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.

Benefits offered to support children should absolutely be based on parents disposible income

Awesome.

So, I can buy that Dyson hairdryer I have my eye on with credit, slap some driving lessons on credit, a nice new Mini Cooper and a £1000 computer, taking my income to nothing and because I have kids the government should take up the bill for me?

Childcare vouchers should be more widely available. No-one should be spending a third of their income on childcare. Rents in the south should be capped.

The government should not have to pay for what are essentially lifestyle choices. I wonder where OP lives and how her sister is able to live close enough for OP to help her budget? Because HB sure as shit wouldn't be paying £1000 p/m rent, no matter where you live.

I think your missing the point Gluteus its gteat you can afford school dinners prescriptions, swimming lessons etc, but alot of people on low wages or even the squeezed midfle cant and their kids miss our

We are on a very low wage. Much lower than £2.5k. But we don't qualify for free school meals. Really doesn't bother me, it's just the way it is.

We can't afford swimming lessons and don't qualify for anything either. I can get cross about it, or just be happy that those children are getting skills taught for free.

If I had 2.5k per month, I'd feel very rich indeed

Op please look at going to an NHS dentist your DH will get exam X-rays, clean and told of any issues for £20.

Then treatment if you need it at the next appointment is banded but there is no pressure to do it. My OH was convinced he needed a new crown but the dentist patched his one all in the initial examination for £20.

Graphista
Thank you. The reason I have continued to go to work is that I will not allow myself to be singled out in any way. For three months, I went to work against my doctor’s advice, and would just come home and go straight to bed and hide.
This person I’m talking about got her local MP involved in her “plight”. I use the word lightly as her DD was often out playing with no adult supervision at all, unless you count me! I was supervising my own DC.
Her DD was certainly not in danger of randomly running away, as she claimed.

I could write you a book tbh.
I don’t dispute for a minute that there are many genuine claimants and I have no issue at all in supporting them.
I pay a lot in taxes and NI.
It’s people like her that I have issues with.
I’d never say it to her face btw. And I’m sympathetic with the condition that her DD has. But she exaggerates it to suit.

Graphista
Thank you. The reason I have continued to go to work is that I will not allow myself to be singled out in any way. For three months, I went to work against my doctor’s advice, and would just come home and go straight to bed and hide.
This person I’m talking about got her local MP involved in her “plight”. I use the word lightly as her DD was often out playing with no adult supervision at all, unless you count me! I was supervising my own DC.
Her DD was certainly not in danger of randomly running away, as she claimed.

I could write you a book tbh.
I don’t dispute for a minute that there are many genuine claimants and I have no issue at all in supporting them.
I pay a lot in taxes and NI.
It’s people like her that I have issues with.
I’d never say it to her face btw. And I’m sympathetic with the condition that her DD has. But she exaggerates it to suit.

Don’t know why that posted twice
??

Why does someone on these threads always know a friend of a friend of a friend on benefits who has seven acres of land, private jet and shops in Chanel?

I would love to know which charity is funding the 4 star all inclusive holidays.

I think it does seem unfair that people who work are sometimes only slightly better off than those on benefits - the government needs to motivate people on benefits to return to work - currently doesn't seem to be much motivation for people to go out to work for low paid jobs

Sometimes it glitches - mainly on the app I think I can't get on with he app at all.

I understand what a struggle it can be to work with mh issues. Similar to yourself I went against medical advice both in returning to work shortly after a full breakdown and in staying at work longer than was healthy (particularly as I had a nasty boss at that time who was making things far worse than they needed to be - and yes she knew she used it against me).

As I said I worked full time starting at 16 the only time I wasn't either working or studying full time was when I had dd. I worked until 3 weeks before I had her. I unfortunately fell for (wish I'd known of mn back then) ex's arguments of me not going back to work soon after she was born as I was a trailing spouse (he was army) and we ended up arse end of nowhere so between commuting and childcare whatever I earned not only didn't match that but would have created a loss. He was on a good wage so all we were eligible for was child benefit (Which was not means tested then). If I'd been on mn I'd have rightly had it pointed out to me that he was 50% responsible for the childcare bill at least! It also would've meant I wasn't so screwed when he walked out to ow, emptied the joint bank account, took our only car and wouldn't pay maintenance! I do deeply regret that decision. But at the time I had not only ex but other army wives and my own family thinking it was perfectly reasonable to be financially dependent on him.

