To think that bit is impossible to live off of benefits?

[Rolf38]

So Universal Credit rates are £498.89 an adult couple over the age of 25. This is meant to last them one whole month. So £250 per adult which works out at about £60 per week or just £8.57 per day.

How is someone meant to buy food, pay their bills and maintain a jobsearch at these rates?

I understand that some may think that by setting benefits at a low rate, there will be a greater incentive for recipients to return to work. This I understand and agree with to a point.

Surely though that danger of setting benefit rates too low is that it has the opposite effect. Claimants may reun the risk of getting in to debt, depression and lose the desire to maintain an active job search, along with any ambitions and aspirations they ever had.

Is met ting benefit rates too low a precursor to the increase of long term benefit claimants, simply by affording claimants less resources and willpower to maintain their job search?

After all, say if have been unemployed fir or three months. In this time, you have been so cash strapped that you haven't even been able to go to the cinema or meet an old friend, as bills and increasing debts have taken priority.

Without just a bit of enjoyment to boost morale, how less determined would a claimant be to give their job search their all as they would be if they could take their mind off of it for a bit.

For the couples payment too, I wouldn't be surprised if such a low payment to sustain two adults for a month may cause friction in the relationship, adding further restrictions to morale and job search.

Of course taxpayers money should be treated with the utmost respect.

However, is keeping benefit rates at such a low level proving more costly in the long run?

Why not add an incentive for job search for claimants? Increase UC payments by 10% for those who continually do all they can for their job search over a sustained period (say three months).

Such an increase, just form he most committed in their job search, would act as a continued incentive for the most determined to find work quicker (thus reducing long-term burdens on the taxpayers). Restricting an enhanced payment to just the most committed would also ensure that those not committed to athe or jobsearch and envisage a long-term existence on benefits find that this, beyond subsidence level, is not sustainable.

If you are doing everything you can in your jobsearch, why should you be unable to afford very basic enjoyments (even on a very occasional basis)? Why are those who put in the effort, in testing times, not differentiated from those who show no desire to come off benefits.

Perhaps in addition to sanctioning claimants who do not fulfill their commitments, the government should do more to help and reward the positive attitude to do all they can to get back to work.

It's not a 'choice' being on minimum wage and having to have benefit top ups it's a necessity for many.
Not everyone can have the well paid jobs or are able to train or have the opportunities for them.

It was hardly my choice to get a chronic health problem so that what I am qualified and have experience in I can no longer do as it can be quite physical.

I have had to change to office work and since I have little experience, start at the bottom. I'm now earning way less working full time than I was 10 years ago. Yes I have childcare costs and get help with them but that won't be forever; I hope to retrain and the dc will get older.

Yellow I want the right people being my child's learning support assistant or care assistant not the untrained, inexperienced, temporary or doing it just for a bit extra money.

Some low paid careers require a lot of training and are essential. They won't be filled by students, migrants and part-time workers looking to top up their spouse's income.

Nurses, firefighters, police, teaching assistants etc living in high expense areas or with children will need their wage topping up.

I'm intrigued to know what those advocating a time limit on benefits think should happen if, despite looking hard for work, someone is still without a job at the end of this limit? Those who have developed a health condition that prevents them from doing the work they have skills and experience in, and aren't being considered for other jobs due to their lack of experience? Those deemed over-qualified or too old for a lot of jobs, who have explained their experiences here? Those who are applying for lots of jobs and not even getting a reply? Are you really going to tell them tough, must try harder, no more money for you?

The glib response that people just need to try harder or not be so fussy about what they apply for is unfair to many. The people I help apply for a lot of jobs which are nearly always in low paid industries yet still struggle to even get a reply.

Students, single people, migrants

Single people? A single person can't afford a minimum wage job in a high living expense area, their take home wage wouldn't cover a single room in a shared house - unless it was a bit of a "dodgy" rent like unfit living conditions, unlicensed etc.

How condescending to think that all low paid jobs are just there for pin money.

Id love us to have a pet, a small dog , or a cat, we cant even afford a mouse!

Dont know people who are on benefits (those whove always been on them btw) can afford them.

and again, it alwasy seems to be the obvious workshy lot that have them. hudedogs usually.

huge, not hude!

Are you supposed to pay your rent out that too? Or is that an additional benefit?

"Everyone should take responsibility for their own actions rather than relying on our government to look after them."

You really have no idea whatsoever. Karma is a funny thing so when you're sitting in a care home pissing your pants and sucking on digestive biscuits, remember the days when you said the government shouldn't look after you.

Pay rent out of which benefit starzig? Some people do get Housing Benefit too, but that's limited and depends on your circumstances. If you're unlucky enough to have your own house on a mortgage then no, no help towards even the interest on this. the theory is that you have to sell your house, then private rent yourself until all the remaining capital has gone, then claim HB. And never manage to get back on the housing ladder.

Ah. That makes sense allergictoironing. Hadn't thought of unemplyed owning their own home. I had thought they just got housing benefit. Just wasnt sure if that was included in the £490ish originally mentioned.

quiquaiquod i got my dog before i ended up with health problems and on benefits. I manage to look after him as i budget carefully and make sure he as well as ds have everything they need before i sort myself. He has helped me no end as when it was just me and him before ds came along he gave me a purpose for living and going outside every day. Id be in a bad place if it werent for him. I am in no way workshy i just cant physically work just now due to my health. People on benefits are allowed pets too, in some cases they are they only company they have

Wondering

I pay into a pension and save every spare penny I have each month. I am by no means a high earner despite working in Banking, and I live in an expensive area, every month I end the month in my overdraft, but I work extremely hard so I never have to rely on anyone. When I wanted to save to buy a house, I got a weekend job, and over the course of a few years was able to save enough to put down a deposit, I had zero life in that time and was a walking zombie, but I did it because in my opinion, if you want a better quality of life, you have to work for it.

