To not understand the benefit system . What is going on ?

[Westnsouthnabout]

I have got totally out of touch with the benefits system.. used to work in public services so did used to be in direct contact with a variety of social issues.
Am aware that sudden breakages like washing machines to be paid for, delays in initial payment and sanctioning can mean a sudden and catastrophic change in cash flow.
However, I have been reading that food banks are utterly stretched and in crisis.
I do understand that many people end up in emeegency sitiations, however, have also been reading that some are actually reliant on regular food banks . Sort of like a weekly shop..
I totally accept that I am out of touch with current situations and would like to kmow( seperate to current rising cost of living etc which i know about) .. what is going on re why so many people are relying on them as a regular source of food when they are in reciept of a regular and mostly preductable income( apart from sanctions etc as i said) in the form of benefits.
I am aware I am ignorant amd want to understand more and perhaps contribute.

@Whiskyinajar well no its not bollocks!!! Clearly its not the same everywhere, I know you have to have a referral but there is no limit as you can clearly see the same people week in week out, even to the degree I know which ones are will turn up at certain times.

Because benefits aren't enough to live on unless you're in social housing with 100% of your rent covered.
Things like a mobile phone and WiFi are essential now (even to claim benefits) and they're not affordable for people on benefits usually.

I am aware I am ignorant amd want to understand more and perhaps contribute.

Perhaps? You mean if someone can convince you they are deserving poor?

Not that I expect you to answer. This seems goady to me.

I support a lady who lives on benefits due to health she cannot work. She claims PIP (lower rate) too.

She pays everything bit by bit from her benefit money, so when it comes in she pays x onto a card for her mobile y to another card for her TV licence z to another card for her phone bill. The bulk of her money she pays into the slot meter in her flat for electricity. I have checked the amount the landlord has set it at - it's a very modern meter so sets for a % of the standing charge, etc. The Kw rate is set at 15% over the highest rate I could find online. Which is illegal. ....they should charge the actual rate. Now I could report it but she's is petrified of having to move, she's lived there for nigh on 30 years. But the consequence is, as her illness and medication means she feels constantly cold (would wear a jumper and a coat even if it is 20° and sunny) so is spending upwards of £30 a week for a tiny bed sit with separate kitchen.
Then her mobile phone, which she daren't pay by standing order in case the benefits pays her incorrectly one month is paid from the money she puts on the mobile card, but that limits the amount of free calls she can make because it's not on a standing order or direct debit
She can't walk far - has a stick, luckily there are shops opposite, but they're expensive. No bus she can reach now due to needing the stick, so she has to get a taxi to eg Asda (she can't use computers has to ring me to order online stuff)
She has no washing machine and the landlord won't let her have one (despite the other flats in the building having one, he doesn't trust her not to flood the place) , but the launderette is a taxi in another direction. Or she pays for a service wash (they collect and deliver)

So it's not so easy having to live on benefits, it costs you a LOT more than if you weren't at the bottom end of income.

@Myusernameisnotmyusernameno

Have you ever tried to get disability benefits?

Also, My daughter was part of a group that provided music tuition to people with disabilities. Many of them are excellent musicians and not one of them would be fit to work in the vast majority of workplaces who neither want nor will support people with disabilities on their staff.

@SpittinKitten

I remember the days when people frothed about benefit claimants with flat screen TVs - I'm guessing it's only changed to big screen TVs because you can't really get non flat screen ones any more

I'd also like to hear more about the goat please

Goats are a no-no for most tenants.

Private landlords almost certainly won't allow them, and councils regard them as livestock and not pets, so they aren't permitted under most council tenancies (neither are chickens!).

So it's not so easy having to live on benefits, it costs you a LOT more than if you weren't at the bottom end of income.

And add to all those things, if she did fall in to debt and needed credit, it is only available at eye watering interest rates, or in the form of payday loans.

The poverty trap is real.

Oh and let's not forget the latest tax on being poor which is the outrageous zero deposit option. No need to pay 600 upfront. You can pay 30 per month forever, as long as you stay in the property. Once you've paid 600, yep you keep on paying. It doesn't buy you anything, no extra cover or insurance. Want to get out of it? Just pay the 600 again.
It's an absolute disgrace.

Not working is expensive. Because I don't work, I've had the time to read this whole thread. In the time it's taken me to read it, I'm now smoking my third cigarette. That's the equivalent of £1.50 on fags just to read a Mumsnet thread! Out of my benefits! Not sure how I'll feed the kids now, mind

@LakieLady I suspect it hadn’t had any impact on birth rates . Did they really think people were having huge families just for the money 🤦‍♀️

Sadly most if this is down to not knowing how to budget, not understanding a sudden large amount of cash in your account, not paying the rent because the benefit used to go direct but now you have to, going from a fixed weekly budget to suddenly having a lot of money but forgetting there isn't a payment next week because they've had it all, the period the UC covers is over 2 payments making the next payment lower than last month, working a few extra hours because the overtime is there but UC taking away more than you earned the following month(tax credits used to give you a buffer over the year so you could work extra, you can't with UC), taking out the UC loan but not taking into account it needs paying back, dc needing expensive school uniform that isn't covered by schools(but some is supposed to be), dc needing data and a specific spec smartphone because school work/homework app is online and bus pass is online, people not understanding interest rates and bnpl and having 2 lots of interest, council tax going up and down because your income changes even though its only a few quid a month and your council take a minimum of £10 a week.

The system was already stretched in sorting out applications, now due to covid and an overwhelmingly large number of people needing UC/JSA/ESA type things it's even worse.

I am a fulltime carer for my mum. I am needed 24/7 - I cannot get out to get respite as if left alone she will 'help' and likely fall again and make the situation worse. I used to have a neighbour who would sit with her pre-pandemic so I could get a breather but that has stopped as neighbour has had to start working.

