Do you agree with these benefits?

[Sophieleigh26]

Do you think the amount people get in benefits (before deductions like earnings) is the right amount, or it should be more / less?

MONTHLY AMOUNT
Single & under 25 £265.31
Single & over 25 £334.91
Couple both under 25 £416.45
Couple over 25 £525.72

£244.58 extra allowance for children (up to 2 children)

A single parent not working (24) with one child (1) would receive £509.89 a month, before deductions (loans, debt etc)

obviously these are just summaries and there are different rules if you have children born before 2017, for example, or disabilities, childcare costs.

YABU - It seems ok / right
YANBU - It should be more / less

Too low and I think the benefits for under 25s are particularly disgusting.

@Ponoka7 I was a self-employed courier for a well known company up until a few months ago because the cost of fuel and car maintenance was getting ridiculous.

@Screamifyouwanttogofast not if you can’t work due to being severely disabled, or you’re a single parent with no help. Those people can be on benefits for years. I’d be able to last on that amount for a couple months, but the thought of a few years looks very grim.

What would they get in other benefits? What hours could they work and still get that?

What about rent? At what point do you have to contribute?

If you are severely disabled aren’t there other benefits you can access too?

Looks about right to me, given it doesn’t include housing costs. Especially when there is such a surplus of jobs at the moment

There is a group in UC who are considered unfit to work, but can do work preparation courses. Some people are in this group for years, and they are paid the same as someone in the job seeking group.

Absolutely boils my piss that my 16-year-old runs herself rugged work in a restaurant while her 25-year-old Manager sits on her arse pretending to do the administration and basically gets paid double. My other teen at uni works for Tescos and is paid the same rate as the 70-year-old stood next to him as an acknowledgement of the fact that he probably does do more physical work.

I think the theory behind paying younger people less benefits was to put them off having kids for longer to give them more of a chance to establish themselves in the workforce and get a bit of experience behind them.

I don’t think they’re unreasonable amounts for able bodied single people and couples without children (presumably with housing costs also paid) in a climate where there is plenty of work available and the expectation that they cover only short term loss of income. Whether they need raising because many people have to rely on them long term, or whether we should instead direct funds at addressing the reasons why able bodied people are relying on them long term, is another debate.

Don't people then get housing benefit on top, in addition to other reductions like council tax?

Housing element is in addition, those with disabilities get more.

It's not a lot but disabilities aside they can get work - the benefits are tapered so you are better off working. I am aware it varies around the country but here everyone seems to be hiring, all kinds of jobs, there's something suitable for everyone

@Sophieleigh26

If you are severely disabled you get significantly more, rightly so, because you can't work. Parents can claim part of their child care costs so single parents can work

It’s enough because they also get their rent and council tax paid for and child benefit etc. if they/ their child have a disability they get disability benefits so that covers those who can’t work. If that’s not enough for those that can, they could always, you know, get a job.

This. There are ways to work as a lone parent, I've done it. Benefits look about right to me. They are meant to be a safety net, not a long term plan.

Another vote for “don’t see this thread going well”. For all the decrying about how MN is allegedly “full of leftie libs” (yeah right), threads about benefits bring out some real cracking comments. As someone on benefits it’s fucking great to see how viciously I’m loathed for daring to exist and need to claim benefits.

As for the topic of the thread, at the moment I’m coping. I don’t really have any unnecessary expenses, I don’t go anywhere or do anything that costs money, and my family help where they can- but the cost of living crisis is making it so that I won’t be able to keep my head above water so I’m making plans to move closer to family as it’s a cheaper area and the family help will mean I can get back to work. And when I’m back at work I’ll not spend a single second seething that some people have the audacity to claim benefits they’re entitled to.

Too low imo and I got a 1.5% rise because public sector.
I don't believe there is any advantage keeping people on the edge.

@gogohmm you don’t always get more though, not on UC. If you’re not capable for work you may not get an extra amount. And PIP takes nearly a year to be paid from applying.

@roarfeckingroarr They get some housing support, the issue has been that the actual reality of rent there’s absolutely no correlation to the local council say the average ought to be so out of the £500 per month a person might be paying £250 of that in additional rent over and above what they receive in housing benefits equivalent

Too low. I'm not sure how people live on that.

Assuming my housing costs were covered, my household bills are gas & electric £72 per month, internet £24 per month, water £48 per month, council tax (which I assume would be covered) £219 per month, mobile is £21 per month. As a couple we spend around £50-60 per week on food, so minus council tax and rent I think we'd manage. We're not eligible for benefits though as we have savings.

Way too low. LHA rates are massively outdated, so even claimants on full UC have to contribute towards their rent from that pittance.

Another vote for “don’t see this thread going well”. For all the decrying about how MN is allegedly “full of leftie libs” (yeah right), threads about benefits bring out some real cracking comments. As someone on benefits it’s fucking great to see how viciously I’m loathed for daring to exist and need to claim benefits.

Indeed. I was made redundant the week of lockdown and was panicking that, because nursery was closed, I'd not get my JSA because I couldn't look for work. As it happened they made an exception because the world had gone crazytown. I'll never forget the bright spark on here who told me I should have had "robust" childcare in place yet was unable to tell me what "robust" childcare was legal when there was no contact with other households. This was pre-bubbles.

Carers get just over that (as there's a carers premium on top) but really when you save the country billions each year by giving up full time work, it's an insult.

@sicklycolleague clothes? Birthdays? Xmas? School trips? Home stuff? Emergency hospital trips? Travel. What if your fridge breaks

In a lot of places you have to pay anything up to 20% council tax even if your only income is UC.