I know this will be contentious - cost of living rise

[qualitychat]

My mum is a pensioner and gets Disability Benefit and Mobility Benefit and Pension Credit. She receives almost what I get in a month. She is moaning about the Government not doing enough about the cost of gas and electricity, which I agree with. The thing is they have said that people on benefits and pension credit will be given lump sums towards their bills. I am a middle earner and so is my husband. We will likely get nothing. Do you not think it will be the ordinary working families who will be squeezed the most if something is not done?

[ancientgran]

@Pleasebeafleabite

Part timers were only given the legal right to occupational pension scheme membership in 1995

My mother was in her late fifties by then

I remember having a meeting with the pensions dept where I worked, a member of my staff had a disability and could only work part time so they wouldn't let her in the pension scheme. I was arguing they should let her join particularly as a member of staff in their department in the same situation had been allowed to join but they never did let her in. It was about 1988 I think.

[ancientgran]

@jenkel

My mum and step dad who gets various benefits and are also reasonably comfortably off, will get help due to their age. Me and dh who work full time, dh has in fact in real time had a massive pay cut because he can no longer work as a contractor will get no help. My mum and step dad do not need to cut back on things particular, just be a bit more careful. We are seriously having to cut back a lot, kids clubs are stopping, takeaways are stopping, I know in the real world this isn’t major, people are worse off then us, but help should be for everybody apart from perhaps the very rich, My mum has even asked me why we are cutting back on things, it’s because we can’t afford them…

Who defines rich? I think most people would say it isn't them, people just a bit better off than them usually.

[Discovereads]

@RunningSME

@Discovereads Yeah, that is complete bollocks.
The link that you have provided is explaining why a married person couldn’t get a mortgage in their soul name due to the fact that they are indeed married and therefore the other person they are married to would be entitled to a percentage of the property that they are about to purchase and therefore the banks protection would be reduced because they could actually only secure the asset against 50% of the married couple whilst the other 50% wouldn’t have their name on the mortgage and therefore wouldn’t be held accountable for any losses but would be entitled to any gains.

That is an entirely different scenario, couldn’t be any further apart.

How is it bollocks. You said that @antelopevalley was lying about her married friend needing her husband to co-sign on a mortgage in the 1990s because you as a single woman didn’t need to get anyone else’s signature when you got a business loan. I have just posted proof that even today many lenders will require a married woman to get their spouse to co sign on a mortgage. The reason why that is hardly matters, the facts still remains if you’re a married woman you can be required by a lender, even today, to get your husbands co signature to get a mortgage loan.

[MoistBandana]

@ancientgran

Who defines rich? I think most people would say it isn't them, people just a bit better off than them usually.

Top 1% is anyone earning over £170k a year.
The closer you are to that, the richer you are based on income.

[TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum]

Under these Tories its the ordinary working people who will be squeezed if something IS done.

[Rosscameasdoody]

@Vikinga

The issue isn't people on disabilities and benefits, the issues are the rich and the way the tax system works and tax evasion.

👏👏👏

[Rosscameasdoody]

@runtothesun

YANBU. Most of my friends receive benefits and while they do not live extravagant lifestyles, I know for a fact that they are not struggling. I’m sure there are many people who are struggling to feed their families but there seem to be a lot of families on benefits who do okay too. Perhaps the threshold for the benefits system needs to be looked at.

There seem to be an awful lot of people on these threads who ‘know for a fact’ that benefit recipients they know are not struggling. So your solution is to lower the threshold - presumably until the do struggle, as you obviously think they should. Divide and rule - alive and kicking on MN. Let the rich enjoy their tax evasion and employ clever accountants so they keep more of their money. Much better to snipe at people managing to get by.

[Rosscameasdoody]

@Morph22010

You wouldn’t need to claim to get the ni credits that come with carers if you were working and no longer able to claim carers as you’d get the ni credit from your salary instead

But if you were earning a salary the NI wouldn’t be a credit, you would actually pay it. And if you’re below the earnings threshold you wouldn’t be paying it and would still have to claim carers credit on the underlying entitlement.

