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

@MaryAndHerNet

For the "My Money" Types... Enjoy...

here we go:

According to mthis link:

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2021/oct/28/autumn-budget-2021-where-the-money-comes-from-and-what-it-is-spent-on

UK spent £254Bn on "welfare"

This link is a little older but we'll use it for basic ease of calculation:

www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/articles/howisthewelfarebudgetspent/2016-03-16

Of that £254Bn on "Welfare" 1% went to unemployment.
or: £2540000000

so here it says 75% of population is employed.
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/employmentintheuk/latest

UK Population: 67million
workers: 50250000

so £2540000000 divided by 50250000
equals: £50.5472637 from each employed person a year or £4.21 a month.

That's based on pure maths and doesn't take into account the wage differences where a high earner will pay a bit more, an average earner pays a bit less and a low earner claims back in UC what they pay out.

They'll ignore this post though won't they

I am on benefits I am a carer for my disabled child and life Is crap for me. If I worked I wouldn't even be able to cover my bills.
I do believe there is people paying the system but I don't understand why anyone would want this life.

Sal

The media whips people into a frenzy over fat lazy Barb who has six kids in a council house and a big telly and has never worked a day in her life.

It's not a popular opinion, but there are people that play the system, and tbh where I live if you're getting £2k a month without having to work at all, then you're probably sitting pretty as rents are (relatively) low for the UK.

There's a culture in this country that if you're not earning yourself then there should be an element of struggle, because if you're not, then what's the incentive to work? I disagree with this, but I can see how it's upsetting to those in full time, low paid jobs who do not qualify for help seeing others apparently living the life of riley with nothing to prompt them to improve their circumstances under their own steam.

And then there's this situation I read about on Reddit, salary of £78500 and so much in UC this man is putting 45% into his pension. Now THIS situation does piss me off!

That said, I am incredibly proud of my career achievements and over the next 5-10 years my earning potential will increase (65-70k is achievable) and my childcare costs will be no more. All things considered I would much rather be in my temporarily skint because of childcare situation now, for the long term picture.

@Sofiegiraffe

I earn just short of 50k in a career that's taken me the best part of 15 years and 3 university degrees to establish, not to mention a shit load of personal, professional and financial sacrifices, including 10k of student loan debt. I take home only £300 more a month than you. And a significant chunk of that goes on childcare. I miss my DC terribly when at work and I have no option to work PT hours so it's FT or nothing.

The system is a disgrace.

And the OP won’t have any choice once her dc are a certain age, she will be forced to look for work and will possibly end up in a minimum wage job surviving on a lot less than she’s getting now, she will probably still need UC top up because she’s single.

@Lovemusic33

I don't disagree with you but I'm not sure how that relates to my comment?

@CrimePodcast

Someone on the below thread is earning £78k, paying pension contributions so his/her salary is under £50k, getting child benefit and universal credit including rent payments.

www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/sta1ta/unique_situation_78500_in_salary_6_kids_so_large/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Gobsmacking.

@CrimePodcast this is shocking. The way he says his uncle will give him the deposit for the house too and he will just take out from his pension to pay him back and come off UC once he owns a house. I think this may be the only person on benefits I will ever bash.

@Waxonwaxoff0 yeah they really have no clue at all.

Just another fact seeing as people want to throw around insults without knowing the facts. I will be going to work but even if I didn't, I have until my youngest being 3 to work a minimum of 16hrs

This is why - people have to work many more hours than that to get in some cases less take home pay.

Having 5 years to be home with your little ones really is a luxury that many can't afford. Not having to worry if they are sick so you have to phone work to say you can't go in that day. Not rushing to get a baby and toddler up & out first thing. Being able to go to toddler groups & meet other Mums.

I don't think you understand that people on lower incomes or even average incomes (like teaching or nursing) also struggle to get by.

People aren't being nasty they're just saying how it is & how they don't understand how you can't appreciate how much you get.

@MaryAndHerNet

I know people who just pop kids out and use them as a reason to not work. Shameful

no you dont.
Capped at 2 kids.

😂 @MaryAndHerNet coming through with the continuous facts! It's funny how people chat shit out of their arse just to fuel their own agenda

I must’ve met I’m pretty surprised the pension contributions are deducted from take-home pay with universal credits I might start playing that game myself before it’s too late

OP I don't believe this post is sincere at all. You are baiting people. I don't believe people should have children knowing they can't afford them. I understand misfortunate circumstances occur and life can change, but that's not the case with you. You've planned another child knowing that welfare will cover your lifestyle choices. I grew up in a benefits culture. I don't have a lot of respect for it. I hope your children break the cycle.

