To think £800p/m is pretty generous?

[Cuppasoupmonster]

Off the back of the ‘trapped women’ thread, out of curiosity I used ‘Entitled To’ to find out what I could claim if I was a single mum of 2 primary aged kids with no savings and an ex who paid the minimum in maintenance. The hypothetical single mum earns 1,300 p/m and rents a property costing £900 p/m.

The calculator said the minimum she would be entitled to would be £800p/m, which in my view is about right. Yet I hear a lot that benefits are a pittance and had assumed that to be the case, but I was pleasantly surprised by the result.

Am I overlooking something? Not trying to be goady, I’m genuinely curious.

YABU = £800 isn’t enough in these circumstances
YANBU = £800 is about right or even generous

@Haddle im sorry you feel that way but I haven’t bashed benefit claimants in any way. I’ve said, I was pleasantly surprised to see that in some cases (like my hypothetical but fairly common one) that people aren’t treated as badly as is sometimes implied on here.

If you can hand on heart say it was purely out of curiosity that you spent time putting your details into entitled to, then started a thread about it on Mumsnet with the purest of intentions, then fair play.

I doubt that though.

Yep, I can, hand on heart.

I wish there was a way for people like you and I to swap lives for a year.

Be thankful for what you have. Stop worrying about other peoples hypothetical lives.

Where am I ‘worrying’?

Astounded at some of these comments. Effectively saying benefits should also provide enough so claimants can have savings and make sure they’ve money for unexpected events, what sort of planet do people live on where they think this should be a thing, and that if you up benefits to more than to live month to month every single person would save the extra. Benefits are not intended to keep people super comfortable for gods sake and provide more than a low earner who is unentitled can have.

it’s money they take off of those working and they then give to those who are not, to ensure they can house and feed themselves. It is not for some cushy life with an account full of savings.

I actually think it's fine. For context I've used benefits a few times, always as a stop gap.

I used JSA when I was 18 and moved cities before getting a job. It was fine to live on.

I used ESA during my mental health breakdown and again it was a good amount.

I used Income Support as a single mum and was pretty damn well off actually with rent paid and spending money.

What I can't comment on is if you have a child with a disability, because I have no idea how much that costs and it could well not be enough. I don't know.

But in reality any money for doing absolutely nothing is good.

You haven't considered that the single parent might have childcare costs as well. You are being quite selective.

Completely agree.

Apparently having a holiday every year is a human right too!

Why shouldn't people be able to have money for unexpected events. Having some money for say calling a taxi if your child is sick and there aren't any ambulances available isn't being super comfortable or having a cushy life. What's the betting that if the single parent on benefits came on here and said they were desperate as child sick, no ambulances and no money for a taxi, people would be saying they were irresponsible and should have saved some money for emergencies.

I've never had to rely on benefits but I don't want us to go back to the Poor Laws, I really think some people would love it.

Thank you for being honest.

It’s good the system supports people xx

@onmytenthcoffee ”Doing absolutely nothing” - is that what you think lone parents do?

Is this a serious question? How much tax do you want people to pay? Tax payers are not Santa Claus. Even with the looming tax rises people will struggle, we need money for so many things, from the nhs, to schools to police to paying back our debts and here you are giving it let’s give the benefit claimants enough so they’ve savings?

never read anything so ludicrous.

I was a lone parent. I know what I did.
No one is every doing absolutely nothing.
I meant something you don't want with all your heart to do, as in mothering which is a joy not a chore.

I spent time with my baby.

That's not doing nothing but it's also not really doing anything.

also, I meant doing nothing to get the money. Not earning it. And I stand by that comment.

But if they are they will be heavily subsidised as PP explained.

Nothing to do with 'nervous', OP.

The majority clearly agree with you - as per the voting - but know it's a waste of time having such discussions on MN so they don't bother posting.

MN will not recognising that not working, on a day to day level, is more pleasant than busting your arse in a stressful or physical job.

*recognise

@onmytenthcoffee in recent years the conditions for getting benefits have got much stricter, and the sanctions much heavier. Very few people do nothing.

Most single parents are in work and caring for their children.

Plus if you look at this year alone, in April benefits went up by much less than the rate of inflation. I suspect Rishi is going to announce another real terms cut next week.

I don't actually think £800 a month for an adult and 2 children is generous. It isn't enough to do very much with, certainly not to cope with life shocks or one off events or costs. Or to give your child any treats. Or to let you get a hair cut. If you're comparing it to wages favourably, the answer isn't that benefits are too high it's that wages are too low.

You are better off though. Significantly so.

Lots of people on UC have mortgages and get no help but you keep disregarding this.

UC does offer financial assistance with mortgages.

Nah they recognise it, it's a cope.

I couldn’t agree more! As a foreigner who settled here without ever claiming a penny I’m constantly astounded by the absurd level of entitlement, and the incredible generosity shown by the UK government.

In most other countries (USA included) people would be living on the streets instead of being housed and fed for free. I have a staff member on UC who only works 15 hours a week and whose income is higher than mine. From where I’m standing all she had to do to get this was make a baby with a useless idiot.