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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To ask what's the beef with benefits?

631 replies

mytartanscarf · 04/01/2015 14:33

Do people think they are too little? That they should be more?

There's always a lot of upset on here about them - about how wrong the government are and how awful life is on benefits. I've never been on benefits so obviously can't judge. But what are the solutions?

I suppose I am asking what should the government do?

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 04/01/2015 22:54

Lefty Thanks And you dont get to leave it all behind you at 6pm.

homealone42 · 04/01/2015 22:56

My beef with benefits is that it is far to low for a single person. A family member left school at 16 with no qualifications. (possible very mild learning difficulties.) Got a job in a factory and worked hard for 30 years. Lost her job when company brought out by another company buying the name. In the interim has worked intermittently but not easy when most factory jobs are shift work and you have no transport. Life on £71 per week is bloody tough. Even worse now they closed the local job centre so she has to pay £5 every two weeks to get there and £10 per week council tax.
As she is of a certain age her retirement age has been bumped yet again.

AshesOfRoses · 04/01/2015 22:58

I've been there Lefty. You are fucking amazing.

ghostspirit · 04/01/2015 22:58

lefty i go to work for a break from my kids. sorry that your in that difficult situation. why people should not judge they dont know the situation.

IdontusuallyNC · 04/01/2015 22:59

wheretheres

Either you had to much self respect to claim the mobility part of DLA or didn't know the system.

OR

Your fiesta was a motibility car which one is it

homealone42 · 04/01/2015 23:01

o and my ds1 best friends mum is on benefits but he is top in all subjects.

ghostspirit · 04/01/2015 23:05

homealone its theses people that others forget about. i have learning difficulties as well its not enough to get dla for. but it does have a big effect on getting a job and the types of jobs that i can do. i work in a school kitchen. there was a maths/english test i know 100% that i failed them tests. sod knows how i got the job. i just hope im there for a long time because i recon i would find it real hard to find another. compard to people with a standard education.

Dawndonnaagain · 04/01/2015 23:07

Me too lefty, got dh ready, bathed dd, am hoping we don't end up in a&e as we did in New Year's Eve because ds1 needs sleep as he is changing shifts tomorrow. But dd needed nebulising, which in turn distressed her twin,and so it goes. Six fifteen start? My curtains may be shut, the lights at the front may not be on, doesn't mean I'm tucked up abed dreaming.

LeftyLoony · 04/01/2015 23:10

Cheers all. I'm not amazing I'm just a parent who has found themselves in this situation.

Both me and DH worked when the kids were small. It was great to get out and not be 'mum' and 'dad'.

Unfortunately the days of needing constant supervision, intimate care etc that you expect from a baby/toddler didn't stop. They weren't able to get out of the buggy and walk much. Their communication skills didn't develop as they should. They regressed in a lot of things.

As a working family of young children we had many things - self respect and good mental health - that we don't have now. Attitudes like those shown on here about 'lifestyle choices' and 'my milkman's auntie's gerbil's xyz' do not help. Spitting out untrue statements about fraud (0.7% in case anyone is wondering) and taunting people that the support they depend upon for survival doesn't help either. I know people are losing their support. I know people are dying due to benefit reforms and it scares me rigid. But as long as posters like will are happy because they've managed something that may be impossible to others then that's o then.

Some people do not have a choice. Please try to remember that.

handcream · 04/01/2015 23:11

It's funny, when someone mentions that their relative or neighbour doesn't work and claims more than someone in a low paid job they are almost called liars.

I know my neighbours fairly well and know one does work from home but the reality is that welfare has been expanded and expanded to include lots of additional areas. It is open to be a lifestyle choice for some, it won't be a luxury life but it beats working for some...

Dawndonnaagain · 04/01/2015 23:18

Nobody disagrees with that hand but even the government's own figures demonstrate that it is a clear minority.
What is grossly unfair is that the government, supported by you and Daisyfuckingchain, et al put lefty and others in a position whereby we have to come on these threads and defend ourselves and our families. I get paid sixty five quid a week to work an eighteen hour day, seven days a week, no holidays, with three people with disabilities, four during university holidays. How much does the fact that I haven't put anyone into care save you, the taxpayer?

homealone42 · 04/01/2015 23:21

ghost she would be too proud /embarrassed to claim dla even if she qualified.

LuisSuarezTeeth · 04/01/2015 23:23

My point is that if you dont want a zero hours contract make sure you have other options, don't rely on anyone to provide for you and that includes your partner and the state.

When your profession is dominated by zero hours contracts, what do you suggest?

ghostspirit · 04/01/2015 23:23

thats asham its come to that homealone

homealone42 · 04/01/2015 23:25

My heart actually goes out to those caring for children with serious issues. My ds2 has some mild problems but I can see from the dla form that I will have to jump through hoops to get it and carers allowance is an insult. Obviously I wouldn't qualify for carers allowance but those who care for others deserve so much more.

handcream · 04/01/2015 23:40

Louis - go into another profession! When I first started working I was temping (secretarial work). I didn't like the constant swapping of assignments so I left and tried something else.

LuisSuarezTeeth · 04/01/2015 23:44

Of course handcream - why on earth wouldn't you just ignore your qualifications that you worked so hard for? Just change. Just like that.

Problem solved. Hmm

handcream · 04/01/2015 23:46

You have a choice here - stay where you are and accept zero hrs contracts or do something about it. The choice is yours, it really is.

ghostspirit · 04/01/2015 23:47

but its not as simple as jumping from one job to another

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 04/01/2015 23:48

Handcream, would you like to be my employment advisor, you are sooooo knowledge about all this stuff, I have apparently being going about it for the last 2 years.

Teach me oh wise one,Teach me!!!

LuisSuarezTeeth · 04/01/2015 23:52

Good grief.

Dawndonnaagain · 04/01/2015 23:54

Hand, you don't know if she has a choice, you have no idea how specialised or narrow her field may be. How insecure the particular field may be. Hobson's choice isn't really a choice is it. Hmm

LeftyLoony · 04/01/2015 23:58

I would really love to know what is going to happen if everyone is expected to keep upskilling, bettering their position etc.

There will be no retail or service industry (biggest offenders of zero hours contracts). There will be no one to clear litter from the parks, empty rubbish or clean. No hospital cleaners or HCAs.

Things would fall apart!

ghostspirit · 05/01/2015 00:00

everyone has their limits as well...,

BigRedBall · 05/01/2015 00:08

Beef with benefits?

Do you mean when people MOOve into COWncil houses?

Hehehhe