Damn, @CrimePodcast got there first!

Unless I've misread, she lives in zone one London, she could live somewhere cheaper..

The people I know bash because they are working class, earn just above the threshold so dont get any help with housing or childcare. They work hard yet there are no breaks, cant afford bigger properties, cant afford a second child. It's hard not to feel bitter when people get to stay at home and have multiple children and not work when on benefits.

@Lovemusic33

I haven’t read the whole thread, I have been on MN for 20 years and am well aware of some people views on people that claim benefits, most of them don’t know anything about how the benefits system works or how much people claim, they have no idea that there are millions of fathers (and mothers) that refuse to support their children when they split, that many fathers (some mothers) play the system by not working or going self employed and claiming they don’t earn much so they don’t have to support their kids. Many don’t understand that many people are disabled or caring for a disabled relative/child and are unable to work, people don’t understand that getting childcare for a child with special needs is impossible.

I get judged all the time because I can’t work full time, I a, a single parent to a disabled teenager, because she’s over 12 I’m not entitled to free child care bit my child is mentally 5 years old and needs 1:1 care which would cost me twice as much as I would earn (that’s even if I could find someone to provide care). I get paid £68 a week to care for her, a fraction of the price it would cost for a carer to come and look after her so I could work. I would love to work full time and not have to claim benefits as I’m sure a lot of people on benefits would. My life is lonely, I have no support and not many friends because people judge me. Before having kids I worked from the age of 14, at the age of 18 I was working 3 jobs, I worked through both pregnancies and returned to work after dd was born , I was married at the time and we shared child care so it was doable but when dh left us it became impossible. Ex does play child support (a small amount) but offers very little support when caring for dd.

I understand that there are some that do take advantage of the system but many do not yet people are judged for needing help.

People often don’t plan to become a single parent, people make the wrong decisions all the time and also situations change very quickly, relationships break up, people die, people suffer domestic abuse, people become too sick to work or have a disabled child and suddenly their situation has changed dramatically.

@Lovemusic33 thank you for sharing your experience and I'm really sorry that people have been so shit to just judge you without even caring about your situation. Your DC is lucky to have you as you sound very caring❤️

@murasaki

Unless I've misread, she lives in zone one London, she could live somewhere cheaper..

She also said she grew up working class so could have grown up in a rougher part of zone one and that's where all her support network is.

It's because people are too blinkered to see past their own, small experiences.

They don't understand that not everyone is capable of getting 2/3 degrees. Not everyone has a family who will support them (practically, financially and emotionally) through higher education. Many working class young people are pushed into minimum wage jobs as soon as they leave school so they can contribute to the household income.

They don't understand that marriages break down or contraceptives fail.

They don't know anyone whose family was so abusive they left home at 16 and took the first job offered to them. They don't know anyone who has degrees and still can't get a job as they can't leave the area due to family commitments.

They don't understand that if everyone had a high paying paying job society would break down. Cleaners, bin men, service workers are needed. A doctor could not perform surgeries if cleaners and maintenance workers didn't keep the hospital clean and in good working order.

And if everyone who "couldn't afford" kids didn't have them we'd be fucked in 20 years when there was no-one to clean the streets or care for all the eldery 2x univerysity graduates.

If it doesn't happen in their social circle they don't get it.

The benefits system is not broken, wages are.

If you earn less than someone on benefits you need to be shouting for a payrise not demanding that others are pushed further down.

@murasaki

Unless I've misread, she lives in zone one London, she could live somewhere cheaper..

That was my thought as well tbh.

But it must be nice.

Because people believe what they read in the papers about benefit claimants living the life of Riley. As if you could on 74 quid a week, even if all your rent and council tax is paid, which it often isn't.

I think most people are jealous/envious because they've worked hard and look at it as other people receiving 'handouts.' It's very interesting

I can say with categorical certainty that I do not envy people on benefits. It can't be much fun nor a lucrative long term option, surely. I do however envy working parents with high flying well paid careers who manage to juggle FT work and parenting seemingly effortlessly. I've always found the balance a struggle. I know I'll be grateful that I stuck at it in the future. Just need to get better at balancing it all (or at least faking it til I make it)

@MaryAndHerNet

I'd rather be friends with people who don't work than some people on this thread. Bet a lot of them are nicer people.

its easy to see how the tories get vote in isnt it?

Everyone is full of hate these days, hidden just below the surface, or behind anonymity. the attitudes you see toward the poor is astonishing.

100000%