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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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AIBU to think that at least one of the parents should work

293 replies

Adizzylass2014 · 08/04/2015 23:04

My 16 yr old son is friends with a family who have just moved into the close next to ours and we were invited round for coffee. My partner left as he was fuming and I stayed for the sake of my son but I was seething. They are a family of 8 and the mum is pregnant again, they were so brazen and gloated that their 4 bedroom house is paid for by housing benefit (we have the same in the next close and the rent is £800 pcm)
He has never worked and hasn't long been released from prison. The children had all the gadgets from ipad to ps4. She said she has never worked either as she loves to be pregnant and plans on having more. Now you will have seen from previous threads I don't benefit bash but this is disgusting how can this be allowed. My son has been invited by them to go fishing on their boat, i don't want him anywhere near them. my partner works damn hard to pay the rent and our band f council tax and these people not only get everything given to them but they openly gloat about it. This is what is wrong with this bloody world Angry Angry

OP posts:
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Lweji · 09/04/2015 11:49

Sounds like sequel to Goodfellas.

I'm thinking Sopranos.

Are there any good hiding places in their garden?

Lweji · 09/04/2015 11:52

Both have brought out the best side of mn as usual, I see

Well, it did, at least last night. Grin

MustBeLoopy390 · 09/04/2015 11:53

Confused I'd hope anyone who comes to our house doesn't judge us! (Husband works a low paid job so we get wtc, ctc, some hb etc etc... I can honestly say we manage but our budget is tighter than a ducks arse) we have a ps4, ps3, wii u and a PC. A large collection of Blurays/DVDs, books, toys etc. All have been accumulated over many Christmases and birthdays from my family in law! Due to our tight budget (saving little bits since last summer and selling older things we don't use anymore) we have managed to put £600 towards a week's holiday in the dales with our family during the summer so our kids get a treat. We also are now saving for a move 10 days after I'm due as our rent is increasing and we literally won't be able to stump up the extra on top of what we already contribute. Hopefully my husband will manage to find a better paid job (not looking brill) but at least he is trying bloody hard to keep us all going. Contrary to popular belief when we have been between jobs etc we have barely scraped by on benefits.

The80sweregreat · 09/04/2015 11:53

My dad has always told me about how it was when my nan was young, as he is 92 himself I only have his word for it, but he said he can remember the 'dole office' being open and the men going there twice a day - my nan was young when there was the great depression at the end of the 1920s too and how hard it was to get any kind of benefits and the work houses were real too. We have come a long way, but it still baffles me how some folk really struggle and are genuine and others seem to be able to claim a lot more. I suppose its just the way it is.

Hillingdon · 09/04/2015 12:05

I dont think the suggestion is that if you have more than 2 children the rest dont have access to NHS and education!

But you will not get a bigger house, more child benefit, more allowances for having more and more kids.

If one choose to have 4 plus children unless you are wealthy you wont have the same as someone who has stopped at one or two. Surely that is obvious.

Salmotrutta · 09/04/2015 12:24

CalamitouslyWrong - we don't know yet whether it's a luxury yacht.

I bet it's a little rubbery dinghy.

Wink
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 09/04/2015 12:26

like this, ship ahoy!

EvilTendency1 · 09/04/2015 12:35

Hillingdon has put it better than me.

I think if you are already in receipt of benefits and have two then have another you shouldn't receive more benefits for it, nor any allowances for housing etc. Of course NHS and Education should continue, everyone should be entitled to that.

There ARE SOME people that do frankly want to sit on their arse and do fuck all whilst claiming, some, not all people obviously. The ones who can should be on a return to work scheme of some sort.

I don't think for one minute that they are the main drain on the system, we should be turning our attention higher up the food chain to the companies not paying corporation tax and using loopholes to get away with it.

Salmotrutta · 09/04/2015 12:37

Aww, those are little coracles StillStaying - dying art that is, making coracles.

Salmotrutta · 09/04/2015 12:39

oh, and Emmaswan - ever heard of trying to give someone a second chance re: the prison thing?

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 09/04/2015 12:40

So those who have 2 children, and the main earner loses his job and the wife is already pregnant, that's tough, they shouldn't get an increase when the 3rd child is born if he is still looking for work?

Or someone who has multiples or a contraceptive fail? Presumably poor people are still allowed to have sex even if they are on benefits.

chickenfuckingpox · 09/04/2015 13:01

i guarantee he cant get a job because of a criminal record she wont because she is a baby making machine

this sort of thing just makes me feel Sad

chickenfuckingpox · 09/04/2015 13:03

and for the record i was working when i got pregnant with dd i got made redundant ds1 was a total accident number three was planned but ex dh lost not one but TWO jobs during my pregnancy he actually got a vasectomy while i was still pregnant to prevent anymore children

TerryTheGreenHorse · 09/04/2015 13:04

What a load of tosh.

Who wants to come with me for a paaarty on the dole boat?

There will be iPads, phones, goats fags and booze.

And burly ex cons.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/04/2015 13:07

Yes and no one has to sign on or gets sanctioned..just sits on their arse watching their 10 huge plasma tellies and drinking champagne

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 09/04/2015 13:15

just don't feed champagne to the goats, I don't think it's good for their tummies.... Sad

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 09/04/2015 13:15

I don't think people keep having babies for money. I honestly think it's due to the government obsession with forcing lone parents out to work.
I should know. I had a friend who did exactly this. It was to the point where she wasn't allowed to put her child first. Job seeking cant always be the most important factor in a claimants life. That's not being a scrounger. That's just life.! Anyway my friend went out and had another baby. Simply to stay on benefits!

TerryTheGreenHorse · 09/04/2015 13:20

These goats are used to the high life after 18 generations on benefits in broken Britain, it's all fiiiiiine. WineWine

Lweji · 09/04/2015 13:21

Presumably poor people are still allowed to have sex even if they are on benefits.

No, they are sent to China who have managed to enforce pretty well a one child policy.
Wait...

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 09/04/2015 13:22

In an ideal world, op everyone would be working, and there'd be no unemployment, but where that'd leave job centre workers. God alone knows, but that's probably another thread.!
But sadly we don'tive in an ideal world. Also if you're so bothered that neither of these parents work. Then why not give them a job at your place. Or are you a sahm which makes your thread even more infuriating

Lweji · 09/04/2015 13:22

So, it's pearls to pigs and champagne to goats? Chocolate to dogs. What else do you suggest?

Littlemonstersrule · 09/04/2015 13:23

If neither are working then technically everything they buy is with state money so the VAT is being funded by the state not themselves.

Even if one did go to work, the amount of HB, WTC, CTC and CH would be immense and far outweighs any tax paid. The introduction of WTC was one of the worst things ever done. It just allows people the choice to allow one adults not to work and to keep having children they can't afford or for them to just do a few hours a week. It encouraged greed, laziness and a sense of entitlement.

So many don't give a thought as to how they will support a baby or another unless you count going to the tax credits site to see how much they will gain.

itsbetterthanabox · 09/04/2015 13:32

It's pretty hard getting a job as an ex-con.

Lweji · 09/04/2015 13:39

IMO we need these people to keep having babies. We are not having enough, at less than 2 per couple. It's not enough to replace the population. Who will pay for our retirement? Shock

Lweji · 09/04/2015 13:40

itsbetterthanabox

I understand it's hard to get a job as an ex-con, but how much does it pay? Is it worth applying? What's the job description?