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Original poster

to be incensed by this

204 replies

TheStripyGruffalo · 05/10/2015 19:03

The government is right to press ahead with cuts to tax credits - despite claims millions will be worse off - because the UK must become as hard working as China, Jeremy Hunt has said. The health secretary said the cuts - combined with a higher minimum wage - would send out the right "cultural signal" to low paid workers. And he said he did not "buy" claims people would be left out of pocket.

(source BBC politics website)

I am furious about this, I work for the government and don't earn enough to pay income tax so will not be better off by the tax allowance rises. My employer can't afford to increase my hours and I am paid the same hourly rate (give or take a few pence) that I was when I started the job 10 years ago but my working hours are less as there have been major cut backs. I earn over the living wage but only just so won't benefit from the increase. I will lose over £1500 a year when the tax credits cuts come in.

Jeremy Hunt is being so offensive and downright unpleasant.

OP posts:
Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 19:44

No, I know you're not. Neither am I.

But there does seem to be an assumption that 'these' children 'can't' go into childcare full time - why? Confused

Maisy313 · 06/10/2015 19:47

Oh for god sake, I'm not saying they can't, but I don't think people with very young children where one person is working full time and one person is working part time should both be forced to work full time to support the very basics. I think that cutting tax credits to those people is brutal.

Maisy313 · 06/10/2015 19:50

I don't think Childcare is something terrible, I dropped my son off for nine hours there this morning. I just think that standards of living are really shit if two people have to work full time to keep say there heads and one babies head above water. And not because they have a huge mortguage to pay but just to keep a tiny rented roof over their heads.

Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 19:57

But maisy, we all have to make decisions that we may not be made up with but have to be done.

If you're saying - should a PT worker and a FT worker be able to afford a small home and food etc I agree. However that's always going to vary hugely anyway based on where you live and so on.

You seem to be saying that couple A who both work full time should have the same as couple B where one works part time. Fundamentally, that's where TC went wrong - they acted as a disincentive towards earning an income. It's never right saying 'I can't work more hours because I can't afford to!'

CookieMonsterIsOnADiet · 06/10/2015 19:58

Full time for many is just 37 hours a week, it's not a lot out of the number of hours in a week. It's not terrible really to have a house, food and heat for those few hours a week.

Working part time is a luxury, if the person cant survive on the wage then of course they should have to work full time. Expecting to have the same income as others for doing less and claiming is wrong and quite selfish.

Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 19:59

Individuals aren't selfish - obviously families will choose what suits their setup best.

It's wrong that this was ever an option.

Maisy313 · 06/10/2015 20:20

Releaseasongbird I totally agree, it should pay to work, and two people working full time shouldn't be earning the same as one person working part time, and one full time. But I do think it should be possible to maintain a basic standard of living if you have a baby and those are your circumstances.

Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 20:21

It is, in most parts of the country to be honest. London and the SE the notable exception.

anotherbloomingusername · 06/10/2015 20:27

I've worked in my current post for over four years, and have just had my wage cut. This, in addition to the tax credit cuts will break me. I'm looking for other work, but may end up working more hours in an unskilled supermarket job instead of in my field. It's a disgrace.

MrsDeVere · 06/10/2015 21:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 21:27

Yours is disability related if I remember correctly, MrsDeVere

I and others have stated that those benefits should really be entirely separate from tax credits.

MrsDeVere · 06/10/2015 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsDeVere · 06/10/2015 21:55

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Releaseasongbird · 06/10/2015 22:05

I have always stated that disability benefits and tax credits should be separate.

The situation you describe - where you have to work part time due to disabilities - is one example where a wage should be 'topped up' as it were.

The issue is that by using tax credits in order to do so it makes no distinction between choosing to work part time because of wanting to spend more time with DC and having to work part time.

(There is nothing wrong with the former but having a nation opting for this - naturally - has led to the benefits system becoming bloated and unmanageable.)

It's unfair to criticise people for saying 'I don't mean you' yet to outline in detail why your own circumstances mean you rely on TC. My own answer is that disabled people should receive disability benefits.

I am very sorry about your DD.

blueballoon79 · 06/10/2015 22:21

I agree with MrsDevere
I am a carer to two disabled children and rely on tax credits to top up my part time wage.
There is NO childcare for children with disabilities and due to the sheer amount of hospital appointments I need to take both children to I am unable to work full time. Only part time.
I'm a lone parent. My son's father died. My daughter's father pays minimal maintenance and barely sees her.
I'm doing as much as I can possibly do.
Telling people like us that you don't mean benefits should be cut for those who are carers or disabled makes no difference. They have been cut and there will be further cuts to come.

MrsDeVere · 06/10/2015 22:25

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Stripyhoglets · 07/10/2015 00:17

I hope this is their poll tax moment. I hope the Sun stick up for their readership and publish the truth at last. And it's ok saying it shouldn't apply to people with disabilities, but that won't help. Because it does. There is no distinction.

And the legion of part time workers are also more likely to be the carers, for disabled children or relatives, for elderly relatives. This unpaid work saves the government billions in care costs even if someone gets carers allowance. A bit of tax credit is fair exchange for that work. But no - you've got to do 37 hours and then do the caring. What a wonderful life.

Jux · 07/10/2015 00:47

If everyone worked part-time there would be a lot more jobs.

I might start a campaign for enforced part-time working hours, it makes a lot of sense. More jobs for everyone! It's the only way we'll see full employment in this country again.

HopefulAnxiety · 07/10/2015 01:39

As many have said, lots of people only have part-time work available to them. In retail, for example, there are very few full-time positions available - all the shops (major retail brands) near me that are hiring are looking for people to work 8, 16, 20 hour weeks. Also bear in mind that for people without children, most TC claimants will be working full-time or nearly full-time since you have to work at least 30 hours a week to claim it.

LumpySpacedPrincess · 07/10/2015 07:04

He never, ever talks about anyone other than those on low wages who will be better off with the 'living wage' He just repeats it with a glazed look in his eyes and refuses to engage with any possibility that anyone will be worse off with no way of changing their circumstances.

And people buy it every time' Sad

My friend will be a lot worse off, the "living wage" will not help her at all. She works full time plus 2 hours travel. How exactly does she improve her circumstances?

Draylon · 07/10/2015 10:36

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maybebabybee · 07/10/2015 10:56

Every time I hear some tory tosspot on breakfast TV wittering on about 'hard working families' it makes me want to cut off my own ears and burn them.

Working culture in the states and China is utterly horrendous. My boss is American and is always going on about how awful it is there. I cannot understand why anyone would want Britain to aspire to be a society in which you are penalised for being ill, going on holiday or having a baby, must work 50/60 hour weeks, and must constantly be checking your email with no switch-off time. No thanks. I want to do my job in my contracted hours, earn my money and then go home and be with my family.

maybebabybee · 07/10/2015 10:58

draylon said it much more eloquently than I did. I was too enraged to make much sense.

JoffreyBaratheon · 07/10/2015 11:01

Ah so being the "party for hardworking people" lasted approximately 12 months then, did it?

Vile cretins. Anyone who voted for them should be ashamed.

JoffreyBaratheon · 07/10/2015 11:06

I'd imagine half the tory cabinet rely on money they get from employing people on minimum wage who they can only employ at all because of the tax credits system, too. They're very fast to exploit other people and have zero sense of social responsibility. Let's never forget they are the party who said "There is no such thing as society". About time we kicked them into touch for their callous, irresponsible behaviour. Interesting too how all they have done is attack the disabled and now those on low wages but who are working damned hard.