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?

Yes. As a member of the ‘squeezed middle’ as mentioned above, it’s yet another kick in the teeth. Don’t worry though, I’ll still be working for those two weeks whilst all those poor benefits claimants have a jolly 👍🏻

Each to their own. As a member of the 'squeezed middle' and a Chester member I hope as many people as possible take their kids and make the most of it.

Then again I tend to save my disgust for corrupt politicians and criminals rather than people who have the temerity to qualify for income based benefits, or disability benefits.

It seems so! The bare faced cheek.

I hear you I think.

What you're saying is that it was a struggle to be able to afford to go, as it was just so expensive. Yet others get it for virtually nothing. It's that contrast in price - and therefore you feel it was possibly harder for you to go than for others.

This is the squeezed middle and I think it's normal to feel upset about this.

I also think those charity schemes are important for poorer families to be able to visit places. Unfortunately no scheme is perfect, and they can only run based on things that can be easily assessed, such as benefits eligibility.

The real problem is that wages just haven't kept up with inflation. It's the cost of living crisis. I hope you get to go again.

The colleague is in lesser paid role but has £700 a month more than the op? Can you not see why people are getting fucked off?

I say that as someone who claims UC myself.

Just to be slightly pedantic - He's actually technically not eligible if he receives contributions based ESA (which presumably he does with your income).

It's meant for income based ESA, although the websites tend not to be super clear on that (apart from London zoo who are) and admittedly it's highly unlikely a zoo worker would be able to tell the difference in an award letter on arrival.

I'm not saying anyone should begrudge those kids, I said it's good some are benefitting. The issue is there are plenty of families that don't qualify but can't begin to afford those experiences for their children. Some of them will be attending food banks due to the increased cost of living. All children deserve experiences and happiness but some of the frustration on this thread will be coming from an inability to provide things like that for your children all while struggling to feed them, keep a roof over their heads while being told it's ok for you, you don't qualify for benefits, you must be able to afford everything comfortably

Bah - bloody - humbug. Scrooge wants his point of view back as it doesn't make you look very kind.

Just think about the children who will be able to go who may never have had the opportunity otherwise. Its a really nice thing.

Exactly!

You don't really get in anywhere for £1 if you just get DLA without the carer's element of UC (like us). I do tend to use the theatre discount because my disabled child loves theatre but can't always manage the whole way through and I would be really annoyed to have paid loads for it if we have to leave after 15 minutes.

A trip like the zoo or the theme park is not a exactly a weekly thing for most families is it? It's a special treat. Our salaries are fine but that's still a once or twice a year thing to a really big attraction like that (we don't go to theme parks anyway but in that ballpark).

I do think it's a very ugly trait to be jealous of other people 'getting' more than you. You should want to lift everyone up, not make others have a shitter time to make you feel better.

@Stillinshock123 So, essentially you want Chester Zoo to reduce their entry fee to £1 for everyone "aside from mega rich or politicians". Yeah, that would be the fastest way for the animals to starve, the employees to lose their jobs and the zoo to go out of business.
YABU OP. Yes, lots of working people are also struggling, but can you not accept that people who are on so low an income that they're having to claim UC are worse off than you and routinely have fewer opportunities than you? Would you prefer to be worse off, day in day out, just so you can go to Chester Zoo more often courtesy of a charitable venture?
Sorry OP, but punching down is never a good look.

I get it OP, why not make it £5 per ticket which is still extremely affordable for a day out. especially as toddlers are £2.50 anyway - and then make it a bit cheaper for everyone else as well.

Attractions like this are too expensive for a lot of people, not just those on benefits.

I know, and the people who go for a quid will spend. Probably a lot more than I would.

I work, and have friends who work, in an impoverished area. There are families who are in poverty. However, the money spent by some families on things like takeaways and treats is sometimes quite unbelievable; the child who has 4 doughnuts or a large bag of sweets after school every day, the family who go for a coffee and hot snack on their way home every day. If you've not experienced it, and I suspect a lots of posters haven't, it's hard to believe it happens.

The low cost fees for people on benefits is being funded by a charity, not the zoo.

£5 for a zoo is ridiculously cheap and I could not see them surviving for long. Even small farms with petting areas charge more than that. They have staff to pay, grounds to maintain, animals to look after and feed, plus all the vet care too.

and some people are also rightly frustrated at comments that UC is a lifestyle choice, not real workers etc which couldn't feel further from the truth for many on UC.

Just as there will be many who don't qualify but can afford trips to the zoo (even if it's only once a year).

Excellent way of putting it.
we all have our own luxuries in life. I for one budget every penny every month to ensure some luxury days out and I see others that just seems to spend spend when they are able to claim is very annoying

There are more shit cliches on this thread than in the average Daily Mail story.

That's not what op is saying though. It's about wishing schemes like this would recognise that people can be absolutely on the bones of their arse but not entitled to any benefits.

If you've not experienced it, and I suspect a lots of posters haven't, it's hard to believe it happens.

Yes it is hard to believe it happens remotely as much as people on these threads would like folks to believe

Especially for those of us who have lived, and worked, in impoverished areas and don't see half the bullshit claimed by some on here.

The zoo wouldn't be able to make money from the scheme by simply lowering their prices.

Similar to them having certain rules to follow to make money from Gift Aid they have to follow the rules of the scheme this is from to benefit from it.

That seems to be being missed by many - Chester are not doing this out the goodness of their hearts. They're doing it because it's a specific scheme that will make them money in a traditionally quiet period.

Yep.

I live in social housing in a deprived area and I'm on UC myself and still don't see half of what people claim on here.

They are claiming fraudulently as poster has said

please don’t belittle anxiety and panic attacks

How can you prove you are on the bones of your arse though? Someone on a good wage could be broke depending on their outgoings.
Being on benefits is easy to prove.

Exactly. - and all those years not working outside home and needing to catch up

Call it bullshit all you like. I get to look at bank statements as part of my work and I know that the experiences of @Stillinshock123 and @Cyclingmummy1 and others tallys with what I see. Spending by families on benefits on takeaways and days out and popping to Starbucks that is actually mind bogglingly high.

Then once they have burnt through it all they pop to the foodbank

It makes no difference to your experience of the zoo

pathetic