Sense of entitlement to the benefit system

[user1482079332]

I might be abit antagonistic here but wondered if my opinion is shared at all. I grew up on welfare, Very poor at times no food or electricity. Fast forward, Im now a single mum getting ready to go back to work. I have been offered a job full time that will mean I earn alot more in the future, it's worth the short term sacrifice of juggling it all and being skint for awhile . Prior to this I was making arrangements to go back to work part time in a very low paying job. I couldn't get over how much I would receive in benefits working only 16hours a week. There was very little financial incentive to work full time and admittedly if I didn't have this job opportunity I would more than likely stay part time and receive enough in benefits that's I'm on equivalent my previous full time job salary before I had a baby. I can't help but think this creates dependency and entitlement. I had a friend recently earn more and she complained that her benefits had been reduced as a result. I think the benefits system in this country Is a mess and there should be more incentive to work full time than part time if your fit and well.

Not always entitlement - but a problem nevertheless. A friend is manager at a place employing people for shift work. People refuse to work more than 16hrs (I think it's that) because financially it isn't a sensible decision for them due to the loss in benefits that would occur if they did.

Easy- cut benefits so they are nowhere near the money of a fulltime job on minimum wage.

Or increase minimum wage so a full time job pays a lot more than benefits

I don't know the exact ins and outs of how it's administrated, but surely there should be a sliding scale of hours Vs welfare payments, so there isn't this apparent cliff edge at 16 hours?

I do not support lowering payments however. People need to live.

I dont know, but I thought that Universal credit will change the rules on this? its not rolled out everywhere yet though.

When shops and cafes pay enough for people to live on if they work there full time, then you can complain.

As it is, they do not. It's fine for YOU with your career which will pay more in future. Others don't have that.

A few years ago I left my first husband. He worked full time and I worked part time. I was worried about how I would cope financially but when I told tax credits and claimed housing benefits I could not believe how much I got! My part time wages were topped up massively by tax credits, rent paid, council tax paid plus I still had my wages. With only 3 of us to support I was loaded. So so comfortable. I am remarried and we both work full time. I used to get free childcare when I was single. Now we don't. Personally, I had more spare money when I was a single mum.

That said, benefit cuts have come in and I don't think it would be the same now. I think that's a good thing. Eevn when I received them I did feel guilty and felt I received too much. There was absolutely no incentive to do more hours. Or to tell them when I moved in with another partner. I did though.

But surely it's a good thing if we pay a single parent enough to only work part time when the child is young ? Raising the next generation is important as is having a decent standard of living.

What we should do is decrease/subsidise childcare costs and raise wages.

I don't think single parents should have to work full time, tbh. Raising a child single handedly is hard enough work as it is.

Totally agree with you OP.

There is no incentive for people to work in this situation. I grew up on a council estate too, worked my arse off despite being told constantly I'd be better off on benefits! It's so frustrating. I made it, just, good career, bought a house and doing well.

But I bloody worked for it, as in working 35hrs a week while I was full time at university! Working two jobs to get a mortgage, etc.

So why do most of the people I grew up alongside get hand outs for literally being lazy?! (This is true in my case FYI.) they don't want to work, they laugh at the 'mugs' paying for them! It infruriates me!

I think it should be that people are always be better off working, benefits should never be more than working wages - it's crazy!

I get your point op but I come from the view that the benefits are really subsidising businesses in around about way, it allows them to pay the minimum in wages and tax ,work place pensions etc and handing out just enough hours to do so while knowing the benefits make up the short fall.
People aren't taking advantage they are just making the best of it.

There isn't enough full time work for everyone. Changes are already being made but will take yrs before it's the norm.

Well you are a single parent so your child may have a father nearby but my children only have me. I did used to work full-time and it was incredibly difficult. MY children told me that I'd sent them in to school with frozen sandwiches and I never looked at their homework, I was too tired to care. I 100% support a system which allows children who only have one parent to have that parent present in their lives for more than half an hour in the morning and the same in the evening before bed. My children used to say ''I can't wait for the weekend''
You only get one life. I am now unashamedly looking for part-time work.

