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)

Poor infamous chicken 🙂

To maintain a basic standard of living a family is assumed to have a car?
Really??
Plenty of people do not have a car. I understand that in very rural areas it is impossible to get anywhere without a car. And I am assuming the Op must be very remote to spend that amount of money on diesel. But for most people, no it is not an essential.
The utility bills are also very expensive. I live in a 4 bedroom house and put the heating on whenever I want, but it costs half of what you pay out. Is your home properly insulated? There are free grants to those on low incomes to improve the insulation in their home.

They do not replace housing benefit at all. Income support, yes and rightly so but HB and CT the grants and loans are not included in the calculations - again I know this for a fact as I have been through the process.

How much do low earners with 3 children get in childcare tax credits and child tax credits and housing benefit? I'm guessing it could cost the state more if OP went to work.

Still no mention of asking ex for help...

'If there's a gap in rural areas for childcare perhaps OP could be a childminder'

Yeah, there you go! How many LL's also allow their tenants to run a business from the dwelling? Ours is in HA and they don't even allow for tenants to run a business from the property. Cannot get a lodger, either. All forms of subletting at forbidden.

Have a gander at the property board. There's nary a week goes by that there's not a thread about NO DSS/No Children. NO ONE wants to rent to people on HB and/or with kids! Many cannot, in fact.

How do you 'just move' when you are on HB with kids and have no guarantor?!

Sorry that was to manumission with the they being the grants and loans

The childminding idea is s bad one, the inital outlay would be thousands with safety upgrades and equipment alone.

You claimed HB in term time as a uni student pissed?!

Of course ! I have children you are entitled to claim HB

'Credit union v low interest loan for deposit. '

You got the loan because you were in work. Go back and apply for loans and credit and tell them you are unemployed. See how far you get.

OP the real scandal is the fact that the father of your children is not prepared to pay for his children, his abrogation of his responsibilities is plunging your children into poverty. There should be draconian penalties imposed against such fathers, no good father or decent human being would behave in the manner he, and numerous other financially feckless fathers, do.

Can you use all means at your disposal to force him to face his responsibilities? Is the relationship between him and your children really worth you living where you do?

manumission touch.nihe.gov.uk/index/benefits/housingbenefit/housing_benefit_advice/students.htm

Credit union will loan to unemployed if it's affordable for them to repay.

OP you've not answered the numerous comments about your car... I live rurally so can understand the need to have a car but your insurance seems to be incredibly high - as well as the road tax. Could you look at trading it in?

Gillybeans - nail on the head there - I am happy infact, I believe more should be available to people when it all goes wrong, however that should not be a full long term solution, it should help people get back to work and off their arse!

Also why is Disability being introduced here? Carers and people who are disabled and CANNOT work should get more and they are only having these stupid reductions because of the amount of able bodied people who cannot be bothered.

"Today 19:03 Keeptrudging

Matching, £60/day van hire. Credit union v low interest loan for deposit. The alternative is OP continues to stay in housing she can't afford, which leaves her unable to work, and unable to save. Move now to somewhere where she doesn't need a car, that's an instant £300/month saving (between petrol/insurance/upkeep). Somewhere with childcare, and lower rent, plus no car costs, makes working possible, even worthwhile."

But... She'll still get her housing benefit when she starts working unless she's going into a brilliantly paid job.

And now you're saying she should get a loan to move?

What does she gain by getting into debt, moving her children away from their schools and father?

On this thread the OP is being told that internet access and a PC at home is essential

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2751717-AIBU-to-think-that-schools-shouldnt-dish-out-detention-to-pupils-who-cant-complete-online-homework-as-they-do-not-have-access-to-a-pc-or-laptop-at-home

So which is it.

I really think mumsnet should be renamed Kafkasquenet at times.

Dawn

To come back to your point. I appreciate disabled people can be carers. A can be carer to B. But B cannot be carer to C surely? That's what I'm talking about.

I have chronic pain and ME btw and could but don't want to be recognised disabled.

Rose That has happened because a poster was pitting groups of disabled ppl against each other.

I don't have much sympathy. That's just under what I get working full time after tax.

'Credit union will loan to unemployed if it's affordable for them to repay.'

And they will use her current parameters to determine that, not some hypothetical move, which will show, that she cannot afford to repay them.

Wow, OP, where can I sign up?? I work full-time as a teacher, and get up at 5.30 am every day so I can commute to work (I work in London, but can't afford to live there). I rent a cheap, shitty flat for £700 a month. Its staggering that I could pack in my job and actually upgrade my flat to a house for £900 a month, as well as still being able to afford to run a car. All that, and not having to lift a finger. I've got too much pride to take the plunge, but sometimes I do get tempted to give it up for a life on benefits. OP, seriously, I don't blame you for claiming what the government says you are allowed to have, but you do have a brass neck to whinge about it not being enough.

Ffs if it was just about £60 I'd post it to her myself.

Mummy Yes, that can be the case. Differing disabilities mean that it is entirely possible for A to look after the needs of B and B to look after the needs of C. This obviously applies to adults looking after other adults or children, not to children looking after other children or adults.