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?

[Facecream]

Oh and for the record I am “on benefits “.
My daughter (seriously disabled physically and mentally) qualifies for higher rate DLA and mobility component (which goes on our WAV).
I get Child benefit and carer’s allowance.
So, my income is whatever child benefit is £86 or whatever plus £270 a month for carer’s allowance.
My DH is self-employed and warns about £20,000.
Believe me I struggle for money.
I haven’t been to a hairdresser since January 2020.
Im still wearing Next jogging sand T-shirts I bought after I had DD (five years ago).
We don’t eat out or get takeaway (other than recently when DH had hand surgery).
I go nowhere and my hobby is reading or drawing/painting- the items for which I get as birthday and Christmas presents.
Please give me some tips on how to live a life of luxury on benefits!!!

I spend £130 on therapy and Sertraline per month (at least) - mostly arising from PTSD caused by an assault by a hospital consultant.

I’ve had to pay £500 court fees to take the matter to court. Pay £60 phone. About £40 (minimum) on petrol each month. £30-£40 on incontinence products for DD).

Not much left after that..
And I have heard nothing about getting a “lump sum” from the government.

What we did get was most of my daughter’s care in terms of physiotherapy and OT and regular doctor appointments cut.

What kind of benefits benefit people I wonder? 9 years ago I had a salary of upwards of £45,000 and that was a starting point for me.
so, I’d take work over carer’s allowance (and the corresponding situation for my family) any day.

[qualitychat]

My mum has had these benefits since she was 50. She is not badly disabled, doesn't need a carer, doesn't walk with a stick or anything. She is at home more but that's because she's not out much. I can absolutely assure a previous poster that she does receive all these benefits. I will never receive anything like what she gets when I retire.

[GeorgeorRuth]

DH is disabled and pension age, he is getting frailer so I looked into what I could get if I stopped working ft ( retail so low waged) . The amount wouldn't have covered my outgoings let alone the fuel price hikes. I'm just going to have to hope his memory doesn't deteriorate too quickly, I need to work.
Those saying benefits is shedloads are talking bull. If someone is 'loaded' they aren't solely on benefits.

Typical, turn people on each other to deflect from the real issues.

[NameChangeLifeChange]

I appreciate there are lots of older pensioners who desperately need help and I would never begrudge them being given support the same way those on benefits are getting additional support which is much needed.
However there is a section of society who have excellent pensions, often far exceeding working peoples salaries. They own property outright and are ‘entitled’ to free bus passes, winter fuel allowance etc etc and it seems incredibly unfair. My dads pension is double my salary and he gets all these benefits while anything for working age people (child benefit etc) is means tested and swiftly reduced/removed when you go over a set amount which hasn’t changed in years, which in real terms means you earn less than you used to before you hit that mark and any support is removed.
Its not fair. Money needs redirecting to the squeezed middle from the rich older generation imo.

[gyurghle]

Its not fair. Money needs redirecting to the squeezed middle from the rich older generation imo.

agree

[qualitychat]

I will be fine, I can pay my bills, I just won't go on holiday or buy luxuries, which will have a knock on effect to the economy and I won't be the only one.

[pd339]

It makes me sick how the pensioners (who vote Tory on average) get more than a fair share of help. It's so bloody cynical.

[ohdearnotme]

@ilovesooty

So many people looking for other people to criticise and look sideways at. Heaven forbid anyone should get something they don't - or they're perceived as getting "handouts".

People are getting handouts tho...

I know someone who works 20 hours a week minimum wage but with her UC which includes housing benefit she actually takes home nearly £35k a year.

Rent round here is ridiculously high and a large proportion does go on that, but she is not struggling by any stretch, plus she benefits from all the freebies UC people get, plus the top ups.

No judgement on my side, she worked full time her entire life before her divorce and can't make childcare work to do it again, so has little choice but to take the handout. But it most certainly is a handout.

[Babyroobs]

@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?

Yes no doubt she gets a severe disability premium as she lives alone and is classed as disabled. It does add up to a lot. Some people on benefits do get a lot despite what others will have you believe. I had a couple of clients the other day who were on over £2400 a month between them with various disability benefits and premiums and yet had got arrears on their rent of £92 a week. they were pleading poverty . I was baffled. I get that disability costs more but they still had 2k a month after rent was paid and they had fallen into arrears.

[RosetteNebula]

@NameChangeLifeChange i agree. My Grandad fur example owns a property outright and he has A LOT of money in the bank and a large pension. He's worked for it of course and I'm glad he's having a comfortable retirement. But why give help to those who don't need it?

[yummyscummymummy01]

The consequences of a cold house are going to be more dire for a disabled or elderly person. That's why they're getting more.

As to the comments about middle earners being more able to increase their income I think that can be true. I'm going to be working an extra day to pay our bills and that's how we'll hopefully manage.

