AIBU to be angry about the benefits system

[Daffodilsinfebruary]

I have recently discovered by using a free, independent benefits calculator called entitledto that had I applied for Universal Credit over 2 years ago, me and my family would be over £16,000 better off.

I had assumed that benefits were for either single-parent families or people unable to work due to disability.

The majority of our savings would have been from claiming 85% back in childcare costs. We also would have had a payout of over £200 each month in addition.

For context, we bring in just shy off £4,000 a month. I thought this was a very reasonable income and we would be entitled to nil.

I feel angry that we did not know about this. A friend of mine who I met through our children attending the same nursery told me she claims 85% back in childcare costs during a conversation in which I complained of my childcare going up £150.

I did further research and 19 billion pounds apparently goes unclaimed every year.

I’ve never claimed benefits in all my life and worked hard to get on the property ladder.

should I be angry that we didn’t claim, or take it in my stride.

I wonder how many other families who could have claimed but haven’t.

You can't really give the money back. But I am suggesting, if you have money left over for luxuries because of benefits claim, then you shouldn't be claiming benefits. At least I know I would feel like a scammer if I knew I am having take aways, holidays and hair/nail treatments if I am claiming benefits, I mean surely that's not what the benefits system is? So people can have nice things? It should be like good banks a matter of last recourse. Of course you are entitled to your opinion though.

No one "deserves" anything you either earn it or not. But yeah people think they can choose a certain lifestyle AND wholeheartedly believe they are entitled to life luxuries regardless of who pays for them...the magic money tree, "the government" 🤣

The benefits I receive pays my bills, and means I can eat. If I also spend a bit on nice things, then how does that mean that I should not be receiving any at all? You make no sense.

Do you feel comfortable knowing you are subsidized for stuff that are not needs? Like eating out, or holidays, etc. there are obviously no rules or laws about it at the moment. But it's about personal responsibility and ethics. To me it's like politicians claiming for their food when they don't need to be subsidized for that, why take it?

I need some nice things in my life, otherwise what is the point? Or am I meant to sit and stare at the same walls all day, eat only gruel, and dress in rags?

I get a certain amount in UC. That amount is determined by DWP, not me. I can't say "just give me enough to pay for bills and food, I don't need the rest". It does not happen like that. I do need UC to live. I sometimes have a bit to spare. That does not mean I am not entitled to it, or should not be getting it. It is nothing like politicians claiming for food at all.

You not allowed to, according to some people on here.

I know. It is fucking depressing that some people think that way.

I think the ignorance of these comments mostly comes from not understanding how the benefit system works. Different benefits are paid for different reasons and some people clearly don’t apply any critical thinking before commenting. As I said upthread, some people would have benefit claimants standing in a corner in the dark, waiting quietly to die so as not to inconvenience ‘the tax payer’ - conveniently overlooking that very many benefit claimants are taxpayers and have also contributed via NI to the benefits they claim. I was a benefit adviser and it’s depressing how often l came across this attitude - people feeling superior and somehow qualified to pass judgement on others, not only on whether or not they should be claiming benefits, but what they should snd shouldn’t be spending them on.

FFS. If this is how you see it, then you clearly don’t have a clue as to how the benefit system works.

You know that lots of benefit claimants are tax payers, right ? You also know that lots of benefit claimants have contributed to the system while working ? And presumably you know that, with the possible exception of UC, benefits are in the main awarded as set amounts and not tailored to your exact circumstances ? And you know that there’s no facility for paying back what you don’t use ?

Do you really believe that just because you’re claiming benefit you’re not allowed to have some luxuries from time to time ? Why do you think that if claimants can afford to eat out or have their hair done every now and then they’re being paid too much ? There’s tax evasion and exploitation of loopholes going on on an industrial scale. We’ve all seen energy companies allowed to make obscene profits while we’re scared to put the heating on, snd we’ve seen this government wasting vast amounts of tax payers money on absolute crap. But on MN all of that pales in comparison to - god forbid - a benefit claimant actually having the temerity not to want to live in the dark and eat gruel.

