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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU about Tax Credits cuts,

792 replies

Weathergames · 15/09/2015 23:37

Commons back Osborne plan for tax credit cuts
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34260902

I don't claim anymore because I now earn enough to support myself - because I could work and progress my career as well as my life while being a single parent.

AIBU to think this is a total travesty and so many single parents are going to have their life's devastated by this - and what about people in domestic abuse situations who will now be more unable to leave?

Maybe I some benefits scrounger - but the tax credits enabled me to be a good parent and role model to my kids - without their feckless father affecting that .... AIBU?!

OP posts:
redstrawberry10 · 16/09/2015 20:18

except that they don't need to have 2 parents working because they can claim tax credits.

and hb. I see this in central london too. My neighbours are in the position where one member of the couple has turned down employment. Why not? HB covers the rent.

Psycobabble · 16/09/2015 20:19

osolea

I agree the system was and is flawed I think there should have been a better way to work out the awards so that as I said up thread there isn't a situation were a family living in a area cheap for housing get the same award per month as someone living in an area were average rent is double that for example . There are certainly people who get a lot more than they need

But
There are also those who need that extra money just to live . And why ?? I think we have created a society were low wages and high childcare costs and living in general means so many people on an average wage can't afford to live

I could stay home all day and be with my son everyday and befits would cover the basics of rent bills and food yet I choose to work , I earn an average wage for those working full time in my area and without tax credits that would cover ... Rent bills and food.
I'm not slating those on benefits just using it to make a point.
Why should that be? Should an average salary not actually mean a few luxuries such as birthday presents for my ds ?? Apparently not therefore I get tax credits the same as countless other parents in the same boat.

The whole situation of earnings living costs etc needs to change

Babyroobs · 16/09/2015 20:21

I have friends who have one 13 year old dd. He works in a low paid care job part time, she has not worked since their child was born. They manage to afford flight to South Africa usually once a year to visit his family there. I'm not sure how they do it. they also get Housing benefit. I think they must have savings.

redstrawberry10 · 16/09/2015 20:23

Some people will always be on low wages. The housing market has become so skewed that they will always need a top-up.

yes. I sympathize with those in work and getting a shitty wage compared to housing costs.

but we aren't willing to deal with our housing situation. Witness the last election. No party (the lib dems were most ambitious from what I can tell) proposed anything that would really dent the problem.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 16/09/2015 20:23

Red. This is part of what infuriates me. The one rule for couples and the one for lone parents. Imagine a lone parent turning down employment, They'd be dragged over the coals.. The DM would probably right an article on "scroungers".

bettyberry · 16/09/2015 20:26

Dawndonnaagain too right you cant! I cannot work when there are school holidays so the cash I do earn, the tax credits I receive all have to stretch to the 13-ish weeks a year where I cannot work because I can't get decent childcare for a child with challenging behaviour and additional needs. Childminders are out because DC needs 1-2-1 care because of impulsiveness or with another child their age. Clubs are problematic because of sensory issues. The only childcare that works is the before and after school clubs because staff are also teaching assistants and able to accommodate DCs difficult behaviour because of a larger staff to child ratio but that doesn't run in the holidays.

I'm stretching a 39 week income to cover 52. Reducing my tax credits wont help me at all.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 20:28

Dawn, that sounds really difficult but in fairness to Osolea she has said throughout that she was not including SEN/disabilities in her comments.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 16/09/2015 20:29

Does your sons friends wife work Fairy? If both parents are working, then it agree that they should be able to buy treats. But I'd rather they were given the free childcare to enable them to pay for treats themselves,rather than jus being handed money

But some people would view free childcare as being given free money.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 20:31

I don't think it is, sock, it's something that enables people to access money and independence whereas free money is, well, free money.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 16/09/2015 20:31

Baby.

It is quite likely his parents/ family fund the ticket

NeedsAsockamnesty · 16/09/2015 20:33

I don't think it is either but another person may look at that and say "wahhhhhhh I pay £100 a day for childcare why should they get that free" then all the talk about subsidies happen just like they do with social housing and it becomes yet another stick to beat lower income families with.

Dawndonnaagain · 16/09/2015 20:35

Osolea Apologies, I'm not trying to pick on you, just trying to point out that when these things are discussed, including by governments, our needs are lumped in with everyone else on benefits and we are pretty much abandoned, as demonstrated by Betty above.
Blackcloud you are right, and Thank you for pointing it out.

TheFairyCaravan · 16/09/2015 20:35

She's at college Osolea getting some more qualifications so she can have a career that will move with her.

You see, when you are a Forces' wife (I'm one) it's very, very hard to have any sort of career or career progression. A lot of Forces' wives are in low paid jobs like childcare, retail, pub work etc because they move every 2-3 years with their husbands. It's difficult moving to a new area, settling your kids into a new school, then getting a new job all the time.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 20:38

Flowers dawn

It must be easy to feel defensive (not saying you were by the way but I get it.)

