donating my benefit

[robynhood]

regular poster maybe a permanent nc? Who knows.

AIBU to donate my benefits to people worse off than myself, foodbanks, school breakfasts etc, disabled friends, local stories making papers when the shit hits the fan.

Now before anybody jumps on the idea that it must prove people don't need their money, this isn't the case.
I don't know anybody else in my position as it is quite unique and is due to multiple factors from being born when I was to the way I have lived my life, choices etc.

I decided not to leave the benefit unclaimed as it would only serve the fat cats and won't go to those who need it.
Unless the new gov scrap it of course/ change criteria it should still equal approx £75 per week. Obviously sometimes I will need to keep it if we have to pay for doctors etc.

So AIBU, and can anybody think of any other groups that may like donations.

[WhoNickedMyName]

OP didn't need the robynhood namechange or even the whiff of a mention of benefits.

I find this thread distasteful and disingenuous, especially given the timing.

[paxtecum]

I suppose people may be jealous that op has a spare £75 pw even though she may live more frugally than other people.

They may be jealous that op receives benefits that she doesn't need.

I doubt they are jealous of her state of health.

[DamnBamboo]

What do you mean reading between the lines?
Many of us are not remotely familiar with the the system, what 's available and how to claim it so can't possibly read between the lines.
What is distasteful is that she says herself is that more often than not, it's not needed.
There's something very wrong with that.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

OP... your timing is very mis-judged, don't you think? There's no need to get MNHQ to declare you a regular or not, you've received advice as well as posters not appreciating your thread. It's up to you what you do from hereon in, isn't it?

There are plenty of charities out there, you can research them for yourself and donate as you see fit - or not.

[DamnBamboo]

£300 per month in benefits that by her own admission is largely not needed.

£300!

Just reflect on that for a moment!

[DamnBamboo]

legitimate thread to benefit bash

Nobody has benefit bashed on here. Not one person.
Simply that if situations like yours are the norm, then the system very clearly needs to be reviewed.

[Eltonjohnsflorist]

No. It's not right that only the wealthy can choose to donate free, tax payers money as they wish.

[SoonToBeSix]

But floral try and think about it another way, dla is meant for the individual, in this case your child. You are your child's advocate and by not claiming you are denying your child money which she is entitled to. I don't mean that to criticise you just think it's important to not have the mindset that dla is a benefit based on family need. For that reason it is not means tested. Also dla doesn't mean you have to answer to anybody.

[addicted2cake]

How about a local scout group, they rely on donations to subsidise trips etc and that would benefit a lot of children.
I understand you're not after a pat on the back, I get that you just want ideas of where to place the money!

[Floralnomad]

Thanks for your concern soon but my dc wants for nothing and I'm not going to claim just so we can stick it in a savings account for someone who in a few years will be well able to earn her own living ,to me it seems utterly wrong that people like us who don't need benefits ( we get nothing at all ) should take them when there are people genuinely in need .

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

But Damn, it's not that simple. By the OP's own admission she does need the money sometimes. You can't just hop on and off benefits as you need them. The only way to change the system to get around that is to make disability benefits much, much easier to claim and the money immediately available as and when the claimant needs it. I can't see that being a successful vote winning strategy. And it will lead the system open to far more fraudulent claims I suspect. And more expensive to run.

Apart from that DLA is a gateway benefit. It entitles to to wider help and support, some of which is not financial but is much harder, if not impossible to claim without it. I don't think there's really an option to claim but not take the money.

[robynhood]

DamnBamboo

Some posters have tried to legitimise a benefit bash by suggesting that people don't need benefits.
My family have decided to live frugally and give their benefit money to those who are losing theirs.
It doesn't mean we need it any less, but choose to go without things when we can.
However, some people obviously think that benefits let you live the life of riley.
They will still get xmas presents but not as many.
They will have a tent holiday in friends garden in Scotland.
Days out are to be local country park rather than Alton Towers.
Many people could justify a trip to AT in the summer, but we won't because my dc can see how some of their friends can't have these things.

[DamnBamboo]

Meh!

Then her rate of payment should be lower on average, month per month, so that over the course of time, she has what she needs.

If of course the situation gets worse, then that's different.

