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?

A breakdown please - I mean, you must know, you're both so knowledgeable and precise about the subject of these people's claims

I'm not sure if the "both" includes me since all I did was point out how much over the cap the person's apparent income is, but I'd also be interested to know how someone gets so much, plus rent paid.

Or perhaps I've misunderstood your use of"both" .

Don't look to improve your quality of life by stamping others down so yours looks better by comparison. Stop thinking others, whose situations are worse than yours anyway, should be equally as badly treated as you are and start hoping/campaigning/whatever for everyone to be better treated. If one sector of society achieves it faster than you do, be happy for them instead of bitter for yourself. A positive mindset makes for a more enjoyable life. Looking at the negatives and holding petty jealousies only makes you miserable and eventually quite toxic.

@IndianSummer78

well said!

@StarbucksSmarterSister yes, you were included in that comment. You were telling us that someone you knew was getting £30k in benefits so I was asking, as you seem to know, exactly what benefits this person was claiming. Although, in your first post you were quite confident of this fact, but now it's only 'apparently' this amount. Either way, I'd sincerely be interested to know this person's circumstances, what kind of benefits they're claiming etc. I mean, no point in being discreet now seen as you've already shared their personal details/income anyway

I think benefits should increase with inflation, its not a race to the bottom.
But I see what youre saying, benefits and wages should be increased with inflation.

Nope, you still have to pay a percentage of council tax.

So imagine that comes out of you £77 a week.

Then you need a phone (job centres say this is must for interviews), they like you to have an internet connection as all job searching is web based. You still have to pay bills and feed yourself.

Good luck to anyone that can do that on 77 a week.

Devon01.

Read again. I didn't say that. I was replying to that post, pointing out it was way above the cap!

Benefits for the disabled, and everyone else currently unemployed should get one of the thousands of jobs out there.

Wow aren’t you the milk of human kindness? People on benefits get the minimum required to live. If that reduces in real terms they don’t live. Is that what you want OP? Try having some fucking empathy. What the hell is this country becoming? Wanting to stamp on people when they’re down? Shame on you OP.

Crotch goblins? If you - or your friends or family members - have children, is that how you refer to them?

Do you really think that the 'free dosh' received for each extra child claimed for (£14.45 a week in Child Benefit, I believe) makes for a life of luxury?

Like you, I work and don't claim any benefits. But because I'm over 60, I am eligible for free prescriptions. You'll find there are quite a few of us in this category.

My next door neighbour rents and solely relies on benefits aa disabled. She doesn't smoke, doesn't have a huge TV, doesn't drive a flashy car (2004 ford), doesn't go out or on holiday, lives quite a dull boring life and she is absolutely dreading this winter due to increasing bills.

My husband and I pay circa £2000 ,per month in tax, do I begrudge a portion of it helping those genuine claimants like my neighbour, and an increase in her help, not at all.
My mortgage is going to increase, same as my bills, but I'm glad we both work and are able to afford to live comfortably.

I don't see degrading her life aa a way of improving my own.

Lots of posts about the benefits cap, but no mention of when it doesn't apply:

www.gov.uk/benefit-cap/when-youre-not-affected.

There are ways to enjoy a well-funded lifestyle on benefits, but to do so requires you to carefully structure your life - often before you need to claim - and to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the benefit rules and regulations. These are things that those unexpectedly finding themselves vulnerable due to trauma or illness (the kind of things that benefits were designed for) are least able to do.

This is why while many 'deserving' people find themselves ineligible for benefits, the likes of Errol Graham starve in our midst, out of sight while those who navigate the system well are more conspicuous.

My father became disabled and my mother had to be his full time carer. My sibling and I were kids. We lived hand to mouth, God knows how we'd have coped without family helping out. That was decades ago and we had a Labour government.

I can't imagine how horrific it must be now to have to rely solely on benefits.

@PickAChew this winter? I think I will only pay £30-40 per month.
with a family of 4.

Don’t forget the benefits that are not means tested…PM Cameron was claiming DLA for his disabled son while earning what a quarter million quid a year? Which is fine, but these sort of top line stats don’t mean what you, labrador, think they do.

“In 2018, EPC requirements
changed for landlords through
the introduction of a minimum
energy rating of 'E' or above for
new tenancies. Now, this rule
applies to all tenancies, not just
new ones.”

My old home was EPC E. It was grade II listed with 200yr old single glazed rotting out of their wood frames windows….no foundation 5mm gaps between floor boards and “dirt” under floor, loft insulation last chucked up there circa 1970, solid brick walls so no cavity insulation….

EPC E is a very bad rating.

They weren't any, because that never happened.

But all those workers get top up benefits to the same level so they are actually no worse off. Then they often get tax credits on top of that, so still end up ahead.

Because it is very very very expensive to be poor.
Much more so than to be an average or high earner.

