To think that working people should get help too

[cantthinkofabetterusername]

I read today about another COL payment next year for people on benefits, pensioners etc. Now I completely agree that the most vulnerable in society need help and i don't begrudge them a penny. My AIBU is working people are struggling too! I work 30 hours a week, dp does 50 therefore we get no government help as we apparantley earn too much. In reality we're scraping by most months due to increasing bills and general cost of living, I'm aware I may come across as jealous, I'm not im just bloody frustrated that working people who don't get government help are seen by the government as not struggling

I know many people on benefits work! That's not the point of the thread, my point is like a pp said everyone got help with energy for example because the energy price hike was so unaffordable but yet next year the people who don't claim any help aren't entitled when energy prices will be higher. It doesn't make sense. Im not against people getting help, not at all but my point is at the moment EVERYONE is struggling

I do however agree that help towards energy costs should be across the board or at least at a higher threshold of earning than current benefits but I suspect this would be to hard to implement

Welcome to the world of a single childfree household...at least u can still split all ur bills with another adult bringing in money. 😏

I agree OP, the next two years are going to be very tough for a lot of families.

The help for pensioners is a political decision due to who votes Tory - many do really need support, many do not.

Pensions aren’t means tested and they all go up 10% - definitely political and very wrong!

I get the frustration but the higher up the chain you go the easier it is to make savings and somewhere there has to be a cut off. On a very very simplistic level, top chain buys Heinze beans, they drop to store own brand when the cost increases, middle buys store own brand , they drop to value range. Bottom are already on value range, they go without.

Because if everyone got help, who would pay for it? The Government helps those most in need.

I’m a teacher, I work 50 hours a week and I’m still entitled to UC and COL payments. It’s not my fault that my wages aren’t enough to live on - I wish I bloody well earned enough to not need the extra support!

@sweeneytoddsrazor exactly this ! It isn't a change in lifestyle for the poorest there is literally nowhere else to go but starve/freeze

This is what makes me mad

The level of hatred and unpleasant criticism towards the sweezed middle I find amazing on threads like this. For those who do think this, where do you think money comes from the magic money tree FFS.

We dont work hard and have aspirations to give it all away to ungrateful so and sos like most of you. Just for one moment take your bile and hatred and direct it to the real cause of your isses. Not the people, who get of their behinds and are having their pay ripped away more and more each month to keep you happy.

Unless you're with someone who is absolutely shit with money and you end up subsidising them.

Aw, it is cute you think this! Those wealthier pensioners definitely need help more than lower income families. I know a local pensioner who will be very happy to have a little more help towards his swimming pool heating costs...

Enough people need to be paying more into the system than they are getting back out. Otherwise it won’t work. Someone has to foot the bill for the hand outs and that is going to include working people who don’t earn a huge amount.

Regarding pensions - we have one of the lowest pensions in the developed world. It's 10% of a pretty low amount.

This is true.

However another truth is there are far fewer pensioner households in absolute poverty than working households.

My preference would be for the help there is to be better targeted. I know pensioners who are extremely wealthy, pensioners absolutely on the breadline and everything in between.

Exactly

With the pensions - this will bump the state pension to the staggering heights of around 880 per month

Again this could probably be means tested to go to those who are relying solely on state pension for example but I imagine the admin costs to implement would probably outweigh just doing it across the board

So they don't do it and who suffers ? The poorest

Wish people could see the bigger picture

I wonder if it feels more galling because I am paying more tax to make up for the Tories' fuck ups. If we were actually investing in something worthwhile it would be easier to get behind it.

There’s a huge misconception that people who claim benefits have never paid into the system on mumsnet.

People do see the bigger picture.

But the wealthiest pensioners getting additional support is becoming unsustainable, it feels.

There are two things - rise in basic pension and additional support.

Like I say, the pensioner I know in the massive house with the indoor pool may not need the extra fuel bill support?

The more support the more tax goes up, so someone would pay for higher levels

Hatred and bile? Wow, pot, kettle, black.
Not sure I've read anyone vilifying the 'squeezed middle', just empathetic people trying to defend people who found themselves in the position where they have to claim benefits. A lot of these people have also acknowledged that working people who don't qualify for top ups should also get more help.
The hatred and vile is mostly coming from people like you who hold such bitterness for anyone who claims benefits, for whatever reason.
Have a go at the employers, the government, the landlords etc, instead of the easy targets

@carefulcalculator no I absolutely agree he doesn't but if it costs more to go through everyone's private finances with a fine tooth comb in order to decipher whether they should be entitled or not then whats the answer ? A blanket no on a pension increase and let the poorest freeze or a blanket yes and some people who don't need it will get it ? Which scenario is worse

😂Easy to say when the money is not coming out of your pocket! exactly my point.

And please remember the majority of tax payers have been or still are tax payers. God forbid one of you have your circumstances change so much that you have to humiliate yourselves enough to find yourselves asking for extra help. See how quick you are to sit behind your anonymous keyboards and judge everyone else