Why do you benefit bash?

[greyblanket76]

My family and I are working class and always have been. My friends are too and so are the people that I tend to socialise with/meet in everyday life. I've only been on MN since last year but have seen so many comments bashing people who are on/depend on benefits and I'd really like to know why?

Is this because some people on here think everyone that's on benefits is lazy and doesn't want to work therefore claim benefits? Or is it something else?

I'll talk about my situation and will keep it as brief as possible as I already know people will come in the comments to try and shame me. I'm early 20s and a single mum (didn't start out that way but your whole life can literally change overnight and that's what happened to me). I have one DC and I'm expecting another so I've been on maternity leave back to back as I'll have 2 under 2.

I've worked full time since I was 17 right up until I went on my first maternity leave. Due to the rate of SMP, I'm entitled to benefits as SMP doesn't even cover my rent which is £1200. I'm entitled to £1670 of UC which covers my rent and all my bills. During the first 9 months of my maternity leave I was receiving around £1507 UC (due to deductions) + £638 SMP = £2145 a month.
Once I give birth to my second DC, my UC entitlement should go from £1670 to £1907. This isn't 100% accurate but due to receiving SMP, let's say the deductions would be due £1700 UC + £638 SMP = £2388 a month. That would be excluding child benefit for both children btw.

When I was working full time, I was earning £1383 a month. I do plan to go back to work after my maternity leave ends as I genuinely love my work and have my whole career in front of me. However can people see the huge jump in difference between the two amounts? Nearly a grand in total! When returning back to work, I would be entitled to some benefits however because I'd be working full time, it wouldn't be a lot. That's why it's advised that you drop hours to work part time in order to get the most help available.

I've read my post back and hope it isn't too confusing but I just wanted some people who benefit bash to understand that sometimes life on benefits seems better especially as you have kids because you get so much more help. My mum keeps telling me to consider not working for a year or two just because I need to consider the quality of life my DC and I will have. I wouldn't be able to pay for rent AND childcare so what would I do? There's a lot that comes into play when deciding if you should go back to work or just be on benefits and I hope some people got that from this post. Seeing as this is an anonymous forum, if you judge/bash people on benefits, I'd really be interested to hear why. Posting in AIBU because I'm prepared to be flamed and have learnt not to take nasty comments to heart

Because some people on MN, like to bash people on benefits.

Because some people like to bang on about "morals" as if morals are going to pay the doubling energy bills this year.

I'm a single parent of a school age child and work 28 hours a week and get tax credits. Can't work any more hours as I have no childcare to do any more. Not really bothered what people think.

It sounds like you're intentionally trying to wind people up

This is obviously just my opinion but I think there are two groups of people who bash people on benefits: one group who are high or fairly well off earners and they see it as their tax money being spent. Which is ridiculous because the amount of tax that actually goes towards benefits is minimal. I also think they are very far detached from what it is actually like to be in a situation like yours so they think it is easy to just go and get a full time job.
Then there are people like my DH (who, just to clarify, never bash's people on benefits he just gets annoyed with the system). And I can kind of understand why. He works all hours under the sun so that I can be off work to look after our 2 DC who are both under 5. I can't work full time because what I earn whilst working wouldn't cover the extortionate nursery fees where we live. But it means that we really struggle to pay the bills every month as we only have one wage coming in. We aren't entitled to any help because my DH earns just slightly above the threshold. So in terms of actual figures it means we have only about £100 more than you a month. I would never bash anybody claiming benefits as it's bloody hard work to afford to live these days, especially with young children. What I'm trying to say is that I don't agree with how the system is worked out, not the people that get help from it

@Batshittery

It sounds like you're intentionally trying to wind people up

@Batshittery how is asking people why they benefit bash, intentionally winding people up?? I often see benefit bashing comments on here yet no reasoning behind it, hence the question....

Well I hope you’re getting child-support off the father of these children because you need it to make up that thousand pounds deficit.

However you are not typically the type of person that gets benefited bashed and the disabled are also immune because most people aren’t monsters.

I used to when I was ignorant and in a two-adult family earning a decent combined salary.

Then we realised my daughter is severely autistic, he did a runner because he couldn't cope. Next thing I know I'm fully reliant on benefits.

I don't think many people realise

1. how easily life can change overnight
2. how limiting life on benefits is
3. how limited entitlement to benefits is

It upsets me greatly how demonised benefit claimants are, when things like 4.3 billion being written off in fraudulent furlough claims or the tax avoidance by the wealthy raise nothing like the adverse response.

How much UC will you get when you go back to work full time?

I also do have to say that my financial position now is slightly better than when we were just above the threshold for any help. That was the most bleak situation I've ever been in. I have a huge amountof empathy for those who are just above the help lines.

I’m not bashing by the way I just think you need to be honest about how much you will get if you work full time and/or part time.

I’m disabled. I get pip. I’ve also claimed tax credits in the past when I was working full time.

Because lots of people work really, really hard, two or more jobs and don't take home that amount. It seems terribly unfair comparing the two scenarios

G

I don't bash people on benefits. In different circumstances I might have needed them. Everyone has to do what they can to get by. I mind my own business.

@blanketyblanked

Because lots of people work really, really hard, two or more jobs and don't take home that amount. It seems terribly unfair comparing the two scenarios

But that's not the fault of the individuals claiming benefits. They don't set the payments.

@urghhhhh33 your situation definitely makes a lot of sense and I can see why your DH feels that way. He earns over the threshold so you're not entitled to any financial help but you still live month to month due to bills and nursery fees. It's as if it's a never ending cycle. I also agree with the first sentence! I saw someone on here say 'I'm funding your life and you're still complaining about the amount of benefits you get.' I found that really ignorant and couldn't actually believe what I was reading

I don't benefit bash, very very few people are long term unemployed by choice, and it angers me that working people need benefits in order to survive. A full time minimum wage should be high enough to afford to run a house, raise a family, and live a modest lifestyle. Instead we have a situation where minimum wage is basically poverty wage and we have people needing UC top ups and/or to work 2/3/4 jobs in order to afford "luxuries" like food and rent. It's wrong.

I just wanted some people who benefit bash to understand that sometimes life on benefits seems better especially as you have kids because you get so much more help.

I just want to check my understanding: are you only better of "on benefits" while you get SMP? If so, I don't think your point about being better off (on benefits with children) is generally valid, as SMP is time-limited and is designed to allow you to be off work for that time.

When SMP expires won't you be better off working?

I get why people are mad at the system but I don't get why people get mad at the individuals for it. There is plenty that is unfair about the system, not just regarding benefits either but tax, wages, etc.

You could have just asked the question. What does giving 'your story' add to the post other than to be seemingly bragging how much money you will get and how you are thinking of having a couple of years off.
What is the AIBU?

@Bringsexyback

Well I hope you’re getting child-support off the father of these children because you need it to make up that thousand pounds deficit. However you are not typically the type of person that gets benefited bashed and the disabled are also immune because most people aren’t monsters.

@Bringsexyback that's exactly my point though! If I just made a post saying, 'I'm currently on UC and xyz' people wouldn't know this is my situation. People wouldn't know if I couldn't work because I was disabled etc so what is it about hearing someone being on benefits that irks people? That's what I don't understand

The father of your children should be paying. Why isn’t he?

There really are people out there who genuinely believe that anyone on a low income or in receipt of benefits is the architect of their own misfortune, and therefore deserve fuck all.