Is receiving £30k pa on benefits “living in poverty”?!

[ChumpWizard]

Amol Rajan BBC R4 Today was in Colchester this week. Great interviews but one thing had me wondering.

Is receiving c£30,000 pa on benefits “living in poverty”? That’s the equivalent of a FT job earning c£40-£42k Pa.

People are so outraged by the idea of mortgage payers getting help that they don't think of the bigger picture. If that person loses their home they will get more benefits. They will possibly never get back on the property ladder and will therefore be paying rent into old age and need help with that. A few months support when they need it would be far more cost effective in some cases.

Why keep having more children in that situation though?

Whatever happened, my suggestion of getting a job (now) would stand. Whether a stay at home mum or benefit claimant, if benefits were stopped, then clearly she can no longer afford not to work. There’s many posting on here stating ‘amongst all my friends and family claiming benefits’. Why is it so common for so many people to know lots of people claiming benefits?

It’s definitely increasing & so frustrating as it makes any debate redundant.

Most people would like/want to own their home, I think. If you have pulled that off, you don't risk losing it. Only people whose income is paid from the public purse (aka anyone who pays tax) can be flippant about it. Because someone else is funding your life.

There is an old stigma that people on benefits are ‘poor’. It was the case many years ago. But now the reality is they are more better off than most working people. I know people on benefits who have cleaners, drive & maintain cars, enjoy meals out and other non essential things which is considered a luxury.

It isn’t only families who receive benefits?

What on earth does this mean?

You don’t think public sector workers also pay tax and fund theirs and others lives?!

It's going to be mostly rent some rents are outrageous im paying £500 ish a month some people are spending £2000 a month for the same three bed house the difference is i can afford mine and work people with massive rents will struggle to work and pay and end up not paying then get evicted its a struggle that shouldn't exist in my opinion

2.5k a month!!!! As a couple we live on 30k a year, have no debts and live comfortably. Not entitled to benefits as both work and no small kids.

It's all bollocks. We can't afford any of this.

Of course you do but I bet they are on disability benefits not basic benefits because basic benefits are shit as a single person you get a room share not rent for a flat unless you have children then its basic rate very basic unless you have a disabled child

Maybe after having kids one, two and three with SEN, you don’t go on to have kids four, five and six. Just why?? Kids with SEN don’t suddenly develop special needs - there are signs pretty early on in their development.

Of course.

They used to back in the early 80s

Lots of things have changed.

Child benefit/family allowance was universal
state pension age wasn’t 68
more social housing

There are currently about 24 million people in the UK in receipt of benefits. Add them to all the people who claimed previously and we'd have a very tiny pool of procreators very fast! I assume you are VERY pro-immigration.

Well you are not getting benefits if you are working 40 hours at NMW in the SE as a single man sharing accommodation. Your rent is still £1000 per month.

I agree with this. It’s bonkers apart from the fact that they get extra benefit for each SN kid. Some folk know how to play the system which is why SN diagnosis are so sought after.

I wouldnt describe it as being in poverty. Its a good salary but does depend on thing's like how many kids you have and how much rent you pay.

For total disclosure I have 2 children in DLA ( I have 3 kids in total). One of my kids is disabled (think in specialist provision school placement etc so high needs) and my other child has significant health issues. In the last 3 weeks alone he has been in hospital, had multiple medical appointments, is on multiple medications and one of his medical conditions has him screaming in agony for hours at a time. I am incredibly thankful for the financial help.

However I would love to go back to my well paid old career but cant ( had i been able to stay in it I would be on about £80k a year by now minimum). My dh is in a decent paid managerial role so we manage fine. However life is exhausting and I feel like a prisoner at times in my home because when dc2 is seriously unwell I cant go anywhere let alone pick up bank work.

They sell, then rent privately (again, paying off someone else's mortgage), then whittle the money down to the point they claim benefits again. What is the point of that?

Classic spiteful thread.

The public sector allocates and spends money earned by business and paid in tax. It doesn't make money to be spent, which is really rather crucial.

Maybe it should be made compulsory to have income protection insurance when you take out a mortgage so that if you lose your job or become ill then your mortgage still gets paid. Possibly expensive but necessary. My ds is about to buy his first home and this is what he will be doing.

No it isn't.