Osolea · 16/09/2015 20:47

Dawndonna, you are right, I completely agree with your last post. I think that's one of the biggest problems, disability benefits being so closely linked with other benefits. People voted for welfare cuts, and understandably so IMO, but I don't think that would have happened if welfare was only directed at people who are sick, disabled, temporarily unemployed, widowed or whatever. I think the biggest attack on disability and carers benefits has come from people being able to choose benefits to supplement a comfortable lifestyle, part time working and SAHPs.

Fairy, I completely see your point too and I'm sure you're right. I just don't think the way to fix that problem is through welfare. The problems faced by forces families should be compensated by a decent wage for forces families.

Nothing I'd like to do to change the country would save any money at all, but paying people in the public sector properly and providing good quality childcare to anyone who works would make society better IMO.

lougle · 16/09/2015 20:49

I'm returning to nursing after a career break. I'll be getting £21k, for 13.5 hour shifts and 50% nights/weekends.

redstrawberry10 · 16/09/2015 21:05

"wahhhhhhh I pay £100 a day for childcare why should they get that free"

the government should get rid of idiotic rules that you can't swap childcare. or you can't pay friends to do it.

not even in London does childcare cost 100/day. this is again similar to housing benefit. childcare costs need to be addressed across the board, not just for those at the bottom.

AndNowItsSeven · 16/09/2015 21:36

Nobody is going to know if you swap childcare or pay a friend. Many people do.

redstrawberry10 · 16/09/2015 21:44

good.

Margaritte · 16/09/2015 22:09

HelenaDove Sad I missed that thread - did many posters agree?

MissMarpleCat · 16/09/2015 22:36

Well, I'm considering paying a trusted friend to pick up my two dc's after school, a private financial arrangement.

CluckingBelle · 16/09/2015 22:40

What do you mean by swapping childcare?

And the lady who says people on benefits shouldn't be able to treat their children, I take it you're coming from the position of someone who can afford to treat their children, right?

I'm a lone parent of three. I don't get any maintenance money, and I have no family and hardly any friends locally to help out as I left refuge a year ago and moved to a new area. I also have credit card debt from carpeting/painting/furnishing the house we moved into as we moved in with nothing.

I have a child at junior school, one who has just started reception class and a preschooler, and we just scrape by as it is. We buy everything second hand, and shop at aldi. I haven't had new clothes in years, despite the fact that most of my stuff doesn't fit. I haved searched for a school hours job but they are few and far between, and childcare for 3 kids in 3 different settings is a nightmare. I get income support and have just started a part time access course, I'm hoping to study nursing or midwifery, only now I don't know how i'm going to manage.

In April I will lose £120 a month. I have no idea how I'm going to magic up the money to feed my kids and pay my bills.

Yep I'm scared of what the future will bring.

HelenaDove · 16/09/2015 22:47

There were a few who agreed unfortunately.

I think what Sock is trying to say is that ppl of easy persuasion will eventually view free childcare as free money because the narrative towards it will change just like the narrative about tax credits has changed to suit the ideology of the changes. Tax credits never used to be referred to as benefits.

A good example of this is food banks They have been trying to change the narrative here already. Ive heard a couple of politicians say people are only using them because its free.

redstrawberry10 · 16/09/2015 23:18

What do you mean by swapping childcare?

I am saying that various things can be done, including that. But the government can help too by removing the red tape. we have the most expensive childcare in the EU.

But I am not opposed to subsidising childcare for the poor. it's a bad system where childcare costs can wipe out the pay of most single earners.

Hamiltoes · 16/09/2015 23:42

I think childcare is quickly becoming one of the biggest barriers to increasing hours and returning to work.

My nurseries hours don't even cover a full days work + commute so I still have to rely on family for baby and for DD who is school age. Thats where my TCs go! And I had to wait months for a place to come up, she has been on list since she was born, 10months later we are up to 2 days, god knows when the other 3 will be avail so I can increase my days at work from 4 to 5. It is quickly becoming like rents with HB, they can charge what they like because TCs will cover it.

I have absolutely no idea how lone parents or those caring for disabled partner do it if they don't have family around to support them.

The other problem I face is that I probably could in the next year or two start applying for promotions... I want to move up in my career, I've worked bloody hard for it. But there is also a certain expectation that to be paid above a certain level, employees must stay back late to get the job finished, travel to suppliers/ clients, drive a certian type of car have a certain image. Essentially drop everything at a phonecalls notice. This is not the type of work that is compatible with family, and I imagine its a huge barrier in why women over 30 never see the salary male counterparts do.

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