Two members of my family came to the UK as refugees, they didn't speak a word of English and one got a job as an ironer for a local hotel and the other as a night porter and this was within their first month of arriving. They have since learnt the language and are both completely self sufficient and not living on handouts.

I was brought up with nothing and just studied and worked hard. I couldn't think of anything worse than relying on other people to pay my bills (this does not apply to those are disabled).

There have been months where I have had £1 to spend on food per week but I managed without asking anyone for anything. Please don't assume that everyone not on benefits has it really easy and 'doesn't understand' as that's a load of crap. We were all born with the same bodies and the same brain, it's just how we choose to use them.

Scampi - apart from the we've all got the same bodies bit, what you say makes a fair bit of sense. I disagree with some of it but not all.
You will, of course, be flayed alive for daring to suggest that some people could maybe do more for themselves. Not all. Not all. Before I get flayed alive for daring to suggest you make interesting points.

Getting back to those suffering PTSD/MH and being able to work. Some people with PTSD/MH can and do work, some are able to receive treatment and recover. However I would be interested to know how many, on MN for example, have a medical diagnosis, as opposed to thinking of something sad that happened to them and then diagnosing themselves. The majority of us have experienced as traumatic event at some point in our lives but have the resilience to overcome it and carry on.

The continuous number of posters who claim they can't do XYZ because of PTSD/Anxiety/Depression sadly affects the sympathy and support those with a medical diagnosis receive.

I'm a tough cookie. I had a medical diagnosis of PTSD after a traumatic event. I was floored. With support of work and family, I kept working. Without my family and a supportive employer, I would have struggled even more.

some are able to receive treatment and recover

I tried to get my daughter treatment.

CAMHS saw her once and then discharged her because she was too shy to engage. They don't have the funding to work with children who won't interact with them, even when extreme social anxiety is one of their issues.

Mind can't treat her until she is sixteen.

The school counsellors don't and won't collect her from lessons. She is too shy to put her hand up and ask to be let out from class. Their sessions also are not private, so she hates them. Other students wander in and out of the room while she is in session.

My GP won't prescribe meds until she's tried counselling first. No other GP in the town has space on their register, so we can't change Drs.

At every turn I'm told all I can do is monitor her and ask for her to be sectioned if she becomes an imminent danger to herself. Cutting herself is not dangerous enough, starving herself is not dangerous enough, writing me letters begging for permission to kill herself is not dangerous enough. They're essentially telling me I have to wait for her to purposely attempt to end her life before they will find the resources to help her.

The NHS is woefully underfunded and understaffed, particularly mental health services. It's not a case of asking for help and receiving it. The support is not there for people to recover.

We have found a local charity who are willing to see her but their waiting list is massive.

Frequency. I hope your DD is able to get some treatment soon and in future go on to live a fulfilling and happy life.

'We were all born with the same bodies and the same brain, it's just how we choose to use them.'

No, we aren't. C'mon, no one can possibly be this ignorant and unable to realise some people are born with, or acquire, impairments to their bodies and brains .

Same bodies no, some people have a genetic predisposition to certain forms of illness.

And same brain? Definitely not - ignoring those with MH issues, people's minds work differently, their upbringing affects this too, and to be brutally honest some people just plain aren't as smart as others. You get people with natural artistic talent, people with amazing engineering or mathematical abilities, people with strategic minds, people who are naturally empathetic etc. Add in environmental factors and the range of difference is infinite.

My DS's brain was born in Asperger's. It's had a great effect on his ability to be in society. But hey, it's all our faults and all we need to do is pull him up by the bootstraps .

I have a medical diagnosis of cPTSD. I have nightmares every single night, when I sleep. I can only sleep with the help of medication, but because I have two adults who require my help, for similar reasons as well as other things, I can't always take the medication I require. I can be in a supermarket and have a flashback, brought on by the most seemingly trivial thing. This dictates the rest of the day, sometimes the rest of the week. There is nowhere, absolutely nowhere where I feel safe, which in turn means I never feel safe. I wish I could relate to you Kath how it feels to be constantly alert, aware of your surroundings, hyper aware, who is entering them, where the escape routes are, the million 'what ifs' before stepping outside to put the rubbish in the bin (no, not exaggerating). I wish I could be 'normal', go shopping in a place I choose, knowing I'd be safe, go for a coffee, read a book, have a bath. I wish I could explain that even after the time that's gone by (some, not much, not enough) I'm scared, so scared, I'm scared I'm going to lose my mind, fall down a well and never be able to climb out. I'm scared that accepting what happened to me might make it my fault, that I somehow allowed it, encouraged it, enabled it. I'm scared of losing my adult children when they start to wonder if I could have protected them more (there are a number of discussions around this). I'm scared. There's no other way to put it.
Having said all of that, I want to be better and do everything, every course, read every article I can. I need to get better for the people I care for. I need to get better for me. I need to get better so that people like you understand what's happened to us.

We were all born with the same bodies and the same brain, it's just how we choose to use them
No. There is a great deal of medical evidence clearly demonstrating that those of us with an ASC are 'wired up' differently to neurotypical folk.