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.

But you can get 'free' courses, Ok. Loads of posters, including myself, have explained how but you don't seem to want to listen.

Sfe also pay for full degrees via the ou. You dont need to complete an access course first and you don't need to be on benefits. Why don't you try one of those if local college has nothing suitable?

In some ways YANBU. But I see the solution as making life better and easier for those working than making things even more difficult for those on benefits.

Renting in this country is hard. I am guessing that if your sister lives in a house where the rent falls within local housing allowance it is cheaper than your £1000 per month rent.

I do also agree that adult education should be subsidised to allow people to improve their chances of employment but this should apply to people wanting to improve their skills as well as those out of work.

"Maybe she is spending what she gets immediately/ within a few months and so never saves. If any of her benefits change, she may suffer."

Nope, on benefits you're penalised for having savings.

What the fuck is with the mental health comments! I thought times had moved on.

The comment on schizophrenia is a load of shite, DH has it he gets zero extra money and the twice he's been hospitalised last time because he thought the tv was sending him secret messages ffs was hardly a barrel of laughs.

I think it's a £15 disability working tax element a week, I'd happily give that up for him to never to lose the plot again.

Life on benefits is not easier...it's harder. It's good to know it's there if we ever need it. But I certainly wouldn't want to be on it long-term.

"Oddly, I've not heard of this happening in the more deprived areas of my patch."

Surely it happens naturally when people are on low incomes. I had the old uniforms of some older girls from school and we weren't that poor.

Oh and for the posters going on about people getting pip or dla these are no walk in the park to get. They turn down just about anyone now and haven turned away people with terminal illness which is beyond belief.

thomlin

I have the added pain of being the object of my neighbours obsession and having to continually deal with police/council/social services asking me questions because of endless, false or highly exaggerated observations of my life.

It’s difficult but I feel incredibly sad for them and their kids.

Life is so much better when you’re busy, active, working and developing. I see my husband two or three nights a week because we work and train the rest of the time. Spending all day everyday in just his company? No thanks

Darkest I’ve seen it from both sides, a friend with adult children who has serious back injuries who is unable to cope without her wheelchair is on the bones of her arse and does everything she can to get by.

But to pretend that there are not people claiming disability because they can say the right words is short sighted. What is unfortunate is that those people seem able to play the system while honest folk slip through.

Anyway it doesn’t matter, it’s better that those who shouldn’t claim can, than those who need to claim cannot.

It just isn’t much of a life to choose (if you are in fact choosing)

"Do you think it’s fair that those on benefits are entitled to free things that those who work, yet are still visiting food banks, can not afford to pay for or should they get them too? "

You can be on benefits and not entitled to free things as well, for example on contributions-based JSA you don't get free dental treatment but on income-based you do.

Personally I think more things should be means tested. Like FSM, should be about income not a tick on the benefits received or not

The title is misleading. It should read “why is life easier for those who can live within their means than those who can’t”

How the money comes in is irrelevant as several examples have shown. Some manage on benefits, some struggle. Some manage working, some struggle.

It all comes down to how life has planned out for folks. I don’t think something like living wage is necessarily the answer. As an example, our After School Club has decided it wants to pay living wage. This means our fees have gone up. We can afford to pay, but numbers at the Club have really dropped because some parents were barely affording the fees as they were and the club is now in jeopardy.

What I’d like to see is a wider government backed “crisis loan” type system for those times where people hit something that puts them in debt and it really impacts on their lives. These types of debt are usually the ones which end up costing a lot more to arrange. If the government stepped in to offer long term payback at low rates, it could really help. As an example, families who have to take unpaid parental leave for a child’s hospital stay could apply for a loan to cover salary. Paid back over a longer period once salary is paid again. I’d like to see a scheme similar to student loans for families to cover childcare fees. The 4 years we had to pay them was quite tough but we could easily afford to pay back a loan for them now. Or maybe encourage saving schemes for young adults to build up for future childcare costs. I kept being told as a youngster to put money away for a pension. It was so far off I never bothered. I wish someone had said “start saving now for childcare/mat leave”. That’s a far more tangible cost I could imagine needing.