She isn’t being subsidised for things that are not needs, PIP covers the extra costs of needs that disabled people have over and above the costs of needs of a regular abled person. In fact, numerous IFS studies have shown that PIP only covers around HALF the extra costs incurred for needs, not wants like holidays and eating out, but needs like extra therapy not provided by the NHS, medical aids not provided by the NHS, extra electricity for medical equipment, wheelchairs or scooters, extra gas to keep a house warm as turning down the thermostat isn’t an option when it could kill you, extra transportation costs, higher food costs as many can’t chop vegetables or cook so need pre-made foods they reheat, funds to cover unpaid sick days off work because being disabled can often mean higher rates of absence from work.

The money spent on holidays and eating out is gotten the SAME way as an abled person, either by working or by general out of work benefits. In fact, disabled people have LESS money than an abled person for this as they are the demographic most likely to be destitute and in poverty.

Yea there are loopholes for the Uber rich, company tax avoidance but that doesn't mean the benefits system is not rigged , how are these different statements mutually exclusive?

Apply some critical thinking and work it out for yourself. Do you really believe anything the Tories say after they’ve shown us what they really are ?

How is the benefit system "rigged"? If anything, it seems rigged against people who are trying to claim it.

Spot on.

As you can see from my previous comments, other posters and the OP we think the system is not working properly, in the way that people that don't need them are claiming and have enough for luxuries, some people decide to work part time then get a top up via benefits , and in the meantime time people with disabilities do not get enough.

I do need them, and sometimes I treat myself. That does not mean there is anything wrong with the benefit system at all. But we have already gone round in circles on this one.
I will be sure to self-flagellate in public, and utter my thanks to the tax payers when I next get a Costa.

Course they will. I work full time and also get benefits, once my bills are paid I spend it on what I want. People who work full time are not the government's target, they are targeting the long term unemployed.

Don't worry about it. I highly doubt any of the moral police on this thread would refuse to claim benefits they were entitled to, if they were. And as for comparing it to politicians claiming expenses, that is hilarious. This government has decided that those of us who are entitled to benefits do not earn enough to live on for whatever reason. Hence why we are entitled to claim them. Politicians DO earn enough to live on.

Why don't we just send everyone who gets UC to Rwanda and be done with it?

Isn't it better for the economy if benefits are spent on haircuts, clothes etc?

You are right. We are going round in circles but it's pretty obvious you'll be pro benefits if you are taking advantage of them, and I will be against because I never have, if our personal circumstances were opposite then maybe we'll think differently 🤣

but it's pretty obvious you'll be pro benefits if you are taking advantage of them

what do you mean 'taking advantage of'? Should people who are out of work, who are sick or disabled not claim benefits because you haven't?

And there are plenty of people out there who have never claimed a penny who are grateful for that and have an acute awareness that maybe one day it will be them. Most of us are just a few missed months in work before poverty.

Taking advantage as in taking advantage of a service or an opportunity, not necessarily taking advantage in a nefarious way. Yes it could be any of us at any point, but apart from terminal ill esa I don't see how it wouldn't be temporary. Also its important and part of adult responsibility to take measures to ensure you are not " a few months away from poverty", people have a mentality of I will spend it if I have it and don't think twice before "treating themselves" , the standard of living of most of the population has gotten to a ridiculous level, where everyone thinks having little luxuries are their God given right and then moan that they deserve, need and have the right to all these things, but equally have no funds to do it or no emergency funds. I a sorry but a Costa, nail treatments, hair treatments, holidays, Botox etc were always "luxuries" only people on certain income used to have, now you have everyone trying to live the social media lifestyle, with nothing in the bank account to back it up

Many full time workers have to claim because their wages are not enough!

Not enough for what? This is exactly what I mean, people have options, and we need to learn to help ourselves, if you are in good health there is no reason why you should be claiming benefits for a long period of time. Don't have enough? Move to a cheaper place (yes, the south East is not the only place to live), cut in subscriptions , get a side hustle, work an extra shift on weekends, maybe don't have kids if you can't afford them?, cook from scratch, grow your own food, retrain to get a better job, there are SO many options, but whilst there are benefits and people thinking it's still ok to claim them AND they have the right to little luxuries whilst in them , why would anyone exercise their personal responsibility? And obviously I know that the money lost in benefits is nothing compared to rich people dodging tax, that's another story. I just don't agree with how the benefit system works either.