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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Surely there's benefits for people like me

265 replies

Bpdqueen · 12/04/2022 13:44

I'm a single adult, kids moved out I work 30 hrs a week my take home pay after tax and NI is around £1000 4 weekly. My mortgage payments are £450 a month. Leaving £550 a month for all bills food petrol the only benefit I get is 25% of council tax which brings ct down to £100ish a month. I used to get working tax credit but I apparently earn to much I have lots of medical conditions but I don't think anything enough to claim pip as I'm Mobile and capable of looking after myself and working. Am I missing something or am I expected to be able to live on this.
Aibu - yes that's more than enough to live on.
Yanbu - no you should be entitled to help on such a low income

OP posts:
Maggiejardine · 13/04/2022 19:37

It may be worth looking into council tax band reduction (as opposed to discount) if you have a disability which means you have to adapt your home in order to manage. This is not means tested. It does seem you fall through every net otherwise op.

bigmumsymcgraw · 13/04/2022 19:43

You are not eligible for Universal credit as you earn too much. If you have a health condition you could apply for PIP.

Diamondsareforever123 · 13/04/2022 19:47

I don't think there will be any benefits available to you. I am a pensioner and clear as much as you - I have rent and bills etc as well. Universal Credit said I have too much coming in to claim anything. So effing zero. I don't really know how I am going to manage with the extra fuel costs, we have one of the lowest benefit payments systems in the world - I think we are just above the US. Look at Germany and the rest of the world, they treat people with decency. This is years and years of a Tory government.

luckylavender · 13/04/2022 19:52

The OP may not be able to just 'increase her hours', her employer may not have the budget.

Peppapigforlife · 13/04/2022 19:53

That's pretty much the same as I get on benefits with a toddler as a single mum and it has to cover everything for the two of us and I manage. I don't really like having to budget so much as it takes up mental energy but when she's a bit older I can work and earn more. However it is manageable. How many rooms does your house have? Could you rent it out per room, to students, find a smaller cheaper place to rent for yourself and then have a bit of extra cash. Or air BnB a room (or even the whole house one weekend a months, if you have someone to stay with)? Have you got a spare car parking space you can rent out? Has it got an attic or damp proof shed you can rent out as storage?

Peppapigforlife · 13/04/2022 20:05

Also could you apply for a disabled person's bus pass to save on fuel costs of getting to work? I know people with mental health issues who have them.

Mollymoostoo · 13/04/2022 20:08

@Bpdqueen

I have borderline personality disorder, pots, hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease so 30hrs is a struggle as it is I wouldn't be able to do more but when I looked into pip the questions where can you dress yourself and feed yourself ect which I can
This has been mentioned but you should still make a claim for PIP and get help filling in the forms. I'm not sure how much extra working 37 hours would give you tbh, for the sake of your MH, it might be better to stay at 30 hours. I cut down to 30 and my MH has been so much better. I'm now meds free (I also have BPD/EUPD). Being med free means I also lost weight and stopped having the health issues of being on the meds. Hope you get support for the claim.
hepaticanobilis · 13/04/2022 20:14

@Dreamstate

Welcome to real world of single adult people! You woke up, congratulations. You finally see how single adults get naff all help except some paltry 25% council tax discount. Even then the single person pays more in council tax than a a house with 2 working adults in it

This has its always been and always will and if you dare to point it out noone gives a shit. Everything is geared to helping everyone else out. We are expected to be fighting for them to get all the tax breakd and benefits otherwise we look selfish but do they ever think you know single adults deserve some sort of break...naw they don't.

Rant over. Pointless one since nothing will chmahe but ots good to get voice how single adults are marginalised and treated unfairly.

I'm in this situation too. I've been OK up until now (thanks in part to savings I had from an inheritance) but the savings are quickly dwindling and the cost of everything is going up. I've never been as worried about being able to continue affording to live alone as I have been recently. Most of my costs are the same or only slightly less than people living as a couple have - even Spotify has a couples' discount Shock (I saw it as a I cancelled my Spotify premium...) Two people on modest incomes would still be so much better off and yet there is no help.
isthisit83 · 13/04/2022 20:17

Bit random, but if you don't feel able to take on a lodger, could you rent a parking space if you have off street parking? Maybe someone with a caravan?

Sounds like you should look into PIP from other peoples comments.

MermaidinJeans · 13/04/2022 20:35

This is a great link to helping you complete a PIP claim for mental health issues, it's well worth a quick read www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/will-i-need-a-work-capability-assessment-to-claim-benefits/how-do-i-fill-in-the-health-questionnaire/ should hopefully help regarding the bpd part?

Apricot10 · 13/04/2022 20:37

Sorry if someone has already given you this but go on entitled.to website. You can put everything you earn etc and it will give you a very accurate estimation on what you could claim.

