To wonder why benefits should rise in line with inflation when no job is?

[Bananil]

Massively struggling with food prices and absolutely no chance the heating is going on for a long time yet. DH and I work full time but have not had a pay rise since before the pandemic and wouldn’t ask for one as our industry has taken a real hit. I can’t think of any jobs that are expecting a pay rise in line with inflation so why do much fuss about making sure benefits do?

Probably because benefits are peanuts, imagine being a Care Leaver trying to live in your own place with maximum £265pm to live off and not have any family to rely on.

Oh my can’t you expand your brain a little? It’s quite obvious benefits are a lot less than yours and your husbands job. Stop being so ridiculous it’s not a race to the bottom.

Maybe time to change industry then? I've had a pay-rise every year as has my boyfriend. Not to match inflation but not bad.

I mean you and your husbands standard of living will be better won't it I? As above 'people on benefits don't have a lot of options and very little to live on. I am reading a lot of well I'm not putting my heating on from across mumsnet which seems ridiculous.

Because benefits are close to the bone with little wiggle room. My mate, on uc, disabled with two SEN kids has £65 a week left bills to eat. I find it really very very hard to envy her life. £65 to feed and clothe 3 is pretty grim. I can't see thise kids having life transforming outcomes tbh. Yes you always work more hours, get promotions but you'd find that slightly tricky if you couldn't get out of bed due to pain and exhaustion from fibromyalgia while your 14 year old with asd has a mental breakdown

Because the cost of living disproportionately affects those on the lowest incomes? And because people on the lowest incomes have the least opportunity to create a financial buffer that can help to see them through a crisis of this nature?

It isn't a race to the bottom in any case. And lots of people who receive benefits will be working as well.

Would you rather let people go hungry because you haven't had a pay rise?

I mean if you are "massively " struggling maybe you are entitled to universal credit.

I can’t think of any jobs that are expecting a pay rise in line with inflation so why do much fuss about making sure benefits do?

Really? No roles will get pay rises? The reality is a lot of the private sector will get pay rises. In many companies it it totally normal.
Mine always consider inflation in their end of year pay reviews.

Inflation will hit those with the least the hardest. 10% inflation when you are working to such a tight margin is incredibly difficult. Way too many people in this country are already in poverty and that’s simply unacceptable in my view.
I couldn’t imagine being against benefits being brought in line with inflation!

You are not suffering because someone worse off than you is being helped.

Do you want to see people starving and dying of cold? That’s the other option. People on benefits include the disabled, carers, the elderly and working people.

Quite simply Op those of us who are working class are expected to fund every one, the titch dodge it and the poor expect it. God forbid we are not happy being cash cows working out fingers to the bone. To be honest I'm sick of being in n the group of people who work dam hard and expected to pay for others lives and alit of the time chosen life styles.

Also before others start quoting me, first of all me and my dh have not had children because we have decided we want to be financially viable first and second we don't drink, don't smoke and have not had a holiday in years and years. We work dam hard to save up for a mortgage and sick of being cash cows buy every government.

Because many people in receipt of benefits are full time carers or are disabled (as an example). This is their only source of income and it must be pretty frightening if you're disabled, unable to work or organise any kind of 'side hustle' while your bills go up and up. People who can work can often find additional means of making income. Those who can't, can't.

Quite simply Op those of us who are working class are expected to fund every one, the titch dodge it and the poor expect it. God forbid we are not happy being cash cows working out fingers to the bone. To be honest I'm sick of being in n the group of people who work dam hard and expected to pay for others lives and alit of the time chosen life styles.

If you earn enough to be a net contributor, then you can afford to help those who are vulnerable. The fact that you don't want to says a lot about the type of person that you are.

Wouldn’t their rent be paid by benefits too , and I’m sure that with most councils the council tax is waived until the care leaver is 25.
So it is more than £265 pm to live on isn’t it .

its most unusual that the parent isn’t claiming PIP if the children have SEN

Because disabled people & carers don't have a way of increasing their income, I get an occupational pension but every year they deduct 50% of any increase off my Employment & Support allowance, I can't get my nose in front, especially as I have lost my child tax credits & child benefit which with the disabled child element adds up to me being £179 a week down.

All of which they'll have to spend on energy bills, probably. How will they buy food?

£265 on energy bills ? Pull the other one

1 single parent adult not working, 2 children, £1400 UC per month, £800 to rent leaves £600. £600 for gas, electric, mobile phone, food and clothing. Electric & gas is £300pm on its own. It’s no life. No life at all, and it makes me so sad when people say things like “I’m sick of paying for others to live” most aren't living, they’re barely surviving.

This. Benefits are the barest of minimums. If they go any lower, people could be at physical risk.

@Swizandswap
@The4teddybears

Wow, what wonderful citizens you are. Some people have worked hard all their lives and then for some reason, ill health for example, find themselves with no alternative but to claim benefits. Believe me, its not a position the majority of benefit claimants plan to be in and it leads to guilt and shame for many.

I take it if your circumstances ever change, ie your relationships split up, your left as single parents or one of you, God forbid, becomes ill, I presume you'll fall on your sword and freeze and starve yourselves to prove your stance on this - and to save all the other tax payers having to pay to feed and clothe you and your family, of course?? Don't judge the unfortunate until you have walked a mile in their shoes

My god! What has this Country become! When we begrudge the most vulnerable people in society the very minimum!

My mum has worked all of her life. Now she's 63 with cancer, riddled with arthritis and has just had a knee replacement. The benefits she's on is a pittance

If they spend that much on fuel in a 1 bedroom Property they need to turn the heating down. . We don’t pay that for a family of 4 in a 3 bed house .

I find this British obsession with punching down people on benefits really bizarre. I have worked all my life and have never begrudged people claiming benefits. It would be nice to think that if I had an accident or became sick there would be a safety net, but benefits are actually really crap. If you're jealous of people on benefits I really think you need to get a better paying job or just quit and join those people living the high life on benefits.

Or is that you, Liz? Loved the speech, by the way. <Chefs kiss>

Because they're intentionally set at the minimum possible for people to survive on. If it's now impossible for people to survive on £61/week, no matter how hard they try, then they need it increased.

You earn more than £61 a week. A lot more than £61 a week. You therefore don't need an increase to the heady sum of around £66.75 a week to stop you from actively dying.

tl;dr Don't be a twat.