Clearly the situation needs to be reviewed and let's hope that those who really do need (and should get) it aren't too harshly penalised when changes come in because of people like the OP who don't. I firmly believe in paying benefits to people who need them, at the rate they need them and have no issue with legitimate benefits claimants at all.

And why even mention that it's benefit money FFS! Why!

[bigbluebus]

Floralnomad I know plenty of people who have disabilities who are able to work and support themselves. The DLA is there to go towards some of the extra costs involved because they are disabled that an able bodied person in the same position wouldn't have. If you are saying that your DDs disability doesn't cause any extra expenses, then fair enough that you don't feel the need to claim DLA. If however your DD has multiple hospital appointments and needs specific treatments and equipment that she wouldn't otherwise need, then you should be claiming for her otherwise she may struggle when you are no longer supporting her financially - although that will be her decision whether or not to claim, assuming there is still DLA/PIP by then.

[80sMum]

This thread has exposed much of what is wrong with the benefits system at the moment.

How can it be right that people working full time and earning, say, £15k a year have to pay tax and NI on what little they receive and at the same time another person is entitled to claim £300 a month in benefits, funded by those very tax-payers, that they can afford to live without - and to cap it all they then start a thread on MN to brag about giving it away!!

[DamnBamboo]

They will still get xmas presents but not as many.
They will have a tent holiday in friends garden in Scotland.
Days out are to be local country park rather than Alton Towers.
Many people could justify a trip to AT in the summer, but we won't because my dc can see how some of their friends can't have these things

This isn't massively different to what I do with my kids and my husband and I pay thousands per month in taxes so don't give yourself too much of a pat on the back.

Clearly you don't have to answer this OP but does your direct family, your household, have an income through employment or is it solely through benefits. You did mention this earlier up thread (and this is the only reason I'm asking as you seem ok about sharing) but it wasn't clear to me.

[Eastpoint]

What about donating it to QMCG? They are a charity with no paid employees, no office, all the work is done by volunteers? It's an umbrella charity which donates new clothes and linens to hospices, nicus, old people's homes, charities for the learning disabled, veterans and to homeless shelters. They revise their list annually and research all the charities they support, visiting them to make sure they give the items. It's non-denominational and also supports women's refuges. You can go online & find them.

[Laquitar]

Look, there is no need to memtion bemefits in threads like this (unless there is agenda).
Say you both earn 1K each (just an easu figure for example). Then you have a total income of 2.300. You worked out your expenses and you can afford to spend 300 on charity. Yes?
Personally i don't care where your 2.300 comes from.

[Mrsjayy]

Its your money to do what you want with it you could stop claiming mind you no fat cats will want your £75

[Floralnomad]

Little of that actually applies to us bigblue ,and even if it did I wouldn't claim now as I still don't need it - we will continue to support her for as long as it takes and also have provisions for when we are no longer about - if she chooses to start claiming when older that's up to her but it is not something I would be comfortable with doing now .

[Mrsjayy]

Fgs take your kids to Alton towers or something with the benefit money you sound joyless and a matryr

[DamnBamboo]

Any my kids know what other people do and don't, can and can't have but I don't make them pay for it.

Seemingly, you are a family who may well not be able to afford those things anyway, as you are getting circa £300 a month you don't need!

[robynhood]

DamnBamboo.

Yes, my dh works and I'm a sahp.
We have 3 dc.

I'm not after a pat on the bloody back otherwise I'd have kept my usual name, so that people would think oh she's that donating person, every time I posted. It's hardly anything special, lots of people donate.
It's very new to me though, so asked for suggestions
I don't need virtual back pats or people to like me, I have friends and family for this.

Eastpoint.
Many thanks, I will search them
Thanks to pm of suggestions from others, they are greatly appreciated.

[WhetherOrNot]

Why don't you just 'donate' it into a savings account for your DC for when they are older, want to start a family, but can't afford anywhere to live and can't get a council house?

[DamnBamboo]

Look robyn I've been harsh, I know this.
Clearly you are trying to be generous, which is hugely commendable!
However, the system isn't right, when you are in receipt of benefits that on balance, you simply don't need and are not using for the purpose for which they are intended. Thus suggesting, they aren't needed at all.

Enough from me, I've said my bet - but I do welcome benefit reforms and I really hope that those who genuienly need them, get what they need.