I think the thing that strikes me about these posts is that people begin to turn on the wrong people. We need to look at why energy companies are being allowed to raise prices to a point where people will suffer this winter whilst making huge profits not who will get what in handouts.

[viques]

@Thisismynamenow

I have a very young baby so have the need to heat my house too, probably to a similar level as a pensioner.

I'm a civil servant so have no option to ask for a payrise OR to increase my hours. Actually I could be 1 on the 91,000 to lose to be made redundant.

My husband already works 40+ hours so has no option to work addition hours and his boss has refused payrises. I suspect this is going to be the case for most retail workers.

Middle earners will struggle. Its not unreasonable to assume the government should help all households, equal to close to the amount they help pensioners who actually earn a middle income in benefits..

So you think having two incomes puts you on a level playing field as someone who lives on a basic state pension which is amongst the lowest in Europe.

[idonotmind]

So middle aged people don't deserve heating?! WTF

Race to the bottom UK, bravo (claps)

[Horcruxe]

What kind of pension does she have where she is receiving about the same as you?

I'm surprised it's so high.

The problem with someone who is retired, is they have no way of increasing their income, could be in very Ill health.
Working people could always increase hours, improve qualifications, or get a different job.

Once you've got a pension, that's all you have, no way of increasing your income.

[Wouldloveanother]

@Heronimo

Yanbu. Those on benefits will get too much help. Those working full time in middle income jobs are screwed.

Agreed. We’re the work horses carrying everyone else. Fucking sick of it.

[honkeytonkwoman38]

I hate these threads. Let's bash the disabled. They are easy pickings. Write to your mp if you actually want to do something proactive!

[ASDstruggles]

It would be nice to be able to offer support to those with no disposable income because they are the ones who will struggle with rising bills. It can be hard to tell who they are.

2 adults working full time on £40k each does not go far if they have 2 x nursery fees, high rent, high commute costs and student loans. 2 pensioners on £30k each pensions who are owner occupiers and no childcare etc costs would be loaded.

2 adults working full time on £80k each might be hard pushed to pay higher gas prices if they are also paying for mortgages and school fees.

but the Rui her you are the more likely you are to be able to make choices (pull the kids out of private school) to pay the higher bills, so in my opinion it is correct that the burden is borne by the richest.

[tiger2691]

@FreyaStorm

Snap!

One of my daughters works full time (she's a TA), she also has to claim UC and is basically impoverished, so fuck off with your snap. Ditto the person you quoted can do the same (fuck off), 50% of people and families claiming UC work for their poverty.

[Wouldloveanother]

@honkeytonkwoman38

I hate these threads. Let's bash the disabled. They are easy pickings. Write to your mp if you actually want to do something proactive!

And what will that do? The Tories aren’t going anywhere, they couldn’t give a shit what emails I send. Nothing is going to change with a bit of campaigning. Just let us have our moan.

[gyurghle]

but the Rui her you are the more likely you are to be able to make choices (pull the kids out of private school) to pay the higher bills, so in my opinion it is correct that the burden is borne by the richest.

depends how you measure richness, I don't think the burden is equal, too much on PAYE

[NameChangeLifeChange]

@RosetteNebula

@NameChangeLifeChange i agree. My Grandad fur example owns a property outright and he has A LOT of money in the bank and a large pension. He's worked for it of course and I'm glad he's having a comfortable retirement. But why give help to those who don't need it?

I know it’s hard to articulate. There’s definitely a perception from that generation of ‘well I’ve earnt this I DESERVE this’- forgetting we are all working as hard, if not harder with none of that comfort and financial security they enjoyed. DH and I have very similar jobs to my parents and come from similar backgrounds but the lifestyle we can afford is vastly inferior due to the cost of housing and childcare these days. It’s hard not to feel envious and become frustrated when the working population are overlooked again and again.

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

If the squeezed middle ( of which I’m one) don’t get any help, then there will be no spare money for hospitality, leisure or retail.

So then the economy collapses. Because there aren’t enough if the extremely rich or wealthy to keep it going. Pubs round me are saying they are going to close 2 days a week in October. 2 days a week less revenue for the tax man. Multiply by thousands.

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

And the squeezed middle tend to have mortgages, childcare fees and student loan contributions to deal with.

[gyurghle]

The problem with someone who is retired, is they have no way of increasing their income, could be in very Ill health. Working people could always increase hours, improve qualifications, or get a different job.

Once you've got a pension, that's all you have, no way of increasing your income.

Well if they own a house they could downsize or release equity.

[wherearebeefandonioncrisps]

My mum's 84. She lives in Social Housing. Has multiple health conditions.
She receives as many benefits that she's allowed to. All instigated by her GP.

She pays for cleaners. She pays for taxis , to and from her doctors, hospital, local supermarket. She pays for helpers . Local Authority help costs so much more! ( They rarely tell you.)
Around £90 per week.
She's on blood thinners and really feels the cold.
I live around 200 miles away and there's no other family near her.
I must remember to tell her how fortunate she us.