To think life shouldn’t be easier for those on benefits than those who work?

[Alwaysoverdrawn]

obviously not including the disabled, elderly etc in this

I am so fed up of being poor so I looked into doing an access course to increase my earning potential. My sister is doing one and is currently on benefits, she gets it for free with her childcare paid.

Having spoken to them, we earn too much to be considered for help. Having looked into mine and my sisters finances I think this is frankly bloody ridiculous. We are worse off than her ffs.

We make around £2,500 NET p/m, £1000 rent, £900 childcare -2 adults, 2 kids. So £600 ‘disposable’ pm with a lot of debts to pay.

She gets £670pm plus her full rent paid and a council tax reduction for her and one child.

AIBU to think life shouldn’t be ‘easier’ for those on benefits than those who work?

DP hasn’t been to the dentist despite needing to for years as he can’t afford treatment, I’m really down today. Seriously considering moving out so that I can claim benefits and get out of this horrible rut.

How do you get Education Courses paid for, if you are on Benefits?

My disabled DD, on just PIP, I was on ESA, had to self fund her Level 2 and she has just got a learner Loan for her Level 3.

My DD, on Income Support at the time, who did an Access Course, had to get a Loan.

I went to the Open Evening when my DD signed up this year and no-one over 18 was being funded.

I've lost on average 3k per year that I was entitled to because of my Benefits being wrongly stopped or miscalculated and by the time they were sorted out, I was over the back-pay time scale. It's the same for many others. That includes disability Benefits.

People who seem to have a lot on Benefits, are usually getting money in from elsewhere or being helped out, by family.

I've been working-poor, it is better than being fully on Benefits, but Universal Credit is just a punishment for being poor. But we need a way to force people into shit, low paid work, when Brexit happens.

@CantankerousCamel I receive some WTC and have had absolutely no issues since I started work. When my wage increased last month I just updated it on my online tax credits account and it was adjusted accordingly within 48 hours. So I think it just depends on your personal experience.

I am way better off financially than I was on unemployment benefits and I dread the thought of ever losing my job.

My income as a two working parent family should be a comfortable one. I’m not saying benefits should be reduced, or people have it amazing, I’m saying working families should be more supported

Try being a single working parent. Read your post again. Not nice, is it? You should to be comfortable because there’s 2 of you? What about everyone else doing their best? What do they deserve?

Incase it was missed - My course is with OU, so a lot of the posts about loans etc while appreciated are not relevant. I can’t afford the time/childcare to go to normal college.

I don't know anything about OU funding but does it have to be an OU course? Colleges and other training providers do offer online/distance learning too:
nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/course-directory/home

(Apologies if you've already looked into this as well but the info may be useful to someone else.)

Full rent is often paid by Housing Benefit, (often direct to the LA). Council Tax discount is often 100%. FSM, free prescriptions etc make a difference - school food can be up to £20 a week.

If you work you pay transport, (often up to £15- £20 a day), and childcare and clothes. And you are out of the house 8 hours a day five days a week so don't have the time or energy to do as much as you would like.

Many people are better off and less stressed on benefits. That is not to say everyone is and it is not benefit bashing but if you take the time to run the figures through you will see that it can be the case. (Depending on circumstances but not uncommon)

How do you get Education Courses paid for, if you are on Benefits?

For adults resident in the UK many courses are free if it's:

• English or maths up to and including level 2, and you don't already have it
• your first full level 2 and/or first full level 3 and you're aged 19 to 23.

These are legal entitlements but it's not every course ever, it's certain ones (though there are 100s if not 1000s).

Other than that:

• there are advanced learner loans for FE up to level 6
• there is 'local discretion'
• courses leading up to level 2 might be free if you are 19-23 or 24+ and unemployed
• there's often a raft of courses funded through the European social fund (ESF) aimed at upskilling employed people or helping unemployed people get into work.

The easiest thing is to contact your local FE college, they should be able to signpost you even if they can't help you themselves; or contact the national careers service.

It’s the extras that come along with being on benefits that soon add up for those just above the cut off.

Free higher education, free prescriptions, free dentistry, free school meals.

When dhs wages where lower the top ups in benefits gave us a total income that still outstrips his earnings now even though he earns more than 10k more. I remember laughing badly at the fact he got a small raise and tax credits dropped by over £40 a week which over the year was more than his raise, everytime he got paid more we became worse off. I think back then we worked out he would need to be on 35k to break back to the benefits and low wage income prior to all today’s benefit cuts.

You cannot get Dla for just having a sore knee. You also cannot get carers allowance for caring for someone with only mobility difficulties.

Perhaps the cut off should be higher, however, whichever way you look at it, 2.5k p/m is not working poor. It's £30k a year.

OP, how much of that is your money? If you left work, your childcare bill would reduce and you would be entitled to a 24+ advance learner loan. Most colleges pay childcare, meals and travel costs for people on an income under £25k pa. It might be worth doing some sums.

I'm not sure how you're not entitled to CTC towards the cost of childcare either? Is the cut off for tax credits not £40k pa?

Quite right, sleepy. In fact nobody between 16-65 is being awarded DLA anymore. PIP is being phased in for DLA recipients and all new claims (with compulsory face to face assessments) and there have been endless instances of people with terminal cancer and months to live being found 'fit for work' and having their claims refused. People on here seem to be living in a 90s timewarp.

