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Original poster

To think that furlough at 80% is FAR too generous.....

480 replies

loveyouradvice · 05/11/2020 20:13

I'm just interested about what others think... I think fine to do this for first three months but really do feel it should be down to 60% or 70% maximum by now....

People on 80% of salary, with no travel or expenses related to working away from home, are really not doing badly .... especially since so much less to spend your money on

It is everyone else I think is having a tough time - whether its kids not getting Free School Meals in holidays, or freelancers or those who've lost their jobs....

I would prefer the "pain" to be shared.... so if on furlough, yes lots of free time and yes, having to tighten your belt a bit....

Would it not be better to pay LESS in furlough - I'm thinking around 65% - and MORE to those who don't qualify but are having a very tough time financially..... ?

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 06/11/2020 22:11

I'm working (not furloughed) and I'm receiving the extra £20 as part of my working tax credits.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 06/11/2020 22:13

And I am on the old style system of tax credits so it's not true that those on the old system aren't getting it.

freddosfrogs · 06/11/2020 22:21

@Waxonwaxoff0

And I am on the old style system of tax credits so it's not true that those on the old system aren't getting it.
So am I but I don't get it.
Waxonwaxoff0 · 06/11/2020 22:41

@freddosfrogs it's all very strange. I was receiving housing benefit when the extra money kicked in although I'm not now, perhaps that's why.

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 06/11/2020 22:44

I wonder if there's any logic at all to who due did or didn't get the extra money. Or if it was a very clever ploy to pit the poor against each other. "Well she's getting it and I'm not. That's not fair. She must have lied about something" kind of thing.

lyralalala · 06/11/2020 22:45

I think the algorithm on who got the £20 and who didn't was akin to chucking some money into a crowd and yelling "Catch if you can"

The ignoring of people on legacy benefits was a clear tactic though - it highlighted to come on UC that some on legacy benefits get more than they do and it also made a small number of people on said legacy benefits forgoe their transitional protection because they felt they needed to apply for UC then and there.

It was not accidental, and my MP agreed. Rishi Sunak was asked to give it to people on legacy benefits and declined.

SheepandCow · 06/11/2020 22:48

Perhaps we should start 'sanctioning' MPs...the money can go towards ensuring everybody gets enough.

In New Zealand MPs took a pay cut to help with funding pandemic measures.

MadameBlobby · 06/11/2020 22:54

@SimplyRadishing

I think it is madness they are continuing this and to do so at 80% is reckless.

We will be paying for generations.

We are nowhere near touching the recessions experienced in previous generations.

This proping up through quantative easing is disgraceful.

Do you think they would be doing it if the costs of NOT doing so would be less?
TrainspottingWelsh · 06/11/2020 22:59

In my anecdotal cases, I know the one on tax credits wasn't receiving housing benefit. Don't know about the one on uc but they both earn roughly the same.

sheep if predictive text has changed 'sacking' or shooting to 'sanctioning' I'd agree Grin

lyralalala · 06/11/2020 23:14

@TrainspottingWelsh The housing benefit may have been the key...

It was a limited increase – not available to those still on legacy benefits: child tax credit; housing benefit; income-related employment and support allowance; income-based jobseeker’s allowance; and income support

Contribution based ESA and JSA are missing from that list as well.

TrainspottingWelsh · 06/11/2020 23:28

Maybe it was just those closer to the income cut off then lyra? Because one definitely receives working tax credits as well as child tax credits, albeit not much.

Although I'd guess that if anyone on working tax credits and housing benefit got the extra £20 they wouldn't see it because it would be used as an excuse to cut the housing benefit.

lyralalala · 06/11/2020 23:47

I believe, although I don't have the exact info to hand, that the housing benefit cut was increased by £20 so that didn't happen.

I wonder if the childcare elements played any part in it.

Who knows? I expect it's a bit like UC and even the people trained in it aren't always quite sure if an award is accurate or not.

TrainspottingWelsh · 07/11/2020 00:05

Neither of the two I know of have childcare costs that I'm aware of, or if they do it's minimal because of the dcs age.

However it's just as likely the method involved picking surname initials from a hat to see who would be the lucky recipients.