I receive Income Support and Carers Allowance.
She receives PIP and her state pension. However, despite applying four months early as requested by DWP for her pension, they're still working it out so she's getting pension credit to fill the gap in. This is more than £60 per week LESS than what she should get on her pension and whilst the backlog will eventually be paid (minus the pension credit she's been paid), it's anyone's guess how long it will be. I know of one person who applied for their pension in Feb (3 months early), turned pension age in May and is STILL waiting for their pension to be sorted out. That's not a rarity and it puts us in a difficult position.

This year alone in quick succession we had a very poorly dog who sadly passed. Our poor love had been poorly for 2 years so had ongoing treatment and tests and then he was cremated and returned to us. In the same 6 week period our washer, hoover, dishwasher and cooker died and the toilet developed a BIG fault and needed mending. At one point it looked like it might have to be a whole new toilet. Not ashamed to say we struggled for bloody ages to try and get on an even keel right before something else happened!

I don't choose to be a carer, my mum hasn't chosen to be seriously ill and disabled - we would both rather be out there earning and living our own lives. It's just the hand we've been dealt with.

@Lennybenny

Sadly most if this is down to not knowing how to budget, not understanding a sudden large amount of cash in your account, not paying the rent because the benefit used to go direct but now you have to, going from a fixed weekly budget to suddenly having a lot of money but forgetting there isn't a payment next week because they've had it all, the period the UC covers is over 2 payments making the next payment lower than last month, working a few extra hours because the overtime is there but UC taking away more than you earned the following month(tax credits used to give you a buffer over the year so you could work extra, you can't with UC), taking out the UC loan but not taking into account it needs paying back, dc needing expensive school uniform that isn't covered by schools(but some is supposed to be), dc needing data and a specific spec smartphone because school work/homework app is online and bus pass is online, people not understanding interest rates and bnpl and having 2 lots of interest, council tax going up and down because your income changes even though its only a few quid a month and your council take a minimum of £10 a week.

I disagree. Many people I know are actually excellent at budgeting. They meal plan, they dont go out, they go without.

The reality is that benefits just aren’t enough

@Lennybenny actually it is not largely down to not knowing how to budget. I would argue from what I've seen the majority have such tight margins that all it takes is the cooker to die, need to borrow some cash to replace it (because you need to feed the kids) and it spirals so so fast. I know mine is very very fine, I'm just fortunate I can borrow at zero interest and flexibly as I have a parent who is in the position they can help me. They aren't going to ask hundreds to my debt because I've had too tight a month and missed a payment.

Plus, I've done calculations with some where they are in a defeceit on in vs out immediately with nothing free to cut.

@StarfishDish
I believe you.

I worked in benefits for 15 years @wewereliars. I then moved into benefit fraud and then left completely because of the sheer volume of cases. Stay ignorant if you wish.

Spittinkitten - designer clothing I was referring to, as well you know.

These threads never go well, do they.

I do sympathise with the genuine cases, cottonheadedninymuggins- that is awful and carers should get more.

Perhaps if so many people didn’t take the piss, there would be more in the pot for genuine cases.

Suzie888 You are vile person, benefit fraud in this country is absolutely miniscule. And of anyone is ignorant it's you

I then moved into benefit fraud and then left completely because of the sheer volume of cases

That makes no sense. Pre covid, the fraud/ error rate was 1-2% for many years.

Perhaps if so many people didn’t take the piss, there would be more in the pot for genuine cases.

It doesn't/hasn't ever worked like that; I can't see why that might change.

Perhaps if so many people didn’t take the piss, there would be more in the pot for genuine cases

The only people taking the piss are the government.

[quote Suzi888]@StarfishDish
I believe you.

I worked in benefits for 15 years @wewereliars. I then moved into benefit fraud and then left completely because of the sheer volume of cases. Stay ignorant if you wish.

Spittinkitten - designer clothing I was referring to, as well you know.

These threads never go well, do they.[/quote]
The sheer volume of cases - but what was the conviction rate ?

I work full time, 2 kids and a mortgage. I get less than £100 in UC.
I can’t afford to buy my kids presents after bills and essentials this year but my best friend can as she’s able to claim a budgeting advance of £800 to pay for Christmas, she does it every year. It irks me because she’s never worked and lives in council property.
I’m in 2 minds whether to get a 2nd job and she’s in two minds whether to knit her kids a quad or electric scooter

I'm loving g (not) the assumptions on this thread!
I'm a civil servant... therefore work for the government (crap employer needs to up my wages according to others in this thread)
I get universal credit (not working tax...again incorrect assumption) which keeps me surviving as I'm now a single parent living in rented accommodation. My rent is £1000 I'm allowed up to £800 I think, after that I have to pay the difference.
Then of course is the reduction due to my wages I lose 63p in the £1 at the moment (will be 55p to £1) .
I'm OK at the moment, but this school year start was rough, do started secondary school and that was awful for costs.
All the bills are going up, it makes me very worried.
If I need a food bank I'd be absolutely gutted and seeing these types of threads it reminds me of how judgemental and opinionated some people are.

The benefits system is designed as safety net for people who are out of work through reasons often, though not always, beyond ther control.

There are often structural reasons and mental health issues in the mix. And quite frankly I would prefer the odd family to be able to take the piss than whole swathes of the country to be pauperised.

We as a society are able to afford it, taking from the poorest is a political choice. See yesterday's budget.,

All these issues are exacerbared by the tory government, in power for 11 years, who have cut and cut away at support to the poorest and sickest and taken more and more from their meagre benefits whilst enriching their mates, Dido Harding et al, to the tune of billions.

Suzi888 These people whom you show nothing but contempt for are human beings. Nobody facing hard times needs to have to deal with a judgemental emotional void like you.