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?

My phone's having me over this morning.

...working parents been topped up, anyone in genuine need.

There is no disputing that there is thousands on benefits that could work and earn more but choose not too.

Like I said above, it's rife in my area and it is frustrating to see.

@Labraradabrador

As someone raised by a single mother in one of those other countries I know exactly how challenging it can be, but far too many in this country feel entitled to an easy life.

Wouldn't you have wanted your mum to have some more support in order to have made her life a little less hard?

You'd deny her that if you could go back in time and have the opportunity to wave a magic wand to provide her more help?

Really?

Chuck your job in and get on the benefits then. If the lifestyle is that easy and aspirational why on earth wouldn't you?

Do you realise how difficult it is to get DLA for a child?

I’ve seen a claim backed up by an EHCP, two consultants reports abs a specialist nurse report turned down because narcolepsy is apparently “predictably unpredictable”.

It’s nowhere near as simple as people think

A single childfree person over 25 gets £334.91 a month. Hardly the life of luxury, eh? And many of us are having to pay council tax out of that. Some also have to pay the bedroom tax / top up their rent.

Because 69.70is not a lot to keep an adult alive for a week. (Carers)

Thankfully ex is not a twat a out money.

Seriously? Because benefits are peanuts! I hope you never become Ill and need to find out. Your whole life could change in a day with say a brain tumour diagnosis - this happened to my brother. Or in my job, I see this every single day with people I work with who have lost their sight. Your income, even at a minimum wage level would be cut in half at least. For most people reduced by 3/4. And that’s not taking into account the delays in getting any help, and the frequent fuck ups by DWP that leave the most vulnerable in society with no money or food.

people in benefits don’t ‘get everything free’, thanks to successive Tory governments.

im currently working with a chap who lost his sight, therefore lost his job and recently tried to Kill himself over a utility debt of £600 after being relentlessly hounded by the utility company. He feels totally worthless.

just think about it, it could happen to you or someone you loved.

'I'm finding life tough so would like to make sure someone else has it even tougher than me' is the gist of the OP's post.

@Bananil - you're being unreasonable but probably little point arguing with you, you probably only wanted to start a bunfight anyway.

My view is the OP deserves a payrise that matches inflation and benefits/pensions should rise with inflation.

The Tories are back to trying to make those at the bottom squabble - and the foolish are falling for it again.

Leave your job and go onto benefits then if you think it is such a great life. You know you are talking nonsense about benefits really.

'Sickening' my arse.

As many others have said, benefits do not have wriggle room for most. Equally most people on benefits are in a very tough position. They aren’t lucky enough to be able to work currently, but they are described as lazy and constantly made to feel guilty by the media. Carer’s allowance is one of the biggest mickey takes there is and carer’s cannot work to top up or they lose the benefit. It’s a very tough existence.

I'll tell you what, we can swap. You can have my lovely benefits and I'll have your 40 hour working week. Only thing is you now have to care for my disabled son 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for just under £68 a week. Don't worry I'll show you how to use all his medical equipment that puts our fuel bills up to £280.

I hate in these discussions people always target the individuals claiming benefits. What about the companies who make billions but pay their workers so little they have to claim benefits. The government is essentially subsidising these companies. Be angry at that.

Can we get this straight, YOU CAN ONLY CLAIM FOR 2 CHILDREN AND HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW!
So no woman can't pop out baby after baby to get money!

If you are not working and don't have any caring responsibilities(children under a certain age I think from 3/4) not disabled (you have to be on certain disability benefits and prove to UC you are not fit for work, or a Carer which you have to claim carers allowance (and they take it pretty much back of you if you get UC) then you have to look for work for what is around 30 hours a week!

And prove it, and go and have interviews at the job centre so I really can't see how all these people are just so bloody happy to be on benefits!

And yes I do agree that ALL workers should get a proper living wage.
My husband is one of them.
But it's not helping pitting against people on benefits it's not their fault that employers are allowed to pay such shit wages and get away with it, let's make it better for everyone.

Most people on benefits have got a job.

Funnily enough the OP hasn't been back, just another goady benefits-bashing thread to start an argument?

Threads like this where the OP never returns should just be deleted. Why does MNHQ not get better at zapping hate threads?

Yep and people are happy to pile on. The same people probably cheered when Braverman made disgusting "my dream" comment. The UK is full of odious little shits, it seems.

But then half the people on this thread are saying benefits isn't enough to live on yet I see it happening all around me. Plenty of people playing the system too, it's easier than you think.

The people near me don't want to go to work, gain experience and progress to a higher rate of pay because they don't have to, they can sign on.

If they changed benefits system, allowed a set amount of time to find work (for those able) before stopping it, do you think it would work?
Surely this would allow an increase to the amount for those who can't work or need a top up.

I generally don’t think OP was meaning benefits should not increase for those who can’t work due to medical reasons / carer / single parent etc they shouldn’t increase for people who chose not to work even though they can

Gosh this is an eye opener! Liz truss wants to cut benefits. Of already vulnerable people 🙄 wtf ! A mark of a society is that we look after the poor and needy.was it thatcher who famously said there is no such thing as society?anyway truss seems to have taken this to heart.one thing why if Benefits are so generous are so many at a food bank.why on the south coast in a prosperous town with expensive housing are they opening a warm Bank I wonder

I agree with the OP that it seems wrong to raise benefits in line with inflation when wages don’t do the same.

Disability benefits should be higher to start with and should rise in line with inflation, but other working age benefits need to be difficult to live on to provide an incentive to work.

We should be able to expect more out of a life of full time work than we should out of a life on benefits, but that’s not how it works right now. People feel entitled to the same standard of living as working people no matter how little they do to provide for themselves and that needs to change, especially at a time when the country has more employment opportunities than it has healthy unemployed people.

Imagine caring for a loved one, saving the government thousands every single year for the pittance of £69.70, that's not even £2 a hour.....

That's why.

Because people on them will starve, die of hypothermia or both.
Is that clear enough?

@ClaudiasWinkleMan - in the situation that you describe, you should be entitled to DLA. If you have been turned down then apply again - I can send you a link to a really helpful guide - and get someone to check it with you afterwards. You providing much more care than you would be to teens without disabilities and some of that is help with daily hygiene tasks, as well as a mobility element if they can’t go out and walk to school alone in the way a neurotypical DC of the same age would.

If your not getting a fair pay deal then fight against it.

its not a race to the bottom. Nobody should be left worrying about paying the bills.

the vast majority of people are benefits work but in such badly paid jobs they need their pay topping up. Many others are relisant on benefits because their disabilities and/or caring needs mean they have no choice. But some on here would happily leave them to rot while the rich get richer