Page 3 | To be gutted at losing my benefit

Clappingforjoy · 2020-12-03T19:05:00+00:00

I am going to inherit some money from sale of parents house and have told universal credit to close my claim but I'm gutted about it. I have always struggled never had 2 Penny's to rub together and it just so happens I will go over the 16000 mark with this money and know i must sound greedy but my income is very low and i am scared this money will all go on living costs.

Original poster

Clappingforjoy · 03/12/2020 19:28

I rent by the way

OP posts:

OffredOfjune · 03/12/2020 19:28

@Waxonwaxoff0

2 pages in and already we have "taxpayers supporting you" "free money" etc.

Horrible bitter people.

Yep.

user1325352314 · 03/12/2020 19:28

Why should others work hard to pay their taxes for people who claim UC to be sitting on 26k.

That's a bit like saying why should someone have to put any effort into their job because they're only paid £20k pa for their labour whereas the CEO is paid £200k.

Hunnihun2 · 03/12/2020 19:28

I agree with @Waxonwaxoff0. If I have understood correctly OP you have a good amount of money to try and get yourself on the property ladder... can you look into shared ownership?

Crankley · 03/12/2020 19:29

Precisely ApplePie86 I wonder how many of the taxpayers who pay for benefits have 26k sitting in their bank?

Original poster

Clappingforjoy · 03/12/2020 19:30

Hunni I'm buggered due to credit score

OP posts:

Choosethebigbluechair · 03/12/2020 19:30

How do the benefits people tell the difference between depreciation of assets vs genuine needing to buy things? For example if people who have had very little money for years until they get a windfall need to buy some new furniture, oven, white goods? Those items all cost a fair whack if you were in no position to be able to replace when they really should have been.

Can you argue that paying for driving lessons and buying a car would be a good investment in getting a better paid job, or would the benefits office say that is unnecessary? Or paying for a course to learn new skills as someone mentioned above?

I feel for you OP I hope you manage to get as much good from the money as possible.

OffredOfjune · 03/12/2020 19:31

@Crankley

Precisely ApplePie86 I wonder how many of the taxpayers who pay for benefits have 26k sitting in their bank?

Why are you giving the OP such a hard time? She's rang up and told them straight away. Don't worry, it won't be sitting in her account for that long now and then she'll have to go back to UC. At least that'll make a lot of people on this thread happy though.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 03/12/2020 19:31

Here's a newsflash for some of you: being a taxpayer doesn't make you a better person, as this thread shows.

Backbee · 03/12/2020 19:32

You will be able to get them when you're down to £16k, that is still a very nice safety blanket. Is there anything that you could get with £10k that would help enhance your life and invest in the future? Would a newer car be more practical etc and therefore a worthwhile investment?

Tinseltastix · 03/12/2020 19:33

I feel for you op, the tax credit system of allowing savings made much more sense to me. At least that way people can retrain or move away from council housing or housing benefits in the future by securing property. Not allowing savings just continues the cycle for those low earners forever IMO.

OffredOfjune · 03/12/2020 19:33

@Waxonwaxoff0

Here's a newsflash for some of you: being a taxpayer doesn't make you a better person, as this thread shows.

Couldn't agree more. I bet half of these people don't know what a life is like on benefits. I grew up on them, and trust me, my dm would have much rather been able to work full time, earn a good wage, and be a wonderful taxpayer.

Hunnihun2 · 03/12/2020 19:35

@Crankley

Why do you think it would be reasonable to continue receiving benefits when you will have approx 26k in savings? Benefits are for those who temporarily find themselves in financial difficulty - it's not a lifestyle choice.

Ohhh dear. You need to get yourself up to speed and PROMPTLY. Benefits are not a temporary thing for the majority (I often read this on MN land though).

The harsh reality is that you can not raise a family and live off of £900 a month when you have rent and council tax to pay. It’s impossible so benefits have been introduced for good reason.

BetterCare · 03/12/2020 19:36

Can I please recommend you look at something like this.

www.ladiesfinanceclub.com/

Money Lessons by Lisa Conway Hughes is a great book.

There are a ton of people now helping women to learn about finance in much greater detail, how to invest their money, what they should and shouldn't do with savings, what they are entitled to.

I think before you panic, there is probably a lot you can do with that amount of money that could help to start to create a more secure future. It is just about the research.

Good luck.