Higher minimum wage would sort this issue.

Well you'll be glad to hear, OP, that the roll out of universal credit means that families getting benefits are getting increasingly poorer. In fact, back to the days like when you were growing up, with many without enough food and no electricity. Brilliant, isn't it?

Hang on...

Easy- cut benefits so they are nowhere near the money of a fulltime job on minimum wage

They've been cut. Twice.

It shouldn't happen - the system should be set up so that people are NOT worse off when they start working, but it's probably too complicated to set up a sliding scale that works to ensure that no one is WORSE off for working.

Don't know how it will happen though, but that's how it should work.

I was worried about how I would cope financially but when I told tax credits and claimed housing benefits I could not believe how much I got!

My sister must have done it all wrong then. When she first went into a job as a single mum before later meeting and moving in with her partner, HB offered her £3 a week towards her rent.

Needless to say she felt too insulted to take it.

So what about people in my situation OP? Have always been a single parent (DS's dad did a bunk the minute he found out I was pregnant). Had one boyfriend in all that time who turned out to be a psychopath and I spent a number of years recovering (probably still am). After that relationship I think I will be alone for the foreseeable future, so that means only me looking after DS. DS was premature and has a number of health problems as a result, too many to go into, also diagnosed with aspergers when he was 7.

I ahve only ever been able to work part time because I have to be around for him when he's not at school. He's not an independant 17 year old, I don't know if he'll ever be able to live independantly.

When he finishes college I may well have to give up my part time job because although it's only 16 hours, it's still 16 hours where he needs someone with him. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

So because I'm only able to work part time, does that mean I don't deserve some kind of help and should still be working and living on the breadline?

There are a lot of people in similar situations, who can only work part time for a variety of reasons. So yes, your post is very antagonistic - which you knew, but still decided to post anyway.

Another goady fucking thread.

I do not think most people realise how tough it is financially for single parents these days whether they work full time or part time. I don't know more than the occasional one who is privileged financially and that is because they are of a highly affluent background with rich parents.

Everybody else I know has debt and struggles regardless of the hours they put in.

People who think we are living the high life are probably guilty of reading the Torygraph or putting their heads in the sand and walking round with their eyes shut. :(

My job is only available pt, but the hours total 20 with occasional overtime of 4 hours offered.
I can't do more than my allowance, and yes we have cb and tax credits.
If I got a ft job, like hens teeth if you are min wage then we'd be worse off as we would pay tax (joint income) and lose tax credits, be worse off and not afford school fees.
not that we'll afford these for much longer if they go up 20%.

I take your point in that when I became a single parent and worked part time I couldn't believe the amount I got in benefits, especially tax credits.

However when I worked full time and earnt enough to support the family on my income, I found it a nightmare to juggle childcare (didn't qualify for the childcare element of tax credits as I used a nanny not a registered childminder.) I believe that my children suffered by me working full time. My dc reminded me yesterday that I never went to their sports days when they were young - not strictly true but that's what they remember.

TBH op. You seem to one of those who has forgotten themselves.

You were reared on benefits. You should be more understanding than anyone.

I don't class myself as better than those on benefits. I class myself as very very fortunate.
I suppose you vote Tory, as well

I disagree. We should bring in the Citizens Wage. It would fix the problem you have identified and many others ion one fell swoop.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/replace-the-benefits-system-with-a-universal-basic-income-paid-to-all-citizens-think-tank-recommends-a6777101.html

www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/03/finland-trials-basic-income-for-unemployed

MSSlocombe has a point ^I 100% support a system which allows children who only have one parent to have that parent present in their lives for more than half an hour in the morning and the same in the evening before bed. My children used to say ''I can't wait for the weekend''
You only get one life. I am now unashamedly looking for part-time work.^

Each to their own
Depends on the balance between work and family
depends on kids needs, parents needs
Depends on supports available when working
and much more

I work full time, and my DH does too, but are able to cover school pick ups and drop offs and can apply to purchase extra 4 weeks leave to cover school hols

How about we reduce rent prices? Then we don't need the amount of benefits, the only thing that increases year on year is bloody rent