To think being on benefits might be better than working

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Is there anyway being on benefits is better than working? So much of day is spent worrying about work, working and dealing with office politics. I dislike work, and get no pleasure or satisfaction other than my pay. It’s got nothing to do with my job or team; I just dislike working.

I was thinking that being on benefits might not be as bad as people once thought. The main benefit would be not having to stress about working. With council tax, housing benefit and a hole host of other benefits, you could life a fairly decent life.

A return bus journey is £8 where I live. You have to work 30 mins just to cover your trip to and from work. You’ll work all month, live in a HMO and have nothing at the end of each month.

I'm sure if anyone won the lottery, they would give up work without a second thought. However, working surely trumps being on benefits, although it may seem some do well on them I understand. I wouldn't say it's an ideal choice for someone is able to work and just wants to go on them for a seemingly easier life. They were originally people who needed help to survive, not a lifestyle choice.

This is good 👍 👏

If I'm being completely honest - I get 36k a year in benefits and will for the next 10+ years.

Of course I'll use this time to get my degree and training done so I can work in a decades time, but I can completely see why people don't bother getting a job if they don't have to. Although my care needs are high - I love being a SAHM, we have disposable income, holidays etc.

I feel sorry for the people that are working themselves into the ground for little money, but it's not my fault I get 36,000 a year - I simply claim what I'm entitled to and I'd chose this over working any day.

Why? How do you know it will be for ten years? Just curious/ nosey.

@Zippidydoodah because my 4 year old gets high rate care and high rate mobility element of DLA and he will until he gets moved over to PIP when 16.

So until then I'll get UC (including disability elements which adds on quite a lot), carers allowance etc and DLA (which I obviously use to pay for his needs)

It was a rhetorical question in response to a PP who said a couple going out shopping should be able to work.

And in response, I get told I can work because I can go out shopping and post on MN, another person telling me that I am not working due to "playing the victim" despite knowing nothing about me, and implying people must criticise me for not working because they must know I am swinging the lead. Why on earth would I give further information for people to pick apart? And believe me, people do. It has happened to me, and happens to other people here all the time.

It's common knowledge dude, sorry I haven't got time for collating data and graphs.

This is such a fake post!!

No one gets PIP for a diagnosis. To get PIP, you have to prove how your daily living is affected by your health condition.
I know many alcoholics, and they all have other things going on that entitles to them PIP, such as mental illness. One is disabled after a stroke caused by drinking. Or their alcoholism is severe to the point they simply can not look after themselves at all. Very poor nutrition, self care etc. These things can score people points when they apply for PIP. But being a drinker alone, wont.
And no one fakes alcoholism. It affects every aspect of your life, and has an awful impact on those that care for you. They would have evidence from their GP about their drinking, and this would be in the form of physical health effects from drinking such as liver function tests... times they have been in A&E etc.
You can't fake it because alcoholism and its effects are not something you can switch on and off. No aspect happens overnight. It is creeping, and you can't fake something so gradual.

I know at people in at least two of those jobs and they both definitely earn way above the listed salary ranges - more like the wages they're apparently supposed to have.

Nope, I have seen @mumof1x99 post on similar threads, and she even started her own were she was worried about being judged by her best friend. She has a child with physical disabilities, along with being disabled herself. She has posted a breakdown of the benefits she gets on those threads.
Disabilities can bump benefits up a lot... but it is not something to get mad over. I am glad people like mumof1x99 are being looked after.

It's your opinion clearly - not common knowledge. Please don't refer to me as dude

But, do you not get how benefits work? You can't just 'choose' to go on them!
'Hi Mr Benefits office, I'd like some free money please, so I can buy fags, tvs and go on holiday ten times a year!'
Its a load of rubbish! It doesn't work like that! Especially these days! Its a fight just to get help for my disabled husband and daughter and they have Down Syndrome, seizures, hypotonia And MS! lol. The hoops you have to jump through to qualify is crazy, and thats when you truly NEED help!

If OP goes on benefits, they will have to show they are actively looking for work, fill out notebooks, keep diaries, go into interviews and thats if they allow it if they have been seen to purposely given up their job. I'm not that clear on it all but its no walk in the park!

Nope, not fake. I get the same for my daughter with Down Syndrome, the highest rate of care and high end mobility, and yes, I have disposable income even after taking care of her needs. So we use her money to make her life as amazing as possible. :-)

But you can't just quit work and go on benefits! Thats not how it works! For one thing if they saw OP had quit work, they won't help as you are deemed to have made your bed, so lie in it, and quite rightly!
When you ARE on the benefits, you have to show daily that you are actively looking for work, you have to fill diaries, have phone calls asking where you are in your job searching or you get sanctioned, your money is stopped, you dont just get handed a pile of dough and told to enjoy! lol

You can go on holiday whilst on UC.

Yep, you can be abroad for up to a month and still get UC. That is on the Gov website.

Work coaches don't phone people up in between appointments asking about job search. You fill in an online journal and that is it. As hard as it is being on benefits most of the work coaches I've had have been very supportive - and some people absolutely do get sanctioned unfairly but I was never once threatened with a sanction over my journal. You are more likely to be sanctioned for missing an appointment or being late to one.

I've been in a situation where I left a job and claimed JSA and I was not sanctioned. I had a new job within weeks. I was bullied to within an inch of my life and I stuck it out as long as I could. There are times where people need to resign or go through the sickness process and then claim benefits. They asked me for my version of events and my ex employer theirs - and I could evidence that I had been poorly treated.

You might get a shock about how hard it is in the workplace trying to find a job even with a degree (speaking from experience).

@MyLimeGuide fake post? 🤣

1762 per month (single standard allowance £393.45, child element £287.92, severe disabled child element £487.58, carer’s element £198.31 and rental element £750, then I have a deduction of £354.90 per month as carers allowance that I get weekly is taken off £ for £)

Carers allowance - 81.90 per week
DLA high rate care and high rate mobility - 184 per week
Child benefit - 25.60 per week

Equals 36,302 per year.

@Roobarbtwo that's true but I don't have much choice. Ideally I'll be training to be a speech and language therapist, there's very high demand in my area but who knows in 10 years time! I guess only time will tell, but for now my life revolves around my son

So the bottom line from the thread OP, whether you would be better off on benefits is, it depends. If you are low paid, you could very well be better off on benefits living without the work stress. I think it's just a lie to pretend everyone on benefits would love to work and would be better off in work.
I would rather be unemployed and fill my day with things I liked doing (plenty of free things to do) than work 40 hours per week as a hospital cleaner getting a tiny bit of extra money. Absolutely, I'd choose benefits, this would be a completely rashonal decision.

Sorry.

You are a deserved cause then:-)