That was only for 18 months but as I said I still regret it. I hated and still do hate not working, it's not something I cope well with so as I said ironically ADDS to my mh issues.

At the moment I'm agoraphobic, well I'm always agoraphobic but it's severe and I'm housebound by it at the moment.

I've tried finding work I can do FROM home but I've found that either they're scams, or require equipment, or skills/qualifications I don't have, don't have the funds to get and employers won't provide. There used to be grants etc for this type of thing (I'd be perfectly happy to do it as a loan even! And pay it back/forward once I was earning). I find it very frustrating and honestly believe that if this type of work got more support/investment then a lot more sick/disabled, mum's of young DC etc would be able to work at least a few hours week.

Surely this would be good for the economy, for people's morale, show a good example to DC?

The tech exists that many jobs currently done on work premises could be done from home but employers seem reluctant to even try that road.

I thought that there was child care vouchers you can get to fund 30 hours free of childcare. I'm not sure how it works but I know there available to employed people but unsure how they work as dd is a adult.

Op sorry if someone's said this. I find this type of thread a bit toxic so haven't read the lot. Surely if your childcare is 900 per month and you're only earning a combined wage of £2500, the lower earner would be better being a sahp? You'd certainly be entitled to some tax credits then plus you wouldn't be paying the extortionate childcare costs

@CantankerousCamel why should it be based on disposable income? If you choose to have a bigger family, then of course you'll have more expenses. But we make these choices. I've purposely chosen to have only one child otherwise I'd be skint all the time.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/23/welfare-spending-uk-poorest-austerity-frank-field?CMP=share_btn_tw

Of course it's not fair. I appreciate some people have harder situations maybe illnesses/disabilities preventing them to work

But I think it's totally unfair that people working full time earning a living have to pay the high prices of dental care and medical. Just because someone earns €400 a week for example doesn't mean they can pay €100 at the drop of a hat to get a tooth pulled etc: where as people on benefits get this all for free. The more people earn the more rent/mortgage they have so how does the government expect full time workers to pay yet people sitting on their arses get free health care, houses or housing allowance , fuel allowance and most of the time even free bus passes. It encourages people not to work.

My sister lives 5 minuites down the road in a house but as it’s housing association it’s only £500 pm so covered in full. Just thought I’d mention it as so many people are keen to make assumptions.
I’ve made my point clear many times. I shan’t be getting drawn into arguments anymore.

And why are people saying it's a single mum 'bashing' thread? All single mums aren't on benefits? my mum was a single mum and she worked full time and had a mortgage which she paid alone. This thread isn't about that. It's that it is unfair that people earning a decent living are expected to pay the stupidly high cost of everything people getting benefits get for free. There should be some middle ground

But people getting benefits don't get Access courses for free.. And that was the main point in the opening post.

Is it possible for you to apply for social housing, OP? You don't always have to be on benefits, obviously, that depends on your area and waiting lists.

Also, do look into how much child tax credit/working tax credit you would get if only you or your partner worked until the kids are older. The downside being you would be taking one of out of the workforce and once you're out, it's harder to get back in.

Bimgy you don't get free dental or prescriptions on all benefits eg carers allowance

Graphista
I am genuinely sorry that things have been so hard for you. You deserve every benefit that you can get to help you back on your feet. I have actually given a friend £500 over the space of two months as she was in a desperate situation. She didn’t ask. I just did it as I had the money at the time. Skint now
So I’m certainly all for helping others when I can and I think our benefits system is great, but it was always intended to help people who genuinely needed it. Not people who know how to work the system.
I’d give anyone the shirt off my back to help them.

I’m on the list @frequency, have been for quite a while but I’m classed as band D (lowest band) I’ve looked into becoming a SAHP as we wouldn’t be worse off really, however I feel if we do that then I can’t see when our situation will improve. Childcare costs here are £5 p/h per child I actually get a sibling discount so mine are reduced. After school childcare is nearly as expensive as the daytime one as I don’t start work until 12.
Bangin, you don’t know what you’re talking about and if I have to explain one more time I think I’m likely to explode. Please read the attached image, I have also called them to ask if any leeway and they’ve advised the free course is applicable for those on benefits. Now please, give it a rest and stop saying the same thing on every page.
Darkest I think that’s disgusting, I didn’t know that and you absolutely should get free prescriptions on carers allowance.