Secondly, what has become of
This country when people like you feel
Empowered to say something so truly selfish & vile.

I’m fed up of paying for prescriptions when benefit claimants get it all for free (again, I’d never begrudge those truly in need).

@NellesVilla I claim PIP benefit and pay for my 7 prescriptions I need every month…..if you’re struggling, may I suggest you look into a prepayment certificate? It’s only £108/yr for unlimited prescriptions and the NHS can do a monthly DD for £10.80 for ten months and then auto-renew. Anyone can get one.

I've just sat here reading some of these comments. Bloody hell it's depressing to realise that if these comments are to go by then there's a large minority of society looking down on me because of my situation.
Life is a funny old thing, you never know what's around the corner.
5 years ago I had a well paying career, infact paid 40% tax on some earnings, was married and living a comfortable life with my child as a double income family.
Fast forward to now. Disability took my career, husband decided he wanted a 'normal' wife (his delightful words) and overnight I became one of the people some of you seemingly despise.
I now survive on my medical retirement pension, ESA and PIP. The ex has decided he can't afford CM this month so I'm currently trying to figure out how I'm going to feed my 11 year old and I.
I'd not wish disability or misfortune on anyone but believe me when I say life can take an unexpected turn at any point.
For those thinking 'but you're one of the okay ones, cos you're disabled', we don't wear bloody labels so we can be judged as to how deserving we are for the handouts that are just about keeping my head above water.
I'm scared. I'm tearful most of the time. I'm not being the best Mum I should be because my mind is thinking of what else I can flog for a bit of cash or how I'm going to get petrol this week. Then I read some of the comments on here and think 'you haven't got a clue' because honestly, for some of you, you've got no bloody idea what you're talking about.
Rant over, I'm going back under the pile of blankets x

I'm a single parent of 3, and we're still receiving tax credits (haven't been migrated over to UC yet). I don't know exactly what they've done with increases/thresholds but the actual amount I receive hasn't increased in line with inflation for years. Some years its gone down, despite my circumstances (earnings) barely changing. I'm convinced most benefits haven't genuinely tracked the rate of inflation in real terms for ages.

And according to online benefits calculators, UC in my circumstances is actually less than the current child tax credits calculation (I appreciate transitional protection should cover the difference, but as I'm self employed I'm not sure that'll actually last long).

I don't qualify for or receive housing benefit, but I know people who do. And there is no way that has increased with the real rate of rents for years either. Currently there is no way that it will cover actual private rent charges. Someone entitled to single bedroom housing benefit gets £440 a month. That's supposed to be the rate for self contained living accommodation, not a room in shared accommodation. There is nothing self contained available to rent for less than £600, typically it's more like 700+ (and that's if you can actually find somewhere).

The national min wage has gone up significantly over the last few years, but benefits amounts and thresholds haven't been adjusted in line with that.

Yes there is a problem with the social economy in this country - it shouldn't be necessary to prop up by household incomes with government handouts yet still leave people below the poverty line. I don't know what the answer is, but things are badly broken in this country.

It’s people like you that create this culture of “ people on benefits are lazy or sponge of the state “ . If you are worried about your own circumstances then blame the appropriate people , your employer, the government, not those just above the bread line . You are doing exactly what this government is going for making everyone blame those on benefits, it’s their way to divide , it’s either the poor or the immigrants or the refugees or the disabled , then your focus is not on the government .

This comes to mind :
“A billionaire, a working man, and an immigrant are all in a room with 100 cookies on the table. The billionaire takes 99 of them and then whispers to the working man, “That guy’s gonna steal your cookie.””

The grasshoppers are not benefits claimants, they are the ultra-rich who pay less tax through bought and paid for MPs & PMs writing tax loopholes passing laws to benefit them. Truss’ mini reverse Robin Hood budget is a good example remarkable only for its blatant out there we are cutting taxes on the rich and cutting benefits for the poor. But it’s not different from what past 12yrs has been, they’re just not pretending to care anymore.

Floating around on a super yacht surrounded by super models being fed by a your own Michelin starred chef and having one nanny per child….that’s life of luxury.

Jumping through hoops to keep your pittance so you don’t starve to death, not a grasshopper life. It’s a squashed ant life.

I can confirm that housing benefit doesn't cover rent. I have to use nearly all of my esa to cover the shortfall and then use my dla for all other costs (food, utilities etc).

Also I would like to thank all those who have passionately yet articulately described the harsh realities of life on benefits. I used to have more fight in me to do so myself but I feel ground down by the apparent hatred and resentment by a certain section of society over the past 12 years. I cannot describe the psychological effect of watching a sizeable proportion of your fellow humans vote in a party again and again which doesn't even hide its contempt for the disabled and vulnerable. It's hard enough being too sick to have any agency over your life; to be hated for that fact in addition is unbearable.