To think not everyone on benefits are taking the psss

[Greydrabday]

Background...
Me and OH both have worked until 6 months ago, when he became so unwell with his condition, he became unable to gto work.
I work 23 (going up to 28) hours per week.
So for the last 6 months we've been claiming UC to help with living costs.
OH is slowly getting better and looking for work now to get us back on our feet and not having to rely on the benefit system.
(we have a 1 year old too)

Isn't it funny how people's opinions change once they know you're claiming UC?
Had a run in with a friend today, who claims I have choose this path, I should work full time, and while I'm choosing this way, the tax payer (ie her) is paying for it.
That the people who are better off, have worked hard to get there...

Basically you're made to feel like scum if youre claiming any sort of help in the form of benefits or food parcels.

AIBU to think not everyone is taking the psss out the system, and some just genuinely need a helping hand until they are able to get on their feet??

Really quite upset at her comments.

Hi. I'm a RGN I work mon to Friday private company I'm on around 32k a year full time. We never even qualified for help with nursery fees as he works but even when looked into it if I was a lone parent I wouldn't get nowt. I'd look for a diff job that has better hours most of my colleagues are part time and can fix hours times etc and dont need to work 12 hour days. But ignore the negative people who are nasty. Make sure I claim your pin cost bk through tax man and uniform tax etc x

How long have u been a nurse as if u are a nhs nurse the agenda for change has changed so u should get good increments every year? When I was 30 hours as a community nurse i was drawing around 1600k as I had mileage as well. If u need childcare do it from your wage (salary sacrifice) as its tax free. You could also join a nurse bank and work every other weekend rather than increase your hours as you will earn more. I did this b4 on a Sunday as it's around 22 quid per hour so a nice extra bit of money.x

Definitely not taking the proverbial here. In fact, according to National Audit Office figures (circa £130k per annum to keep a child in care in a residential placement) as a single adoptive parent twice over, it’d be great if the State could reimburse me for the magnificent (and extremely cheap) care I’ve provided to two of our most vulnerable citizens over the past 10 years or so.

I think people claiming in work benefits are bloody marvellous. It's incredibly difficult to pay bills, juggle work and child care with one partner unable to work. No problem with people claiming short term benefits while they are between jobs, or who have a serious illness and physically can't work.

I do have an issue with some people claiming benefits. One couple live on benefits (not sure why they can't do some kind of work) yet have time and money and energy to spend on a hobby (same one as me). Ditto a man who's never worked yet also spends all his time on the same hobby. A similar guy (same hobby) works hard in McDonald's (he has autism). More respect for ASD friend than the others I'm afraid.

My friend has been forced to give up her job because of her back problems, was a successful salon owner. Despite two back operations she is no better and now has a blue badge. She is very depressed about losing her career and her mobility, didn't help when her twat of a brother in law called her a fraud and that his taxes were "paying her to sit on her arse all day".

IndecentFeminist

He didn't work even nearly full time before illness, why was that?

The thread clearly says that he works with a chronic illness. This illness has been really bad hence not in work currently.

But he works as much as he can with a chronic illness usually.

She said he did 28 hours before being off, hence my question.

Horrid when you read the narrow minded views of some people. I started work age 13..... I got married had kids etc etc and then aged 36 was diagnosed with a genetic condition which means I use a wheelchair now... I've also passed it on to my children.. My husband had to leave his decent career to help with our children, hospital apps as I can't drive anymore.
This is not the life I wanted or my husband wanted. I depend on benefits, when my youngest kids are older my husband should be able to go bk to work.

Zombieseverywhere . Please don’t feel the need to explain yourself, some people love to judge and are too arrogant and narrow minded to think that chronic illness, disability, abuse, bereavement etc could ever happen to them. Little do they know, and thankfully, I think most people are decent and realise that.

Buttonmoon- I am not going to put the ins and outs of my finances on Mumsnet thanks.

But I will answer a few of your questions. Sorry, my mistake CB not CM. I have a DH so we get CB for our two children. I don't have a student loan no, no loans available on our course. So we are relying on DH income. No I wouldn't be able to claim any benefits at the moment, DH wage too high.

I am not trying to put myself above others. I am just saying that I could have stayed at home and claimed benefits after Dc were born, or work less hours and claim childcare but I chose not too. I was perfectly fit and able to work so I went back to work, even though after childcare my wage was approx £20 per day. I don't think people who are perfectly able to work full time should claim benefits and work part time to have more time with their children whilst claiming benefits

Universal credit covers the whole range of benefits now. It’s not just ‘dole’ money. It’s child tax credits, working! tax credits, housing and council tax support. A huge number of here will be entitled to and claiming most of these separately if their area hasn’t made the combined switch to UC. I do wish the stigma would be dropped.

The same doesn’t really matter whatever they call them, they are still state benefits.

I don't think people who are perfectly able to work full time should claim benefits and work part time to have more time with their children whilst claiming benefits

Should never have even been an option. A safety net should catch people when too sick to work or after redundancy. Not so people can have a SAHP, work part time, have x number of children etc.