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

@Cheekypeach
Thank you, but I've had people judge me for it, say I should get a second job, work over time etc when I already work full time. I went on maternity leave as well and got judgement for that, my partner lost his job the week I gave birth and people told me I should just cut my mat leave short and return to work if he can't get a job right away. People were saying that when my daughter was still a newborn

And when I say that I mean whole life education...socially, emotionally, etc etc

I honestly do not believe that 1% figure. It probably just means JSA and not all the other myriad of benefits that people can claim.

[quote cuno]@Cheekypeach
Thank you, but I've had people judge me for it, say I should get a second job, work over time etc when I already work full time. I went on maternity leave as well and got judgement for that, my partner lost his job the week I gave birth and people told me I should just cut my mat leave short and return to work if he can't get a job right away. People were saying that when my daughter was still a newborn[/quote]
That’s very different to OP’s situation. However I can’t really criticise the comment saying to cut the mat leave short, I mean it’s sad/annoying but what were the alternatives?

I can guarantee that the disability benefits ( fraudulent claimants) new illness of choice will be Long Covid. Another one that's not easy to disprove!!

We need to invest in a good support system. Social services, training and education opportunities, mental health help.

This is going to be unpopular, but for a cross section of society, we could give them the best help in the world & they simply wouldn’t be interested.

Great so I'm working full time for £1k less. I'm feeling like a mug.

@Florenz

I honestly do not believe that 1% figure. It probably just means JSA and not all the other myriad of benefits that people can claim.

Go follow the links provided.

I'll be fascinated to see what you discover.

@Florenz

I honestly do not believe that 1% figure. It probably just means JSA and not all the other myriad of benefits that people can claim.

@Florenz feel free to do your own research. According to Gov.uk, in the year of 20-21 19% of the taxpayers money went on Welfare. I wonder how much of that actually went on unemployment

a pp has attached the percentage of the amount of taxpayers money that actually went on unemployment. It's 1%. Maybe you think of yourself all high and mighty because 'you're picking up the slack' when in reality, you're barely touching the surface

Ok; let’s say what that figure actually is.

1.56 BILLION pounds a year.

Imagine just what that money could do if it was spent on social services, or hospices, or facilities for disabled people. It would make a huge difference.

It’s an enormous amount of money regardless of it being a small slice of the overall pie.

If government figures say one thing, and my own experience tells me another thing. I trust my own experience. Every time. Or do you think the government never lies?

@Cheekypeach
No way was I going to cut my maternity leave short and return to work when my daughter was tiny. I had a lot of health problems after the birth and two surgeries etc but don't feel like I need to go around disclosing that to everyone, but people are quick to judge when they heard my partner had lost his job while I was on mat leave. I would have ended mat leave to do what... go off on sick? This is one reason not to judge when you don't know the full circumstances.

"@greyblanket76 @murasaki I'm about to be a single mum to 2 under 2. My whole family lives in zone 1. How does it make sense for me to still private rent somewhere cheaper but I'm completely isolated and have no help from family or anyone else? It makes no sense at all"

But that's what working people end up having to do 🤷🏾‍♀️

You will take home my net monthly pay on the benefits you intend to claim whilst making a choice to stay off work. I guess that's why it grates on people. I have no gripe either way. I can only influence myself and those close to me. I go to work to boost my self esteem/progress my career and to set a good example for my DC.

Screen shot from link.

@Cheekypeach

We need to invest in a good support system. Social services, training and education opportunities, mental health help.

This is going to be unpopular, but for a cross section of society, we could give them the best help in the world & they simply wouldn’t be interested.

Well that minority, you wouldn't want them as a colleague or employee. So how about we give them a subsistence (something like UBI) because we might as well try to be a civilised society and not leave people, including children, to starve. And then start off by focusing on the majority who are capable but simply need some support.

@MaryAndHerNet

Screen shot from link.

That is just a graphic. How do you know that it's true?

@Tealightsandd please note I mentioned we are 'able bodied'. I also mentioned 'choices' in relation to life choices re education and reproduction choices. I never once implied that I thought education was a cure for disability. Disabled and NT people do not get to choose their situation in life, they deserve all the help and support we,as a society, can provide and more. In a previous post on another thread you can see I have posted about people lacking sympathy and empathy for people who are disabled and those caring for people who are disabled as it's close to my heart. I was giving my personal experience of the difference in attitudes to people on benefits

I don't benefits bash because I like that we live in a country that doesn't throw people to the wolves when times get tough.

But it can be hard to see someone taking home more a month in benefits than I earn working 45 hours a week with two degrees behind me like you do. That's tricky to navigate internally but I recognise that it's to raise your children.

So I'd say that's why. People work hard and then see that other people get more for doing less (work wise) and it ignites negative feelings.

[quote cuno]@Cheekypeach
No way was I going to cut my maternity leave short and return to work when my daughter was tiny. I had a lot of health problems after the birth and two surgeries etc but don't feel like I need to go around disclosing that to everyone, but people are quick to judge when they heard my partner had lost his job while I was on mat leave. I would have ended mat leave to do what... go off on sick? This is one reason not to judge when you don't know the full circumstances.[/quote]
But… what’s the alternative? Life can be shit and throw us curveballs and sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do. It’s called being an adult. Life isn’t fair ultimately, for any of us.

@MaryAndHerNet

Screen shot from link.

The larger pensions bill is an obvious consequence of the anti smoking brigade.

But don't worry, things will change in the future. Long Covid (and increasing poverty) will see to that.

@Cheekypeach

a pp has attached the percentage of the amount of taxpayers money that actually went on unemployment. It's 1%. Maybe you think of yourself all high and mighty because 'you're picking up the slack' when in reality, you're barely touching the surface

Ok; let’s say what that figure actually is.

1.56 BILLION pounds a year.

Imagine just what that money could do if it was spent on social services, or hospices, or facilities for disabled people. It would make a huge difference.

It’s an enormous amount of money regardless of it being a small slice of the overall pie.

That's a stupid argument.

Take 1.9bn and use it on things and all that money is gone. Meanwhile the unemployed starve etc.

So the money's gone.
People are dying.
People are not eating so the NHS costs go up. Illnesses and hostels and poor houses etc.

1.9bn goes to unemployed... To spend on goods and services that are taxed.. where does that tax go? Give an unemployed person £1000 to pay for
food, tax comes back
Fuel, tax comes back
Rent, tax comes back
Council tax...

@Florenz

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

Go under the graphic.
Click "Download the Full Data"
Enjoy.
It's a frightfully I teresting read.
Though admittedly, it is a bit out of date now.

@Cheekypeach
I physically couldn't work because of my ill health while I was on maternity leave. It's not about doing things we don't want to do. I was seriously unwell and didn't have a choice in the matter. What's not to understand about that?

@Cheekypeach

a pp has attached the percentage of the amount of taxpayers money that actually went on unemployment. It's 1%. Maybe you think of yourself all high and mighty because 'you're picking up the slack' when in reality, you're barely touching the surface

Ok; let’s say what that figure actually is.

1.56 BILLION pounds a year.

Imagine just what that money could do if it was spent on social services, or hospices, or facilities for disabled people. It would make a huge difference.

It’s an enormous amount of money regardless of it being a small slice of the overall pie.

@Cheekypeach I hope you had that exact same energy when you heard the Government wrote of £3bn that was fraudulently claimed during Covid