To notice the 10% benefit rise and know I'm on the bones of my ass

[Letspovertyplayagain]

I know it's tiny. But when you are properly skint after everything you notice this tiny rise will mean some strawberries for the kids or some fresh milk instead of uht. This is for the people who complain they are poor or feeling the pinch when they really have no idea. And define their poverty as not going on holidays....

I've never mentioned child benefit. You must have me mixed up.

I would presume the only people getting such large amounts are the severly disabled. I certainly would not envy them.

@Willyoujustbequiet

I wouldnt presume.

I dont think its that uncommon. And certainly not only severely disabled

Not at all. People with high rents and high childcare costs could have a Uc claim running into thousands as well as people who have a large number of children born before the cut of date where it was capped to them paying for 2 children.

Obviously £3.42 per day is not enough to feed a child three nutritious meals. So no, it is nowhere near enough to cover food.

Being on benefits is utterly shit. I work but don't make enough to not need a hand from benefits. People on benefits are human too and surely if op getting a bit more £ in her pocket and able to buy some nicer things in their shopping from time to time then that's a good thing.

I think it's a fair increase actually I'm on enhanced rates of PIP and Contribution based ESA, but total is wiped out by the energy support stoppage so in real terms it won't make much difference

I'm not too sure anyone will be getting any extra £ in their purse to buy more shopping. Hasn't everyone's increase (UC / employer / whatever) been more than wiped out by increased gas / elec / water / council tax / rents / fares ... Oh, and food too - the list is endless?

No of course it isn't. Because benefits, and public sector wages have had below inflation rises consistently.

That's why there are more homeless, more food banks and more child poverty. It wasn't a necessity it was and is a political choice. And as someone up thread pointed out many people have absolutely no idea how the poorest have to live.

I would love someone to tell me how I can get £35.000 in benefits. I am a single parent and full time carer to a disabled DD who is never going to be able to live independently and don't even get anywhere near half that amount (including rent).

My Carers Allowance has just gone up but that is deducted from any UC I might get. The 10% won't even cover the doubling in my electric bill now my fixed tariff has run out. And before anyone says are you getting all you are entitled to, yes I am.

I'm getting a bit sick of the narrative of some posters on MN that those on benefits are coining it in.

I worked and paid taxes for years. I would love for DD not to be disabled and her Dad not to have died but that's life. I don't feel sorry for myself, life is what it is, but I do not appreciate the sneery benefit scrounger undertones of a growing number of posters on MN.

Yes it will be useful.

True. People on benefits have had a extra help last year with cost of living payments and another £900 coming this year. I know it's not a lot but it does help a bit with gas and electricity, food etc. Many on benefits will be paying very little in council tax so the rises there are unlikely to affect them much.

The 2 child rule came in 6 years ago so there are dwindling numbers of large families with kids under 16.

The people claiming for childcare are contributing by working and doing what the Government is actvely encouraging to fill the shortages and improve our economy.

High rents are a result of a chronic housing shortage and lack of planning by the Government/greed of some landlords. None of which is the fault of the claimants who don't see any of it.

The mortgage increases most certainly will though.

Uc pays up until 18 if the child is in education and there are a fair few numbers of people still claiming for multiple children.
And I didn't say that claimants were seeing any of the money. It's a disgrace how UC is going to pay off rich landlords mortgages, I'm surprised there isn't more uproar / protest about this. My comment was purely explaining how people on UC can end up with awarded of thousands.

Yes very true. I think they are or have just changed the waiting time for people to get help with interest on mortgages so if you lose your job and have a mortgage you can get help straight away now without having to wait nine months, but that still doesn't help with people still in work facing mortgage increases.

I'm glad your children will get strawberries now OP. It is not a massive amount but at least it is in line with inflation.

I'm surprised there isn't more uproar about the price of gas. I nearly had a heart attack yesterday having opened the bill. How is this sustainable going forward? It's very frightening. And to those who say cut back - the standing charge is 42p a day on electricity, and 32p per day on gas before you even start.

This!

We literally just got out incomes high enough that for the last few months our UC entitlement was £0 the increase means we'll start getting something again. I certainly appreciate the extra help, but it's weird to think the increase is taking us backwards sort of. Not complaining though.

10% is much more than most people in full time work have got. Most people haven't had a rise at all.

Then fight for your raise, support those striking to get a better wage. Look at where the real problem is - with greedy corporations and our corrupt government. Don't punch down.

I'm a pensioner so have just had the 10% rise which is very welcome, but it does not offset the huge costs we have been paying over the last year. For those of us on low incomes, the food and fuel increase have meant inflation nearer 20% than 10%. The increase is around £80 per month, with the unemployed getting less than this.
In comparison, if nurses got 10%, a nurse with a few years experience would get over £200 per month rise. I'm not knocking nurses, just that percentage rises disproportionally disadvantage the lowest incomes.

But the state pension was never intended to mirror the nurses wage.

The comparison of pension and benefits to working peoples salary is like comparing apples and oranges.

Can you show me your calculations and tell me who these people are, please?

The benefit cap is still 1,666.67 outside London and 1,835.00 inside London for a family, but most people receive less than that. £35000 after tax and NI is £2286 per month.