AIBU to be miffed about Chester Zoo?

[Stillinshock123]

I need a space to rant but then I welcome feedback and general common-sense.

Chester zoo have posted about £1 deal for those on benefits such as UC, DLA and PIP.

Now, I understand that for some this may be the only opportunity to attend the Zoo given their already ridiculously high prices.

However AIBU to be upset that yet again working families (full time not claiming parts of UC) don’t seem to benefit from much?

We attend the zoo only once a year because of how expensive it is.. so that’s a luxury. So no thanks, no support or discounts.

I emailed them about this, and they replied saying that it’s part of a charity scheme to give back to families who otherwise can’t afford it. But then.. why shouldn’t it be first come first serve?

I mean this honestly and without sounding nasty. My son is disabled and he receives DLA. Until you are in this situation you have no idea (I mean that) how hard life is for disabled people. My little boy is last in line for literally everything. He never wins a race, never the front of the line, always caught first in games and so on and on and on . Life for a disabled child (on my son’s case physical) is really hard and full of disappointment. They really bloody deserve any perk they can get. You must work hard and I get that sucks (we do too) but you child can use their arms and legs, go on a bike ride, go to the swings or any of the many other things your child can get enjoyment out of. Don’t begrudge a disabled child a cheap look round a zoo.

Yeah!! I love it when my disabled child saves me money on zoo trips.

Makes it all worth it!

🙄

You are right - apologies. I thought I'd used mine there, but it was West Midlands safari park.

I didn't realise we are jealous of kids getting sweets regularly because their parents claim UC?

@Greysofa enjoy working while I look after my severely disabled son. Swap places?? Thought not. Have a word with yourself. We will enjoy the zoo, thanks btw 😃

@Thatweegirl I know right, so lucky having disabled kids when it gives your £1 access to the zoo! So lucky! Absolute t w a t s

Did you get annoyed when they had the Lanterns & Light event for hospice children for free as well. It’s not the children’s fault if parents have never worked. Taking them on affordable days out gives them incentives to make a better life for themselves.

It also might inspire some of those children to work in animal conversation. If they don’t have these experiences they have no aspirations to do anything with their lives. Be greatful you don’t have to rely on charity. There’s single working parents who claim UC because they don’t earn enough to live on.

But that highlights the problem. You might have £500 left for non-essentials a month. Your cousin might have £30 and someone else (not on benefits) might have £100. If you spend £100 on zoo tickets, you still have £400. If your cousin spends £2, he has £28 left. The other person, who has to spend £100, has no disposable income left. And it isn’t just the zoo, it is repeated over and over with different deals and offers. The lower middle income group are being squeezed out and that is bound to cause resentment. Very few people want to be the cash cow.

How do we make it fairer?

@HappyChristmaswooho so you can avoid all the disabled kids? Nice. Don't worry, im sure they would rather avoid c u next Tuesdays like you as well, tbh!

If you live reasonably close to the zoo a season ticket it about 8 pounds a month for an adult Less than Netflix. Most middle income families can afford that.

One of my most favourite places - so lucky to have grown up close by and more latterly visited with my kids when visiting my parents. It's a special place and whilst expensive it does need the money for all it does for its animals and conservation - it can't afford to spread it's charity too thinly and I'm glad that those who otherwise couldn't afford to go can actually do so.

I’m not on benefits and currently can’t afford Chester zoo, it’s very expensive and I don’t think it’s worth the cost so wouldn’t never buy full price tickets to go.

my sister gets dla for her daughters adhd - how many people can you take along with the ticket? Could my sister take my daughter or would that not be allowed? I know my niece would like to go with her cousin and my daughter would love it too

They do to an extent. There is dynamic pricing all year round and members can take guests for a reduced price this month.

But how would you assess that? We already have a comprehensive (albeit imperfect) system of assessment that determines when you are in a financial position that is untenable - it's called UC. If the zoo had to set their own threshold for what they consider 'poor enough to need help' then how will they assess who is eligible? And how would that assessment system be funded?

Not to mention that the OP is literally suggesting that the kids most in need of help should potentially not be able to visit the zoo at all so that her kids can go more often... 🤔

@Watchoutfortheslowaraf why would your daughter get in on your nieces disability ticket??

6 tickets per eligible household.

https://www.chesterzoo.org/explore-chester-zoo/universal-credit-tickets

It says you can book tickets for up to 6 people, so yes it seems your daughter could go. I hope they all have a fab time

Also free entry for a few weeks next year if you visit this month.

As the poster says, it would be a lovely experience for both of them. Disabilites come with millions of. Hidden costs and can be so isolating - allowing a child receiving DLA to take a friend/family member for a special day out seems like an amazing thing for a charity to offer. I bet they imagined it would be relatively uncontroversial... 🙄

It's 6 tickets per eligible household. All 6 (or however many booked) are meant to be from the eligible household, but that's nigh on impossible to police with children.

(I do know of someone who was checked at London zoo that all three adults were from the same address)

I know all about the costs that come with a disabled child, thanks very much. Its the other posters on here that grudge any help they get, not me. Especially extreme ablests like Greysofa, would rather our disabled children were locked away out of sight.. being able to claim any benefits that may help them.. God forbid!

Not by taking something away from the disabled person who may well have significantly higher costs for everything from laundry to clothing and food. Those with limited mobility often have extortionate heating bills etc - it's not just a cheap day at the zoo.

In your example, the 'squeezed middle' could save half their disposable income a month for two months and have £50 to spend in each month.

The person on DLA would have to save half their disposable income for seven months to pay full price and would have had just £15 a month to spend for each of those months. Is that the kind of fairness you're suggesting?

I’m just placemarking here for when OP returns once she finds out about foodbanks

So everyone that gets UC has a disabled child. 🙄 my response was in fact to a previous poster, who thought it was smug to mention that they booked tickets for Christmas Eve after reading about the £1 tickets, given that the thread was about someone who couldn’t afford to go to the zoo. 🙄

Oh and I have a disabled child and I don’t get UC. So bite me!

Ha, yes. "Why are they getting free food when I have to buy mine?" Has to now not shop as much at Waitrose and get some bits from Lidl instead.
Some people can't even afford Lidl. But that must be their fault as they are getting their hair and nails done, and buying iPhones instead instead of food