[MrsDanversRidesAgain]

The reason why that is hardly matters, the facts still remains if you’re a married woman you can be required by a lender, even today, to get your husbands co signature to get a mortgage loan

The bank is primarily interested in safeguarding its asset by making sure that anyone who has a financial interest in the property is aware of a mortgage being taken out on it and agrees to it. A wife would also be asked to co-sign a mortgage taken out by her husband.

[Rosscameasdoody]

@Colourfulrainbows

The most a person who is disabled will get is 619 uc and 600 pip. That is 1219 a month.
That is the highest award. On that award the needs will be so high they will not be able to live independently.

Therefore family's support rather than putting them in a residential which cost thousands a week in tax payers money.

Often carers give up there job or take work for less because of the carers working rule of earning over 123 a week ( do the maths at minium wage here).

Or if in couple then based on their income as well. If the carer goes work has to find childcare or help which again cost more money than average ( childminders charge more for sen as loose how many they can take).

Never mind using annual leave for appointments ( hospital, echp, med reviews or if they get sick which they do more than most). Called being disabled.

Annoys me when someone on 40k a year. 40k. Is jealous of disabled getting some support from government without actually knowing the facts.

I work my partner works my adult son is disabled. I have a degree.

Yes he will get the support from the government. He is at home with me rather than me putting him in residential which would actually cost the government more.

This household brings in a lot less than the OP does. Yet people are jealous of my son getting support? You know exactly what benefits were set up for? To help the ill the inferm the elderly years ago. Rather than workhouses and homes.

I would rather be earning 40k a year. I would rather my son was able to work. I would take him not having his disability over the additional payments.

But hey ho be jealous of this? It's very very odd thing to be jealous of. To judge and people need to check themselves and realise what they have.

Sorry this thread annoyed me. Never ever get people who think being elderly or disabled is a life of luxury. Ignorant at best.

They’re jealous of the money, not the disability. They see it as extra money without factoring in that there’s nothing ‘extra’ about it, because it pays the extra costs incurred by disability. It’s not rocket science. Before you envy the money, ask yourselves if you want the disability that goes with it.

[ancientgran]

@MoistBandana

Top 1% is anyone earning over £170k a year.
The closer you are to that, the richer you are based on income.

So everyone gets help except the 1%? Hardly seems worth worrying if it is only 1%, probably cheaper to just make it universal if we are going by the post I was replying to that said everyone should get help apart from the very rich.

[Rosscameasdoody]

@howtotrainam

I do think those on benefits can actually be better off than two working adults with DC.

I get £1900 in UC. Plus £600 DLA for my son. Plus carers of about £260. That's a total of about £2700 a month. Admittedly my rent does have to come out of that but I'm secure in my assured tenancy as it's a housing association property.

Meanwhile my SIL has 2 DC (not disabled), but both her and her husband work full time. They have to pay for childcare. And have 0 left at the moment after bills. Their car is 15 years old. They will get no extras to help pay their bills

But in all honestly I don't really 'need' an extra £150 a month. I won't sniff at it though as the cost of gas and electric is eye watering. But there are so many working families who are actually far worse off

But you haven’t factored in the extra cost of your sons’ disability - costs which parents of non disabled children won’t have, and from what you say your son is on the highest levels of DLA, so the disability is substantial.

[ancientgran]

@MrsDanversRidesAgain

The reason why that is hardly matters, the facts still remains if you’re a married woman you can be required by a lender, even today, to get your husbands co signature to get a mortgage loan

The bank is primarily interested in safeguarding its asset by making sure that anyone who has a financial interest in the property is aware of a mortgage being taken out on it and agrees to it. A wife would also be asked to co-sign a mortgage taken out by her husband.

What if the husband has no financial interest in the property? Can't a married woman buy a property as an investment with her own money as the deposit and her making the payments?

[Rosscameasdoody]

@antelopevalley

You would get the DLA and carers if you are working or not. It has nothing to do with being on other benefits.
Your benefits are £1900 UC.

Carers allowance isn’t paid if you earn a certain amount or work a certain number of hours - can’t remember the thresholds but they’re not generous. DLA isn’t means tested though.

