To think the benefit cap is going to plunge families into poverty

[Firsttheworst]

Next month the benefit cap comes in. It sets out the maximum that can be claimed in a week across all benefits. This doesn't include disability or wtc. Its aimed purely at women (mostly) claiming income support. You can only claim income support if you have a child under 5 and don't work.

The benefit cap is in the government owns words designed to get IS claimants out to work. The cap is currently £500 and will be reduced to £384 a week.

This includes, housing benefit, CT benefit, tax credits, income support. So all in total cannot be more than £384 a week. Over a 30 day month that comes to £1645.

From that £1645 I need to pay

rent £900 a month (no I can't move, its impossible to rent on benefits as it is, not giving this house up and its below market rent as it is)

CT - £60 a month

Electricity £80

Oil £80

Diesel £ 120 (rural don't drive anywhere other than school runs and supermarket/town once or twice a week)

Car insurance £49

Car tax £19.99

Phone/internet £40 (thats a basic mobile and broadband)

House insurance £13

TV licence £11

That leaves 272 a month to pay for food, clothes, car breakdown, school trips, birthdays, miscellaneous and god knows what else. For one adult and 3 children.

AIBU to think that the government have just decided that if they starve us out for long enough we'll be forced to go out and find a job? Like I said rural area so jobs are rarer than hens teeth and believe me i'm looking. It is pure discrimination against single mothers with small children (i doubt many men claim income support)

£1645 a month, bless poor you, if it make you feel any better I paid more tax than that last month - most months actually and for the privilege I spend 50% of my life on a windswept rock in the Atlantic working 84 hour weeks. I miss birthdays and Christmas.

Yes I take home more than that, but it is earnt, you should move pretty quickly to somewhere where rent is more affordable and on a bus route ! that should ease the tax burden on the taxpayer by a good £500 a month at least.

I feel for you OP but I really think moving somewhere cheaper is the answer.

As a broader societal issue, the housing benefit bill is a direct transfer of wealth from taxpayers (many of whom actually have a quality of life no better than those on benefits) to rich landlords. It probably also props up the rental market in some areas - and if people who don't work and rely entirely on benefits had to always move somewhere cheaper then hopefully, over the whole country, it might do something to cause rents to fall. Housing benefit bill was over 25 billion in 2015.

There are lots of people living with 3 kids in one room in hostels when they've lost their homes in central London now (and some of whom can't move because they do have a job there) - so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect people without jobs to move to reduce their rent bill. The benefit system can no longer support people just living where they want to.

DH and I have always worked and NEVER lived where we wanted to and he's NEVER had less than an hour commute to his job - because we simply can't afford to live near to where he's worked. At one point he was commuting 2 hours each way which massively affected our quality of life - not in a good way (he never saw his DC during the week). Working people are forced to move away from family and friends in order to live within their means, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect people on benefits to do the same.

I'm also in favour of rent caps - if the landlord can't show an increase in mortgage or maintenance costs they shouldn't be able to put up rent above a certain amount (in my opinion). As it is the situation is madness. Simply just increasing the benefit bill (where is the money coming from?) is not the answer.

not paying for cars That's ridiculous - there are many places where a car is a necessity - and as we've seen on here, there can be massive barriers to moving to where you don't need one.

Well I'm clearly not the only one who thinks that even without the cap that it's a reasonable amount of money to survive on. If you want more-earn it. There are ways.

Wonder what a teachers take home pay would be or a nurse?

keeptrudging ODFOD back to the daily fail comments section you go

Well that is more than what I earn for working full time so I have little sympathy with that situation

OP has been circumspect about the ages of her children, but we know that one of them is 11 and they all seem to be school-aged.

On the contrary, what OP was saying about Income Support suggests that at least one child is under 5.

Wow, that is more than what I earned in my old job!! Which was full time!! YABU. I'd still say that's far to much benefit to be receiving especially when not in work! Makes my blood boil & you are on here complaining about it!? Disgusting.

The landlords who exploit situations need addressing next. Its a disgrace what some are allowed to get away with. I've seen it first hand

Since you apparently get on well enough that ex is in the picture/taking DCs on holiday, can't ex (as a wage-earner) sort out a lease/new accommodation, or a family member act as guarantor?

my anger is saved for the feckless ex who's paying nothing, i do think £1677 odd a month in state handouts is a lot, although it's clear op didn't intend to end up on benefits. We can't afford the benefits, and personally, able bodied adults should always have a plan to be able to earn money. When you have small DC, maybe that's not feasible due to childcare, but there should be a plan for self-reliance once they're at school.

