Cut benefits before increasing council tax

[Bonde]

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/reeves-council-tax-hike-5HjdMrJ_2/

As an increase in income tax is now out the window, the government will have to look at other ways to fill the gap by increasing a dozen smaller taxes. One option, I think they will opt for, is to apply a surcharge for homes in bands F,G&H. It would be politically expedient to do so because many people will assume those in such homes are wealthy.

We purchased our band f property earlier this year at £550k. We live in London and didn’t want to uproot our family, and move jobs, so decided to buy our 2.5 bed house.
After mortgage and bills, we have £100 to £200 left over, but some months have nothing. An increase would be so difficult to manage.

Why can’t the government have the courage to cut benefits. You can buy a BMW or Mercedes on the Mobility Scheme! Why?

I didn't know I was autistic until I started looking into it for my son. Suddenly, it all clicked. I have worked jobs - too many of them, to be fair. I've tried all different kinds, all different hours, all different sectors (that I'm qualified for with a shit education) and every single one of them made me physically ill from autistic burnout.

Mumsnet is going to be wild on that day

Thankyou

🤪 yep!

Talking emotionally about the vulnerable is all well and good, but there’s no money anymore. We can’t spend what we don’t have.

The UK is borrowing unbelievable sums of money just to service the debt. I don’t think many people realise what an appalling financial situation this country is in. We can’t afford all the things people want - and they’re in for a rude awakening sooner rather than later. A huge financial crisis is coming down the pipeline and people should plan accordingly.

Disability benefits accounts for less then 4% of government spending so i don't think the disabled are the problem.

There will be massive cuts. Anyone who’s ignoring the reality of what’s facing us has their head in the sand, or is engaging in wishful thinking. All this funding will be cut to the bone.

How can you "plan accordingly" when you live on benefits due to disability and have no wiggle room in your finances? And it is not like you can just up your hours or get a better paid job.
But it is ok. Slash the benefits from people who can't afford it just so the better off don't have to be a tiny bit less better off.

Exactly this. It's utterly rubbish but this is the reality.

I was thinking the same.

There's no planning accordingly.

Cut what exactly as it will cost more to cut.

Im gonna give that a crack, being less disabled. I hadn't thought of that.

And also accepting that my life should be shittier than a non-disabled persons, simply because they have the misfortune to have a minimum wage job....

I'd like to ask those who are not disabled, why do you think your life should be nicer, easier, more affluent... than mine?

Because you got lucky and I didn't? Because you think you work harder than me (I'll be willing to bet a lot of you do not!)

If my life appears better than that of someone who isn't disabled, surely thats a/ a matter of perspective, and b/not my fault.

If you can't quite imagine what it is like to deal with constant pain, lack of mobility, life limiting conditions... and think that having a nice big car (which costs more than I'd like it to cost to actually drive it anywhere) when you can't afford to buy a new car yourself means I have the better deal. Um, what can I say. You lack imagination!

If you're working your arse off and barely making ends meet, yes, there is a problem - that problem isn't disabled people. That problem is your tight arsed employer, your awful mortgage rate, your energy bill that is a total rip off, your grocery bill that is eye watering...

None of that is the fault of disabled people nor will it be altered by cutting benefits further.

If you're miserable and struggling with your lot in life and you're looking at disabled people and thinking they have it better than you and do not deserve to, you've been led by the nose, distracted into looking in totally the opposite direction from where the real problem lies! Fool!

Why the pile on to a vulnerable and disabled poster? Does it make you feel big to question her in such a way?
She will have been assessed by the DWP as not fit for work. That has been between her and the DWP. You have fuck all to do with it.

Autism is so much more than "finding life difficult". Educate yourself before you embarrass yourself. And whilst you are at it, look up the stats for how many autistic people are in any sort of paid employment. I think you will find employers are the problem, and the the autistic people out there that very much want to work.

I literally can't.

I've tried part time work. It still made me physically unwell, and it drove me to the point of being suicidal. Not only that, but I could barely manage university 2 days a week. I was having multiple meltdowns and ended up dropping out after 6 months. And that was only earlier this year.

Will I encourage my son to work? Of course I will. He deserves a better life than I can provide for us at the moment. But if he can't work? Then I also understand that and I won't hold it against him.

I didn't ask to be born this way. Just like you probably didn't ask to be born with an insanely low amount of empathy.

I'd LOVE to work. But I just can't. Suicidal thoughts (which I have anyway) and physical illness from autistic burnout is not worth it. I'd rather my son have a mother, than have no mother because I ended up killing myself from all of the stress and anxiety that working causes for me.

Take your lack of empathy and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. You clearly don't understand. Nor should I expect you to, because you've clearly never been in my shoes.

Thank you. Honestly. I shouldn't sit here feeling like I need to defend myself, but people like Pasadena just don't get it, and unless they become disabled, they never will.

it is ok. It happens a lot on here.
You already have a full time job, and that is managing your disability. You tried, and found out that paid employment is just an extra demand that you can't manage at all.
Demanding you work would be like telling someone with a leg fracture to run a marathon. I have a few autistic folk in my life that don't work and they are amazing people. Talented, compassionate, amazing parents (the ones with kids), devoted partners. But the pressure of a job just sends them over the edge and makes them very unwell.
You try your best, is all you can do

Superbly written!

You've made me cry. Thank you. Other than my partner and my mum, I feel like no one understands me. I'm so glad someone else does. I'm sorry if that's strange to say, but it's rare to be met with compassion, especially on a thread like this

It sounds like pp has tried incredibly hard to work in several jobs with various hours and due to her disability, it just isn't possible for her to work.

It isn't possible for everyone with a disability to work and not all workplaces are willing to be flexible and offer reduced hours, reasonable adjustments etc to make it possible for either someone who is disabled to work or someone who has caring responsibilities for a disabled child to work.

Honestly, MN can be an absolute cesspit at times, especially when it comes to topics on benefits.
But not everyone is awful, and there are those of us that do understand and will fight your corner to the bitter end.

I’ve made and will continue to make my case to MN that some of the comments made on this site about disability and disabled people is hate speech and if I get the standard reply that the site is for discussion I will be copying every single comment from the eugenics comments and the workhouse comments and the what quality of life etc comments to the press and to the police where relevant and let’s see how long those who have plenty to say when anonymous will have to say to their employers and their families if they get exposed.
They wouldn’t say it in person to someone, never mind to a disabled person, as evidenced by the neighbours they have who swindled the system (as if) but yet they never say to them how worthless etc they are…
I’d love, just as a for instance, to see that male TA poster (who obviously works in a school) who openly called disabled people’s lives (children) less than others explain to his co-workers or the parents at his school what he really thinks.
I wonder if the posters who can be so glib about the lives of disabled people can look into the eyes of their aging parents or partners and say, you were only worth it when you worked.
But of course Mumsnet is a place of SUPPORT for parents 🤣

I have MS, work full-time and receive PIP. I give up the mobility component of my PIP for the use of an adapted car, which is leased, will never be mine, and for which I had to make a substantial down payment. You don't care about the details, you just want benefits cut. Which benefits and by how much, exactly? Would you rather i lost my PIP, my car and had to give up work? A single adult on UC receives about £400 a month. How is anyone supposed to survive when the spoilt middle-classes have done cutting what is already a pittance? Oh, and your apology is not accepted, btw.