children were into secondary school. "I've got to be home for the babies!" would be the cry. They didn't seem to get it that all of their teachers were mums too, all with children much younger than their own.

I'm sure it's different when the DC are in secondary school and making their own way home/getting home later anyway. That gives the mother a bit more choice. Mine were primary age (DS1 starts secondary in September) at the time so I felt my choices were limited.
Entitled people annoy me too, especially when they've paid little or nothing into the system.

Perhaps because I was confident in my role I found others valued what I was doing

Yes :)

When I was with DP and he was working FT and me PT, it used to make my blood book that my cousin, who has never worked, had a much bigger house than we did. It just didn't seem fair. But then, life's not fair in general, is it?

Blood book? BOIL!