Suzi888 · 03/12/2020 19:36

@Choosethebigbluechair

How do the benefits people tell the difference between depreciation of assets vs genuine needing to buy things? For example if people who have had very little money for years until they get a windfall need to buy some new furniture, oven, white goods? Those items all cost a fair whack if you were in no position to be able to replace when they really should have been.

Can you argue that paying for driving lessons and buying a car would be a good investment in getting a better paid job, or would the benefits office say that is unnecessary? Or paying for a course to learn new skills as someone mentioned above?

I feel for you OP I hope you manage to get as much good from the money as possible.

Receipts need to be kept, you can buy white goods, household furnishings etc It’s really blowing the cash on holidays or ridiculous amounts in the space of a few months. Cases such as someone inheriting 50k and they gift it to children, or buy an insanely expensive car and then expect to claim benefit. Those are the ones that get turned down.

You don’t have to cancel the claim until the cash hits your bank account either.

LadyFelsham · 03/12/2020 19:37

It really is not "bitter" to express some surprise that someone can have £26000 in savings and still expect to be entitled in benefits.

The OP only wants to work a certain amount of hours, claim benefits and keep her savings-declaring that she has no idea what to spend them on. Doesn't that sound a bit off? It does to me.

Most people have nothing like that amount in savings as someone pointed out upthread and I understand that many are only three pay cheques away from disaster.

No, it really is not bitter to be surprised that someone has £26000 of inheritance sitting in the bank and wants to keep it intact by claiming benefits.

What on earth do those posters, including the OP, who are welling up at the thought of the OP being expected to support herself, think would be a reasonable amount for her to stop claiming benefits?

user1325352314 · 03/12/2020 19:37

You can't really call being able to have up to 16 savings "nothing".

I did not call £16k savings "nothing". Don't deliberately misrepresent what I said to try and bolster yourself. I commented on what it means for a person's life.

If everybody was subjected to an arbitrary cap of £16k after which their income vanishes and the savings have to be used to stay alive, how does anybody manage to buy a house or pay for the adaptations they need due to their disability? For example. Not an exhaustive list and not intended to be.

If it's fair, why isn't everybody restricted to £16k in savings and then all income earned thereafter confiscated?

How does someone who will never be able to work make the kind of major long term improvements to their life that non-disabled people can make by saving long term?

Why is that objectionable?

Mrgrinch · 03/12/2020 19:37

@Biker47

Why shouldn't it go on living costs? My wages have to go on living costs every month. You're really expecting sympathy because you'll have £26,000 and you don't want to spend it on your living costs and want the taxpayers to keep on footing the bill instead?

I couldn't agree more. Why should you get free money when you've got thousands of pounds in the bank? We would all love to have our living costs covered and just spend on ourselves but that's not how life works.

Twatalert · 03/12/2020 19:37

YABU I'm sorry. Its unfortunate but 16k would still be a lot to have and return to benefits. I know its shit. But its tax money you are getting.

Original poster

Clappingforjoy · 03/12/2020 19:37

Oh thanks for some of the supportive comments and for those less positive ones I can understand why you have made those comments because I have felt exactly the same way

OP posts:

Waxonwaxoff0 · 03/12/2020 19:37

@OffredOfjune exactly, OP has said she suffers from depression leaving her unable to work much, and she has lost her parents, and all these bitter people can say is "lifestyle choice" "free money" and point out that she isn't a taxpayer as if that's the measure of being a good person. Bet if they had to live on benefits they'd change their tune.

bonjonbovi · 03/12/2020 19:38

@Clappingforjoy

You know what I havent a clue how to use the money.

Pay off debts, improve your credit score?

Bridecilla · 03/12/2020 19:38

Why is your credit score so bad? If it's current debt I'd pay it off with the money otherwise you'll always be bowing down to / blaming your credit score

timeforachange33 · 03/12/2020 19:39

As you suffer from depression can you use the money for private counselling/help so that you are then able to work more hours? That would help in securing your future.

seekingasimplelife · 03/12/2020 19:39

I think UC disregard any contributions to a pension.
'For Universal Credit all one hundred percent of contributions made to a personal or occupational pension are disregarded when calculating income' (from entitled to website). .You could contribute to a pension, up to the amount of your annual salary (taking into account any other pension contributions you may be making); with the added benefit that the government would top up the amount with an additional 25%. You'd have a nice little nest egg at age 55 .. or 57 depending on when you could access it. You could restart claiming UC.