I am hoping that one big impact of this benefit cap is that rents will actually reduce in response.

It is totally ridiculous that the government is actually pushing up rent prices by funding unlimited rents for people receiving benefits.

As has been noted this does nothing to advantage the people living on benefits - it goes straight into the pockets of landlords...and helps keep house prices nice and inflated too.

Hopefully the OP will find that when she tells the LL she can't pay the rent anymore, (s)he will drop the price on account of no one else being able to pay it either....

Also- childcare costs. I would love to see subsidised day care in places of work for people. The lack of good childcare at the cost of it really inpacts people and there are really very few realistic flexible options.

also Op, I too would not be worried about the views of your a*sehole ex re how hard it is for him to have contact when he doesn't pay any support. He's not worthy of the name parent. Actually we had a family member who grew up with such a Dad and as a young adult she's got no respect for him at all having seen her mum struggling for years while he bunged her £200 here and there for birthdays and christmases.

Wow, that is more than what I earned in my old job!! Which was full time!! YABU. I'd still say that's far to much benefit to be receiving especially when not in work! Makes my blood boil & you are on here complaining about it!? Disgusting

Have you tried Netmums hun?

Working mothers don't pay tax so other mus can be sahp- they pay tax because it's law, and they no doubt take more out of the system in schooling and health care than they pay in. Which is true of most working fathers also.

And while it may turn out to be in the op'school best interest to find somewhere 400/500 pound cheaper to rent the amount she 'saves' the 'tax payer' is in no way going to be handed back to the 'tax payer' in any form, so it is pointless to use terms that suggest it will.

I wonder if this ought to be £50+ a week so that people can develop a buffer. £2500 a year

Now that is a good idea.

However, if you have asked for the children to be placed in the closest school to your home and they are not then the council should be paying for their transport to school.

You said about not moving so that Dad can see them and so they don't need to change school. Kids change schools all the time so unless they are year 10 or above that is a bit of a non-issue.

As others had said above I wouldn't worry about Dad having to travel to see them. He doesn't pay his way and therefore doesn't get a say.

Life is tough for many people in all sorts of ways but your expenses seem high (as has already been pointed out). There are ways of cutting back and the comparison sites are your friend.

It is hard for people who work hard all week at a job to find they are getting less than a non-worker gets in benefits. To them it is like a kick in the teeth so I am sure you can see why your thread has bought a backlash.

I appreciate that part-time within school hours jobs are tough to get but perhaps your ex can have his access on 2 school days so that you are able to work longer days on those days etc.

OP you're still not saying much about your ex. Have you actually discussed this with him? I appreciate the relationship broke down but you must be on ok terms to want the kids to still see him. Its becoming hard to have sympathy with you when you don't say much on his contribution. So I'll ask again... can he help with school run or have them more in the week to help share costs. Can he pay for school trips / uniform. If you are not prepared to move (im not saying you're wrong btw) then you need to find a way of spending less or getting more support from the father.

In terms of my DH leaving. I'm currently on mat leave, but will be going back part time when it finishes. If he left, I would resume full time work and have 50/50 custody and split the childcare bill with him. Hope that helps.

These threads never go well as so very many women who work full time always end up taking home less than the benefits claimants do which is why both Labour and Tory supporters have been so much behind the benefits cap.

I don't resent anyone who lawfully claims benefits to which they are entitled. It is the system which needs to change (and is changing). I would never blame the recipient of my taxes.

I meant to add, not least because increasing (or for sake of argument not cutting) benefits just encourages private landlords to hike rental prices.

It does seem a large amount but obviously it's the rent that's the problem. There needs to be far more LA housing than there currently is.

Have you thought about working in care they are crying out for people. You can even work around the children and no qualifications are necessary they train you.

I genuinely hope that some of you, some of you are way to hard on benefit claimants and I hope that your life comes tumbling down around you, and then when you sit there wondering how youre gonna cope, because while the tory's are in theyre gonna keep bringing this cap down, lets here more wails of indignation off some of you then, and think ill ask my friends on MN and I hope it bites you on the ass, jesus out of all the threads I've read on MN some of the opinions in here need this

Also not far off what I earn as a qualified health care professional with 20 years' experience and working full-time.