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)

And if I were to go out to work I'd need to organise childcare and work around the kids. Yes DP works, but the reason I said that was to give you an idea of what the amount of money you're getting is compared to someone working on minimum wage for 60-80 hours. I'm also not whinging about the amount of money we bring in, because he works bloody hard for that money and I appreciate it.

OP - the solution is in your hands.

It is not up to the government to 'featherbed' someone who is choosing the most expensive options and expecting the taxpayer to fund her lifestyle.

That is a slap in the face for anyone who works full-time and pays tax and NI and lives in a not so nice area

I thought you lived rurally? But now you live in commuting distance to London?

So I should move with no money to actually move. To a 2 bed flat which accepts housing benefit (which doesn't exist). Move my children from their schools and their father. Get a job which doesn't exist, juggle childcare for 3 kids and hope they don't ever get sick.

I shouldn't have started this thread. Its just making me feel even more shit to be honest.

But to move the op needs to:
Save up deposit
Save up first months rent
Find somewhere to move to that accepts hb that's suitable and cheaper
Potentially lose the oil she's already paid for in the tank
Pay for post redirection
Buy bubble wrap & boxes (ok you can get some from supermarkets)
Hire a van /man and van
Buy new uniforms for the kids
Move the kids from their support and friends

Right now all that will look like your stood at the bottom of a mountain staring up. Yes cheaper rent, job opportunities and walking to school look like the way out, but she needs a pot of cash to do that

I know your not asking for solutions, but when I lived rurally, I got portable oil filled radiators instead of buying oil. Your oil is £1000 a year.

Also I got Asda & Tesco to deliver, to save my petrol & my time.

Recently I compared car insurance on confused.com & gocompare, There was a £80 difference with the same insurer (Lloyds) which shocked me, obvs I bought the £80 cheaper one.

Only on the 1st page.
Some are saying oh but its more/ the same/just under what I get doing x job...
How about this,
Benefits are fine- they allow people to survive.
Jobs are not. a lot of people claiming benefits are IN work. Perhaps we need to look at raising wages, not cutting down the money of those already in a tight spot financially.

It's definitely not easy to go out to work, but you must be able to see the injustice that you are given, for free, the post-tax equivalent of a job that is way above the national average income. I won't be so patronising as to say "well just move" - but it doesn't sound like your current lifestyle is sustainable and something is going to have to give.

Are your three children the same gender, in which case they could share and you could look for 2 bedrooms?

Are you trained to do anything? what work did you do before you had kids?

I live in a rural village, outlying a huge town which is full of commuters (53 minutes on the train). We got pushed out of there by rising rent costs.

OP, they obviously exist otherwise every single parent on benefits would be living in a cardboard box.

Like it or not you need to move out of area, that's just the way it is for lots of people.

Satan. Thats ridiculous, people have guarantors, or HA homes or lived there before they claimed benefits.

Please, show me an advert that says they are happy to accept HB

OP I see your point, I do. But even those working full time are just as skint as you are. Why do you think you should be entitled to more than those who are working?

Please take this in the spirit it is intended OP, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop making excuses and just make changes. It's shit, it's not easy, but it's reality. Everyone, whether they're working or not, single or not, has children or not has to live within their means, make tough decisions based on what they can afford and sometimes just get on with it. You're feeling sorry for yourself, despite hearing that there are many other people on a similar income who have to manage.

three bed semi - where are you getting that calculation from? If you have 2 or more children and ear under £32k/ year you can get some ctax credits and working tax credits I believe. You can certainly get them if you are earning £25k which is what you would be to get £1700/ month

eight. As its already been said, they are also claiming on top of those wages. That isn't all they are living on.

As a lone parent you could work for 16+ hours a week and receive working tax credit - then the cap doesn't apply. The benefit cap is primarily a motivational policy to encourage those that can work to rely less on the state by providing for their family.

As PP's have said some of them work and bring home about the same as you (the cap at £384 a week is equivalent to a £20k salary). The benefit cap is also about budgeting and having to make hard choices - do you need to drive - could you use public transport more? Can you get your utility bills down by changing suppliers (maybe not easy if you have a fuel debt that DWP are recovering from your benefit).

You have failed to mention Discretionary Housing Payments which you may be receiving already or may be entitled to once the lower cap applies to help you adjust. Talk to your LA about DHP's and to your DWP Advisor about work ad working tax credits - small steps you can take to help mitigate the effect of the cap.

Clearly the government doesn't think its enough to be living on or they wouldn't be topping up their wages with in work benefits would they?

Eight you have one dc, the op has three.

First the worst. My area has suddenly become commuter belt as people are being pushed out further. Our next move will have to be a big jump out to keep our rent the same, as its shot up. But I've no doubt it will happen again and again.
It's bloody crap. The options for stability are hb property or buying somewhere. We cant do either, but are you on the council list? I'm sure there won't be a house for you now, but it's not a bad thing to be on there if your landlord puts the rent up or sells up

You mention not wanting to move them away from their father. Does he work? I presume so, otherwise he could do the childcare and you could work. If he works, he presumably pays maintenance, which is not counted when calculating benefits you are entitled to. What incentive is there for someone to get a job when they can get tax free income (maintenance), plus claim benefits which cover rent/bills/food?

I think you need to speak to the CMS and get your children's father contributing, especially since you are staying in an expensive area to facilitate contact.

I agree though, to suddenly cap it is changing the goal post and making life harder fir children that already exist and it seems unfair. A fairer way to do it would be to say any children born after x date will not increase benefits which is what I thought they were doing. I hadn't realised they are taking money away from existing families.

No fuel debt, electricity is on a pay meter which was already installed and i'm not allowed to change

Oil is for the heating and is a DD each month, i'm about 93 in credit which will be wiped out over winter.

Can you move nearer the school? That way you can get rid of the car and save a lot of money on insurance, diesel, and upkeep. Alternatively, the council should provide you with free transport if it is the nearest available school, and over 2/3 miles.

Can you start a business from home? Eg selling on eBay.

It is unreasonable to expect taxpayers to indefinitely pick up the tab for your lifestyle. Many working people cannot afford cars. A tv license is not a necessity either. We don't have one.

Erm no. Because I can tell you I'm living on less that you and my OH works full time. As I said in my PP we get £280 in benefits and £1250 wage. That is all we're living on.

and over what some people who work full time are getting?

why do you think the taxpayer shouldpay you more for sitting on your arse?
what about cleaning? I live rurally and good reliable cleaners have to be imported at great expense from neighbouring towns.