Oh yes I really choose to be a carer and live on £64 a week. Perhaps I should leave her in the hands of the tax payer and demand employed carers come in and let me return to work. That would cost the government so much more then £64 a week

Your rent doesnt sound cheap so my guess is that you live in a nicer area than her. You also get to choose where you rent a house whereas council accomodation isnt always in the mosy desirable locations. It really is rare that people on benefits or low incomes are bettet off. Think about what you spent to get the debts, holidays new car furnishings? I am guessing overall your lifestyle is better. You have a job you may want to do the access course to change jobs but it isnt a necessity wheras hers would be to get her back into work. You really have to consider the individual circumstances.

As others have said, the problem here is the lack of support for those who are working and earning just above the cut off for benefits but have high fixed costs such as childcare and housing. Don’t blame people on benefits. Blame our housing crisis, inadequate funding for childcare and public spending cuts. It is really unfair. Op, your sister shouldn’t get less, but I agree you should get the same entitlement to a free education. Why shouldn’t we support workers to better themselves? Some posters are talking absolute nonsense when they argue that the OP should simply be satisfied that she’s working even though she’s poorer than if she didn’t work.

Too many replies to read the whole thread but around 80% of claimants are in work, I don't understand your point, do you think they don't struggle?

" I think more things should be means tested. Like FSM, should be about income not a tick on the benefits received or not"

More admin would cost more to the taxpayer.

How did she get the access for free? I had to get an Advanced Learner Loan from student finance for mine. Are you sure she didn't?

(Not free)

And by the way an Access course is hard work. I imagine it is likely to be harder for her as a single parent (benefits or not) than it would be for you with the support if a partner.

Where EXACTLY did I say you said benefits needed to be reduced? I addressed the points YOU Made.

You are NOT poor! It's deeply insulting to claim you are!

Not an idiot - I hold 2 degrees, vocational qualifications and have a wealth of life and work experience.

I never said the mentally ill don't work full time. Not a 'stupid' comment at all.

Those in GENUINE hardship whether working or not DO get support to improve their prospects. Your circumstances if you're deemed not entitled to that help are likely to be such that you don't need that help. Not always but that's generally true.

I note you haven't answered:
If you already have a degree
If both you and dh are working full time
If you've checked if you are entitled to any help, have sought advice on reducing your debt.
Why your rent is so high, and whether you've seriously considered moving, nor given any indication of where you live.

You don't have to answer those of course, but the information would be very telling I suspect.

Yabbers - there used to be emergency funds available indeed there were 'crisis loans' these have now been withdrawn.

If you are 23 years old or younger on day of enrolment and it's your first level 3 course, you don't have to pay.
HTH

If you earn above the national average then you can say you are poor.

Equally I would say it’s wrong if benefits worked out to me more than the national average

There are lots of ways the system isn't right. I know a lady who claims PIP even though frankly she shouldn't - partner is minted, but because they're not married it doesn't count. You can take home more money on a minimum wage job than a job that pays £25k a year. Know this for a fact (tax credits bump it up massively)

Whole system is corrupt.

Seafood - Have explained my point many times.
BanginChoons I’ve explained the course is with the open university. Not sure why it would be harder for her with paid childcare while she studies and her daughter at her dads twice a week and every other weekend but ok I take your point.... generalising like everyone else.
Totiredtospeak - no I did not get into debt buying holidays and cars. Far from it. Funny, if you’d have said that to a benefit claimant I’m sure everyone would have had something to say about it. The irony!
Graphista still not getting your point? So £600 a month to live on for 4 people isn’t poor but my sisters £670 a month for 2 is?
It’s quite obvious I don’t have a degree hence the fact I want to do an access course.
I have answered both the questions about eligibility for help and why my rents so expensive on the thread if you bothered to read, to quote earlier messages:

^We live in a 2 bed flat, i looked into moving but we don’t have a car anymore and our credit rating is shit from me having to drop everything to be by my sons bedside in hospital - which is also when We got into debt. Not that it matters in this context as I’m sure there’s lots of people in situations like mine for all sorts of reasons.

We have applied everywhere but no luck, our incomes not split evenly.^

Read before you act superior.

To everyone offering help r.e the course thank you, I have spoken to several organisations already. To do an actuall college course near me is not feasible as they run during times I’d need to work/look after kids.