To think there is little incentive to work hard in the UK

[BeachTree]

Context. 30's, no kids, single, work full time.

Just a bit disheartened. I have never claimed benefits, or any type of support, I work hard to make sure I can support myself (Not disputing those who genuinely require benefits/support) I have always paid all my taxes, and national insurance. I expect by the time I reach retirement age, the 'state pension' may look very different to what it does now and may not be available despite having paid in my whole life.

I feel sometimes that I pay so much into the 'system' and get very little return and don't 'take' from it, whereas there are many people claiming every benefit possible, and constantly 'taking' from the system they don't pay into. There are so many ways to extract money from the system but only for those who don't work full time. I know someone who worked for about 1 or 2 year in late teens in the UK, then worked abroad for a number of years, during this time did not keep up with national insurance payments and obviously not paying UK tax as no in the country, also didn't pay tax in the country they resided in. Returned to England to have a baby on the NHS, now residing back in England, claiming benefits as a single parent for 2+ years, gets assistance with rent council tax etc despite having paid next to nothing in to the system. I cannot compute how this is fair.

For example the cost of living payment, people who claim benefits will get £650, where as those who work and do not claim benefits will get £400. The cost of living crisis affects all of us - perhaps more so the people who work their socks off and aren't 'entitled' to 'support' The system is backwards and not in favour of people who work full time to support our ridiculous benefit system. So many examples - ie. people get help with rent, council tax, working tax credits etc etc etc - however those who work get zero, zilch.

AIBU?

Yes, YABU.

The system is there to help you should you ever fall on times hard enough that you need to claim benefits.

Ditto the NHS. Should you ever find yourself ill or disabled, it's there for you.

Ah, another post bashing people on benefits. These always go well.
🖕🖕🖕

In all this I think you have failed to notice that over half of benefits claimants are in full time work.

I think yabu. You're not bu in thinking hard work should pay more - but you're talking shit about benefits.

Unfortunately the UK is a low wage economy, and thanks to Brexit things could get a lot worse.

Prepare yourself for a roasting from the vipers, @BeachTree , but yes, as another single 30-something working hard and not claiming a penny, I (sadly) agree with much of what you say. Most of it, in fact.

But prepare yourself for a flogging…!

YANBU but you will get short shrift on here. Sooner or later something needs to change because people are getting pissed off at working so hard, paying so much tax, and being barely any better off than people who sit in the park all day drinking cider and smoking weed.

I mean life on benefits is shite though - I’d rather work my well paid job and have money for a few holidays a year and not need the help with my bills. Cus that’s a miserable hard life

Yabu

I'm 46 and never claimed benefits but it's never occurred to me how much I've paid in. Frankly I'd hate to be on benefits or universal credit. There's no control over that income and it's not much. I have a job I enjoy and pretty good conditions, so even if I don't have a lot of spare cash, I have choices.

Do you use roads or street lights or been to a school or a library, for example? Those are some of the things your taxes go to, and I'm sure you use or have used them.

If you only need to pay in, you're very lucky. If you want to experience life on the other side by all means quit your job and see how lovely it is.

Quit work on rely on benefits then if it's that easy.

The NHS is utter shit, has been since long before the Tories got into power, and I begrudge paying the amount of tax I do when my in-laws in the US get excellent healthcare for about half the cost in their insurance premiums and co-pays as the amount of my taxation which goes to the NHS.

But otherwise, I’d far rather be in the position I am than have to live like people on benefits do. I have a fantastic life. People on benefits only really get the large payments if they have children, once the children are older or grown they’ll be stuck - poor employment prospects and facing trying to live on JSA or NMW in a crappy job. Not a life I’d want.

You pay your tax and NI, you say like it’s a choice!

im sure you never use a gp, never been to a&e, and I bet you’re a higher rate tax payer too right op?

Yanbu.

I sympathise OP. Single childless people on low wages are particularly disadvantaged in this country. A sizable amount of people with children use some of that funding for their own needs rather than spending it on the children, which means a single person on minimum wage is worse off than a married person on minimum wage TOPPED UP WITH TAX CREDITS.

Working part time, husband full time, mortgage, children, only child benefit and never claimed other benefits. Just about treading water, and if anyone says some people don't take the piss on benefits they are deluded. A lot of people do and milk the system for all its worth. More genuine people of course, but it doesn't make the milkers not exist.

🙄

Are they hell as like. 60% are in no employment whatsoever

Stats show 40% are in work but not necessarily full time work

If you honestly thought those on benefits were so much better off you'd pack up your job and join them. But you know it's a bloody shit life living on the bare minimum and that no-one with options would choose it. You're just feeling overworked and hard done by and decided to kick down. YABVU.

Of course it is. People claim benefits whilst job vacancies are high.

ok, some require skills but work like crop
picking is easy but bloody hard work. We allow them to have all the excuses under the sun to sit and receive a smaller amount in benefits than they could get working because they don’t want to put their back into it.

it should be, turn down an available job and you get nothing.

Agree agree agree

Yabu because it’s small fry to the amount of tax dodging going on.
im on paye - worked overtime (desperately short staffed and needed the money) and my tax has been altered as a result.
however friends dh is self employed- does foreigners- cash. All sorts get written off for tax purposes which absolutely do not go towards work. Multiple this thousands of times across the country and this is small fry compared to the rich and their tax evasion.

yanbu for feeling you can’t get anywhere for trying though.

Think very carefully about what you’re working for… your pension, your property (?), your pride… but most of all choices about how you spend your spare time and money. Comparison really is the thief of joy.

Aside from the current vaguery over hospital admissions etc., just know that if you were struck down by an illness that needed a £40K drug tomorrow, in most cases you’d get it.

People who work full time on a low salary and have children get benefits too. Doesn’t mean they deserve less than you because they’ve had a child. Why not be glad you are able to work and build your career rather than being bitter about what others do or don’t have.

Returned to England to have a baby on the NHS, now residing back in England, claiming benefits as a single parent for 2+ years

So what is the alternative? What would you prefer to happen - mum doesn't get any help and child dies from starvation? Or child is put into the care system? Neither of those things are cheaper for the taxpayer.

Why don't you direct your anger at the system that makes it difficult for single parents to work? Or the deadbeats who don't contribute to the cost of raising their own children?

I have a degree, graduate job, I've worked since I was 16. I still claim benefits to help with costs as a single parent. Not everything in life goes the way you want 🤷‍♀️

This ^