Confusedmonkey · 13/04/2022 20:38

I would look into PIP. I know people who have it and can still feed and dress themselves. Not saying you will be eligible, but there are different rates and you may be eligible. Could you talk to citizens advice and/or Mind to see if they have any advice about this and other benefits/grants you may be eligible for? I would advise doing this.

Also are you sure you won't consider a lodger? Completely understand if you can't, but this is an obvious way to make money. You could see if you could get one who needs somewhere for week days only (as working away from home) so you get your house to yourself at the weekend. Only if you find the right person you feel safe and happy with + you think you can cope though.

AnotherEmma · 13/04/2022 20:38

@MermaidinJeans

This is a great link to helping you complete a PIP claim for mental health issues, it's well worth a quick read www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/will-i-need-a-work-capability-assessment-to-claim-benefits/how-do-i-fill-in-the-health-questionnaire/ should hopefully help regarding the bpd part?
That really isn't a great link to help you complete the PIP form, since it's for the Work Capability Assessment form (for ESA and UC). 🤦🏻‍♀️
Babyroobs · 13/04/2022 20:59

@Confusedmonkey

I would look into PIP. I know people who have it and can still feed and dress themselves. Not saying you will be eligible, but there are different rates and you may be eligible. Could you talk to citizens advice and/or Mind to see if they have any advice about this and other benefits/grants you may be eligible for? I would advise doing this.

Also are you sure you won't consider a lodger? Completely understand if you can't, but this is an obvious way to make money. You could see if you could get one who needs somewhere for week days only (as working away from home) so you get your house to yourself at the weekend. Only if you find the right person you feel safe and happy with + you think you can cope though.

Op has said numerous times she cannot have a lodger.
DanceItOut · 13/04/2022 21:02

Have you tried universal credit? With that you can apply and it’s a bit more flexible, if your housing costs go up or wages go down then you can get reassessed month to month. I think since it’s just you living alone it could be hard to get help though with a mortgage that low. I have a similar income to you and I get universal credit to help top up my income but my rent is over twice as much as your mortgage (and that’s for a social housing property) and two kids still in school so that affects how much income they think I need.

HOWEVER I also think they need a serious reassessment of what they think people need with the recent increases in everything from dry pasta to electricity. People that previously could afford their bills are now faced with such large increases in bills that they now can’t do while I doubt there is much help for someone in your position, I hope that perhaps universal credit can offer you at least something.

Painiscrap · 13/04/2022 21:18

@Bpdqueen

Yeah work 48 weeks a year I get paid 4 weekly and the £1000 is after tax,ni and pension taken. I have no savings
You get paid 4 weekly, meaning you get 13 wages a year! Therefore you are actually taking home £13000 a year which works out at just under £1100 a month. Considering the information you have given, this amount after tax, ni and pension, means you are earning too much to be entitled to UC. Unfortunately I also agree with previous poster, in that it is also unlikely that you will qualify for PIP, however there is no harm in trying. I would contact Citizens Advice for help in filling in the forms.
Lindylou2703 · 13/04/2022 21:24

My friend gets PIP and is able to work and get about. It's definitely worth looking into.

tkwal · 13/04/2022 21:34

If you have a lot of medical conditions you should apply for PIP as I know prescriptions can be expensive. Even if you were to be awarded the minimum amount it would still help and you may also get some help with the mortgage interest

Babyroobs · 13/04/2022 21:38

@tkwal

If you have a lot of medical conditions you should apply for PIP as I know prescriptions can be expensive. Even if you were to be awarded the minimum amount it would still help and you may also get some help with the mortgage interest
Op would not get help with mortgage interest unless she was on Universal credit and had had zero earnings for around 9 months.
aceyace · 13/04/2022 21:39

There's a Facebook group called fightback that helps with pip forms etc

wildchild554 · 13/04/2022 21:56

OP are you paying for prescriptions, as there is also a prescription card you can get for £100 a year so that you don't pay for prescriptions which would save you a lot if your paying for them, I think it's also dental treatment but not sure about glasses. If you ask at your local pharmacy they will have the information there.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 13/04/2022 22:03

You should be entitled but I think the benefits system is beyond broken and there are a lot of people who should get help and dont. Sorry you are in this situation. CAB is really helpful for this.

caringcarer · 13/04/2022 22:19

Could you manage to do a bit of babysitting a couple of evenings a week? Could you do some dog walking? The obvious solution is to let out a room but you say you don't want to.

Confusedmonkey · 13/04/2022 22:23

@babyroobs I haven't read all of the posts, I just saw one post at the start where she said she didn't feel able to have a lodger, so I just thought I would suggest a weekday only lodger, as this was something I considered myself once when i was single.

OP. I am sorry I didn't mean to hassle you about getting a lodger. I was just trying to suggest something I had thought might be a bit easier than having a lodger there 100% of the time. Of course if you can't have one you shouldn't even consider it.

Hope some of the posts are helpful to you xx