Being on benefits and working aren't mutually exclusive

Don't worry, all the judgement she receives from people like yourself no doubt take the shine off her 'easy life' on benefits.

Yes I should have said dla or PIP there.

It's entirely possible to be able to walk 2 miles and still have someone receive carers allowance for caring for you.

Seriously considering moving out so that I can claim benefits and get out of this horrible rut

Do it! Because for people with attitudes like your own, it's the only fucking way you will find out how bloody wrong you actually are.

HTH.

HidingFromMyKids - Read the fucking thread, don’t make a judgement. I am not spending my money on ‘nice things’ I live in a cramped 2 bed flat and once my rent and childcare are paid I’m left with £600. I pay £130 of that on council tax, £150 on my debts after a management plan. That leaves me with £330 for a month for transport, food, clothes for 2 adults and 2 children. I can deal with all the crap you’re all shouting at me for, but would everyone STOP attacking my situation and acting like I’m living the life of luxury - I’ve never said people on benefits do so I’d appreciate The same courtesy. If I was spending my money on nice things why the hell would I complain? Just like the middle classes that jump to unemployed people’s defence because ‘oh someone think of the poor people’ but anyone else couldn’t possibly be poor - because your head is buried in the sand and your comfortable bubble.

The only reason I bought benefits into it is because I was told I’m not able to be helped as I’m not on benefits, I used my sister as an example because I help her budget so I know her income - and think it’s unfair that if you work you’re written off as rich. Working people should be helped more.

If you live in the north you probably think my salary is great, your house prices are cheaper and We wouldn’t earn near that amount if we didn’t live here.

Sleepy
You can if you lie.

The laughable thing is, I could be entitled to various benefits due to MH condition but I honestly believe I would go (more) mad if I didn’t work.

Fact is, people can say ‘you can’t do this’ ‘benefits aren’t a better option’ ‘people aren’t better off’ until they are blue in the face, unless you’ve been in the homes and lives of everyone in the country, you DONT know that.

Bitch I’m not denying your experience, I am explaining mine. I haven’t sat here and concocted some situation where my HB was massively cocked up by tax credit increases and by maternity pay. Those things HAPPENED and if I wasn’t in social housing would have left me homeless with two young children while pregnant.

The only people who are denying the lived experiences of others here, are those who hear the word ‘benefits’ and immediate attack the OP with comments about goats and flat screen TV’s. Champagne socialism at its best. Over privileged, judgemental and ponchy.

• And of course bills from the £330 too.

I’ve never judged my sister or anyone on benefits, more projecting.

I know how benefits work, I know it’s a lot of calling people and filling out forms.

I know there’s uncertainly around if your benefits change, there’s uncertainty in everything in life. You could lose your job tomorrow and be fucked, your child could fall ill and you get up to your eyeballs in debt. Nothing is guaranteed, I don’t need to hear sob story’s.

From what I know, DLA, carers etc, they have no choice and deserve every penny and more of what they get. As do single parents and short term unemployed. I do have an issue with the minority who claim it as a lifestyle choice but I don’t blame them.

Now I am done, you’re all upping my blood pressure.

PIP is not a means tested benefit. You could claim it and work.

Sleepy

He is often away for weeks at a time in her mobility car leaving her in sole car of three children. The whole thing stinks, but whatever, I’ve only explained this because I have it going on under my nose and it’s bleeding obvious they are on the fiddle.

It is also an example of how being on benefits traps people and doesn’t give them any sort of good life. Not working creates apathy and boredom that does nobody any favours.

Which is why many of us work despite Benefits offering more moeny security, that’s not all it’s about.

PIP has nothing to do with not working though. It is not an out of work benefit.

Benefits are complex no ones sirustion is the same denying some people cant be beyter off on benefits doesnt help anyone im not sure what the answer is though tbh and i dont think people have it easier on benefits, but often if your on a low wage or even am average wage (on some cases) it can seem like its not woeth working .

Yes other peoples' lived experiences. Somany people wanting to deny simply because they don't have or know of that experience.

Do the figures though.

I work because I have always worked - but I'd be better off on benefits at the moment - by a long way. My fares alone are costing me over £15 a day, and yesterday I was out of the house from 6.30 am until 9pm because the trains were messed up due to storms.

People don’t want to do the figures, they want to gawf at the silly working class getting all upset about benefits when they know that work pays (because they have £150k a year salaries) and can’t understand all the quibbling over a measily £50

I think it's really tough to be in this situation and yes it does seem unfair.

The benefits system is full of unfairness. There are many who should get benefits but can not access them due to the unfit for purpose ESA and PIP systems.

And there are those who choose not not work, or to work only part time, because this is beneficial for them. Two of my friends do this. One has a personal trainer 3 times a week, and countless hypnotherapy, life coaching etc appointments, goes to every festival there is, always taking courses. The other spends 50% of her time away from home on various UK and international breaks. Both have some additional financial help from their parents and neither has children. Their standard of living is way higher than for most working people I know.

Obviously there are also many people on benefits who have not chosen to be and who would prefer to work.

I think the answer is higher wages/ lower taxation to properly reward work. I would fund this by making Amazon, Starbucks, the super rich etc pay fair taxation.

How old are your kids? Presumably that crippling childcare bill is short term? When do they start school? Your rent bill is also very high. Can you move to a more affordable property/area?

It's not really fair to compare situations because for most families £2,500 net is a perfectly good income, your costs are unusual. Genuinely sorry you are struggling, though, and hope things improve soon.