Leannethom85 · 07/11/2020 00:14

Me and my partner both work and feel lucky to have jobs, I do not and will not ever begrudge anyone who has lost their job or on brink of losing their job claiming that money. We all in this together and everyone is struggling mentally no need to be horrible because I'm sure the ones struggling financially are maxed out on stress without harsh nasty opinions like you. Be kind! Be grateful! And love thy neighbour

YerAWizardHarry · 07/11/2020 00:48

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander not true at all. You need to earn over a certain amount a month not to be benefit capped. I'm still on tax credits (thank fuck) because other my furlough wages would take me below the minimum income needed to lift the cap (I'm a full time student as well as working part time before anyone gets judgy)

YerAWizardHarry · 07/11/2020 00:49

Also those musing about the extra £20 a week, you need to have been claiming working tax credit not just child tax credit to qualify. Everyone on UC had £20 a week added to their standard allowance.

lyralalala · 07/11/2020 00:52

@YerAWizardHarry

Also those musing about the extra £20 a week, you need to have been claiming working tax credit not just child tax credit to qualify. Everyone on UC had £20 a week added to their standard allowance.
The reason we're musing it is because there are anomolies with who got it and who didn't. Even some who got wtc as well as ctc didn't get it.
TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 07/11/2020 00:56

[quote YerAWizardHarry]@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander not true at all. You need to earn over a certain amount a month not to be benefit capped. I'm still on tax credits (thank fuck) because other my furlough wages would take me below the minimum income needed to lift the cap (I'm a full time student as well as working part time before anyone gets judgy)[/quote]
Yes sorry. I am aware that there is a minimum earnings needed to avoid the cap. But as the person I was replying to was talking about people who work full time they would be earning above that minimum amount so I didn't think it was necessary to mention it.

ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 07/11/2020 08:44

@TrainspottingWelsh

To add to everything lyra has said, I think people are missing the point when it comes to the generosity, or in sheeps case, the welfare system.

You're mad if you think it was about the quality of life of anyone on furlough. It was about the economy, people on £70 a week only buy absolute essentials, and we needed people to be spending where they could unless we wanted a Wall Street style crash. Secondly, I think even Boris had the sense to know that insisting large swathes of the population should be reduced to poverty overnight was going to result in unrest at the least, if not outright rebellion.

Same applies to benefits sheep. A smaller group on them doesn't harm the economy, or lead to population level unrest. Forcing whole industries en masse does have that result. It has fuck all to do with anyone being more deserving.

This is spot on. I can't believe there are people who don't seem to have figured this out.

Having a large percentage of the workforce suddenly made unemployed and surviving only on benefits would be utterly disastrous for the economy. The impact of it would cost the country more than furlough by many orders of magnitude in the long run.

IMO the question to ask is not why furlough pay is so high, but why benefits are so low.

Original poster
loveyouradvice · 07/11/2020 13:09

I do hope that, this is all over - the concern for those struggling (through no fault of their own) will continue.

Thanks Sheepandcow for being one of the few who got what I was saying.... If this happens (which I fear it won't), we will have made real progress.

I feel a great sadness living in a country which is NOT paying for free school meals through the holidays - it feels essential, especially in a time of pandemic when life is so VERY hard for so many

And I feel an enormous sadness that this structure is creating more HAVES and HAVE NOTS.

I am amazed at the anger on here. On one level, we are lucky to be living in a country where furlough is being paid at this level...but why the anger? Why not the recognition that those receiving it are a darn sight luckier than those who have similarly LOST THEIR JOBS THROUGH NOT FAULT OF THEIR OWN and EQUALLY WANT TO WORK BUT CAN'T in the past... ie those who are disabled or become ill, or whose employer goes bankrupt.... AND the recognition that they are darn lucky to be getting it when many who "don't qualify" often for some quirk of fate, or because they've been freelance are NOT getting it. To me it is a very imperfect system and this is not being fully acknowledged

Yes I absolutely think that those on minimum wage should be treated differently to the couples who are getting £4,800 a month and not working....

OP posts:
HennyLenry · 07/11/2020 13:54

Your privilege is showing dahhhling.

Onetwothree456 · 07/11/2020 14:23

@HennyLenry

Your privilege is showing dahhhling.
Whose privilege is showing? In what way is trying to highlight the massive disparity in the way the government is supporting different people, displaying privilege?
HalloweenIsEveryday · 07/11/2020 14:29

Most people furloughed now are retail and hospitality workers on a low wage. Living on 80% is probably hard enough.

Furlough has been a godsend for many people and I'm glad they've extended it. But I also think there should be more financial support for people who have lost their jobs due to this pandemic.

ListeningQuietly · 07/11/2020 14:59

Furlough has been a godsend for many people and I'm glad they've extended it. But I also think there should be more financial support for people who have lost their jobs due to this pandemic.
Furlough is now damaging the UK economy as its saving people from making hard decisions in business.

Spend that money on adding £175 a week to UC and we would ALL be better off.

Quaversplease · 07/11/2020 15:03

I am permanently home based so have made no savings on commuting etc. I'm furloughed and grateful for 80% of my salary. I'm just about coping. Any reduction and I'd need to get a loan/overdraft to cover mortgage and bills. As am at risk of redundancy after furlough ends in an industry that has been decimated, I don't want a loan I'd struggle to repay.