[ancientgran]

@Rosscameasdoody

But you haven’t factored in the extra cost of your sons’ disability - costs which parents of non disabled children won’t have, and from what you say your son is on the highest levels of DLA, so the disability is substantial.

Presumably the SILs children will become independent and even before they are fully independent they probably won't need childcare whereas a disability is quite possibly for life.

[Chattycathydoll]

I really don’t understand the ‘no one is struggling on benefits’ brigade. Have they done both, to compare? If so, why are they working?

I was made redundant bc pandemic, lived on benefits and it was a real struggle to get by for me and my daughter. I finally found a job a couple of months ago (and posted on here with great enthusiasm!) not a huge salary, but not bad. £24k so a step down from what I was on pre-redundancy, but it’s fine.

The difference is HUGE. The relief is HUGE. Even stepping straight into paying holiday childcare, simply being paid every month makes it a joy to go to work. I don’t understand the ‘people on benefits are rolling in it’ comments. Have you done it? Have you lived it? Are we on the same planet?!

[MrsDanversRidesAgain]

Hi ancientgran, no idea, I'm afraid, IANAL. I imagine the bank would want to be assured that the husband does have no financial interest, so they'd probably ask for confirmation of that from him via a lawyer. In the end, safeguarding their interest in the asset is what the bank would be interested in.

[Rosscameasdoody]

@Morph22010

Well not really as pensioners don’t generally have the option to work instead, as they reach a point where it’s not physically possible. Non pensioners who can’t work through physical disability can claim pip but pensioners can’t claim pip unless they were disabled before they retired

They can still claim attendance allowance though. Worth up to about £360 a month. And people aged 65 in April 2013 weren’t migrated from DLA onto PIP, and retain their DLA for as long as they continue to satisfy eligibility - including the mobility component. And not to be pedantic, but pensioners who were disabled before they retired, had to also be claiming PIP before they retired and have to continue to satisfy the eligibility conditions on reassessment.

[Mere1]

RosettaNebula. Is your response a joke? You lead a remarkably sheltered life if you believe what you have written.

[kateandme]

@Rosscameasdoody

They’re jealous of the money, not the disability. They see it as extra money without factoring in that there’s nothing ‘extra’ about it, because it pays the extra costs incurred by disability. It’s not rocket science. Before you envy the money, ask yourselves if you want the disability that goes with it.

If it’s about the money tot up what that poster would be getting a year! No many would be ok with that from their employment. And that’s for the very disabled. There are those who’s disability might not be so severe but will still stop the ability to thrive and have a job. But will get much less.

[antelopevalley]

@Rosscameasdoody

They can still claim attendance allowance though. Worth up to about £360 a month. And people aged 65 in April 2013 weren’t migrated from DLA onto PIP, and retain their DLA for as long as they continue to satisfy eligibility - including the mobility component. And not to be pedantic, but pensioners who were disabled before they retired, had to also be claiming PIP before they retired and have to continue to satisfy the eligibility conditions on reassessment.

Attendance allowance is for elderly people who need carers. It does not begin to cover the real cost.

[RunningSME]

@ancientgran

What if the husband has no financial interest in the property? Can't a married woman buy a property as an investment with her own money as the deposit and her making the payments?

No because in a divorce it would be a joint asset

[RunningSME]

Well i mean not no, but no without legally documenting it. My 18 year old had to have an hour with a solicitor before signing to say she understood in the event of repossession she would leave and not make things difficult for the bank.

[HollaHolla]

I’m working full time, am disabled, but not in receipt of any benefits. I work in education, so no chance of a raise. I would also like to stop this ‘hard working families’ trope. I don’t think it should only be families who get some relief. I’m a single person household, like many of my friends and colleagues, and we are all struggling.
it’s so depressing. We ALL need help - say by cutting the energy suppliers abilities to keep raising charges. Where will it end?

[Morph22010]

@Wouldloveanother

I just worked out that if I wasn’t with DH (but he contributed to DC in the same way he does now), I would get ~£1000 p/m in UC and other benefits. and would be better off than I am now. Which seems really generous to me. Need to re evaluate our relationship 😂

he would have to run another household though with its associated costs so although you might be better off the two of you combined wouldn’t be