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)

By my calculations £1645 pm is the same as earning about £24,300 pa.

How much benefit would you consider reasonable OP, for someone in your position?

What is the point in chasing fathers though? How does it reduce the benefit bill?
Child maintenance is disregarded for benefit entitlement.
You get the maintenance and the same benefits?

Why is it so difficult for the government to get fathers to pay? Can't they deduct a portion of their salary at source? It's absolute bull that so many of these people are allowed to get away with this by simply lying and saying they cannot afford to. It's a cop out in most cases. Monitor bank accounts and seize assets if necessary- treat it like fraud or tax evasion.

I know people with quiet server disabilities on £100,000 a year

They can spell better than me too 😂

'I cannot see how they get away with it - mine didn't and he lived 1200 miles away. Simple phone call.'

Plenty of these men leave the country and become uncontactable. Or they do like the OP's ex and go 'self-employed' and hide earnings so they don't have to pay. The minimum set by CSA is also ridiculously low.

They can deduct the fathers salary at source, they just need the other parent to call them - which seems to be too much to ask of some people - probably because they are still in love with the twat from what I've seen in real life

"Capping private rents would be the common sense answer."

Yes it would. No dispute there. Private rental costs are an abomination.

But until the day comes when we rise up in unity and drench the streets with the blood of the slavers, I'm rather afraid the OP will just have to do what everybody else living on a budget in the SE does and pick her property size and location based on what she can afford rather than what she'd like.

Why didn't I know about this?!

Does it still apply if you are disabled?

We previously rented in town. A two bed house, about 650 a month. I moved here and rent was 700 a month. It's gone up 200 in the last two years, each time the contract has been renewed.

I can't say this enough. You aren't ALLOWED to just move to a new area and claim housing benefits. You simply aren't allowed. That's not how it works.

My deposit here was borrowed from my ex MIL, she will want it returned if I leave here. The only reason my LL accepted HB was becisee the house is a hole with no heating (at the time) and extensive damp. I took it because it was the only place that accepted HB.

Someone mentioned work ethic. Thank you. I've worked almost my whole life from 16 years old. I also completed my access course with the highest grades in my class. I've also volunteered as a school governor, on the PTA and for homestart for a year. Don't imagine for one second I'm some Vickie pollard sat on my arse breeding for money. You couldn't be more wrong.

I agree ex pat - I get the minimum but as I said if my ex paid from Australia it can't be too difficult to track the bugger in Europe.
As for self employed, that old chestnut doesn't wash any more, they have to do a tax return at some point.

OP- why are you not working though? I appreciate its hard to find a job around school hours but it's not impossible. Most schools have some sort of after school club or childminders who pick up after school so you can work longer hours.

To me that amount sounds perfectly reasonable when there are people working who earn that. You either suck it up and live to your means like many other people who work or you get a job.

I personally don't agree with the state funding being higher for non-workers than for workers.

Lucy, it is also the responsibility of the children's mother to support her children, and at the moment she is also not contributing a penny.

"Benefits should never pay more than working full time on minimum wage does"
So how do you propose people remain housed, clothed and fed? The OP is in a rural area where rents for HB are difficult to find and already renting below market rate. How can they improve that situation?

This is the problem with that theory, living a very frugal and basic life doesn't cost less on benefits.

OP- why are you not working though? I appreciate its hard to find a job around school hours but it's not impossible. Most schools have some sort of after school club or childminders who pick up after school so you can work longer hours.

To me that amount sounds perfectly reasonable when there are people working who earn that. You either suck it up and live to your means like many other people who work or you get a job.

I personally don't agree with the state funding being higher for non-workers than for workers.

Yes you are allowed to move, I haves from one end the country to another - where are you getting this information from OP ?

User

If child maintenance was enforced fully then any payments could be included as income for benefit assessment. The state shouldn't have to subsidise families where the dad can't be bothered to.

Haven't read the whole thread but agree that's more than some people earn. I used to earn £1500 per month for care work involving lots of heavy lifting and sleep ins / night shifts and personal care. I think you have a good deal. Also, I expect that you get child benefit? Three children would be Around another £180 +. Plus child maintenance. You have it pretty good really.

I know people with quiet server disabilities on £100,000 a year

How the feck did they manage that then? Severe disabilities in this house too and as far as I know that only entitles you to income support (tax credits if you have children), pip and dla?

Certainly no where near 100k

And having moved from one end of the country to the other I claimed HB in one county then moved literally down the road but over the border to another council and claimed HB there. Nobody batted an eyelid

Er they went to work and earnt it SuranarMom*

I don't think it has anything to do with the money, it's the standard of living and the lifestyle choices.
Those who believe they are no better off working than claiming benefits, look at your lifestyle, the choices you have made and then compare yourself and your lifestyle to a family on benefit.
I bet you come out better, but won't see this because the green eyed monster repeats "yeah, they have the same money as me".

They can deduct the fathers salary at source, they just need the other parent to call them - which seems to be too much to ask of some people - probably because they are still in love with the twat from what I've seen in real life

FGS read what's been said.

Deadbeat dads just use tricks like 'Oh sorry I'm self-employed and I only make £5k pa' or 'Whoops I'm SAHD to me new 'partner's' DC' or 'Such a shame but I've gone back to uni, sorry.

And they get assesses to pay between £5 and nil per WEEK. Just like that.

But somehow it's the resident parents' fault according to you?!

Oil is a direct debit because I don't have a lump sum to pay every time I needed to order. By paying by DD I spread the cost over the year. Hence I'm in credit at the moment. 40 a month is for the internet and my mobile phone. That's not unreasonable. If I didn't have internet how would DD do her homework? And don't say the library, that shut down a year ago. How would I job search?

Electricity company want 200 quid to take the pre pay meter out. Firstly I don't have that cash and secondly it's in my contract not to remove it. I don't have a tumble drier and we don't use the shower any more. I live in a cold drafty house that takes forever to heat. I forage in the woods for spare wood to burn and buy coal off an old man in the village for a discount.

Shop at Aldi, no treats.

Not sure where else I can cut.

It is very interesting how attitudes are changing. I remember reading many threads when the cap was first mentioned with posters completely against it. It seems like people have done a huge u turn in their opinions. Not just on MN, but in general.

OP I know how scary it is to lose money. I am in a similar boat but I work and dh is disabled. I am due to lose a lot of money come June and while it isn't due to the cap it is benefit related. I am shitting myself over it. I won't even say what I get a month in total because people would tell me I get plenty of money, and they are right, but a change in financial circumstances for the worst is fucking scary no matter what.

I have very mixed feelings about the cap. I have a heart and can empathise with most people losing money, no matter what their situation. It is hard when you are used to receiving a certain amount of benefits and then lose them but at the same time changes are needed.