Irritated that families on UC get heavily discounted entry

[happybug1234]

feel very aggrieved this afternoon to find out that people on UC get heavily discounted entry to popular attractions:

London Zoo
London transport museum
science museum wonderlab
Cutty Sark
kew Gardens
St Paul’s cathedral

As a mum with a professional career, with both husband and I working full time, paying a mortgage, paying a fortune in childcare for 2 under 4’s I seriously despair! From experience of people I see around me, families on UC seem to have more disposable income than us as their rent is paid, have no childcare costs and all their costs subsidised on social tariffs etc.

why is the government getting away with this and why are more middle class/income people not up in arms about it! At the moment I can’t see how us working hard and being self sufficient has benefited us as a family.

So we've moved on from resenting kids having fun to wanting to deny poor people medicines?

Fucking hell.🤯🤯🤯

I am more annoyed that reduced price family entry to most attractions includes 2 adults. Like single parent families either dont exisit, couldn't possibly want to visit these places or should be rolling in money that 2 parent households aren't.

I haven’t RTFT, but no. I’m annoyed at the OAP discount for pensioners in the National Trust - which is clearly designed to keep the most wealthy on board with the charity rather than give those with least disposable income a chance to look round their properties.

They might have had a different start in life, but what they make out of life is up to them.

Whenever I see comments online about people on low incomes or immigrants getting something someone else doesn't get, it always makes me think of this meme and that people are directed by those with high levels of power over media to not look at those with billions.

Also very ignorant

What an extremely naive comment.

Plus, someone has to do the lower paid jobs or the country wouldn’t function.

I think you may be conflating state pension and private pensions here. As an employee, unless you were foolish enough to opt out you will have money going into a company pension - partly deductions from your pay and partly contributed by the employer. In addition you will be paying your "stamp" i.e. NI contributions regularly yourself which will give you the right to a full state pension when you reach that age.

The pension benefits top ups just allow those on UC who are not working or are unable to work, to receive that much state pension when they reach that age, same as anyone with enough years NI contributions. If they are working but on UC it doesn't make any difference as they are already paying NI as PAYE.

The difference will be that anyone who has been working will get their company pension and/or any private pensions they may have built up in addition to the state pension that everyone gets, whereas those who have only state pension literally have £241 per week full stop.

Your question regarding how big a pot you'd need, that would be around £300k. To get that from an employer's pension you'd be contributing about £125 a month (before tax & NI), with your employer contributing about another £75 a month.

Sounds like it. No, it's not a piece of satire a la Jonathan Swift, either.

So everyone should stay at home just because I can't always afford it?
I can't even understand that mindset.
I'd much rather be able to go out to work and have my own house than have all the crap that will come with being stuck in and relying on benefits.

Sounds like you're not working hard and/or smart enough.

We also pay for childcare and pay full time and get no help. It's a big juggle.

I truly 100% believe that children of all backgrounds should have access to these things and I think it's wonderful that the government and private companies are giving these discounts.

It’s these companies or charities that are deciding who gets a discount often as part of their charitable giving.

Though I know someone on Uc who’s just been fined for dental work and prescriptions
as she thought it was free on Uc but it’s not you have to earn under 7k or something mic liek free school dinners.

Though school dinners will be free for all on Uc come September.

I do think all children should get a chance to go to places like a zoo though. I remember at school the local lido used to send out five swim vouchers every summer holidays per child and the local football club sends out a free child and adult ticket once a year.

It would be nice is zoos did something very so often for all children as they are not cheap to visit but it’s not the governments fault nor those on uc that charities are giving them
a discount.

So where is the incentive to better yourself then? If you want things, unfortunately you need to pay for them.

Ooh you mean the "most wealthy" pensioners taking home around £12.5k a year? That's the state pension at present.

Free or subsidised dental

it's getting 4 Yorkshireman in here now. "Teeth! You had teeth! LUXURY. We had ours pulled out at birth and replaced with wooden pegs so my hard-working taxpaying parents wouldn't need to buy floss."

Spot on.

Most families qualify for a discount in a lot of places without even realising it. You don’t get others moaning that they are subsidising THEIR entry!

Maybe they should do away with the UC subsidised rate and just allow all children free entry. That would be fairer!

Yes this is obviously the answer! Am sure it must be fab living in rented and having no savings/ mortgage to fall back on in years to come! I shall suggest this idea to my adult children before they attempt to get a mortgage!

Let's break this down im on uc. Reduced price for attractions have never used these as I can't afford the associated costs. Reduced gym membership anyone can get free gym sessions from their gp if they choose to. Free prescriptions i get a medical exemption so don't pay anyway but prior to that I paid for a pre payment certificate. Free dentist thats just funny you would have to find an nhs dentist first. Anything else. Opticians I pay full for, mortgage I pay full for, council tax i pay full price for, gas, electric, water, food i pay full price for.

Hell 700k graduates currently unemployed, that is shocking.
I knew they were having trouble getting jobs but that really is a lot.

It's funny how on threads like this the OP always knows loads of people on UC and knows the ins and outs of their finances (including how much their holidays cost)

Nobody in my experience divulges this much information in passing.

It's always people on UC who seem to be open about their finances 🙄

How dare those paupers be in the same places as you in your professional career!
Come on! You can discounts on cereal boxes for most of what you said ! I’m a professional myself and I don’t fell the need to begrudge others . Grow up ! If you are both professionals then I expect you both to at least be middle earners so if you have poor lifestyle you are doing bad financially decisions ! Maybe those on UC top ups or disabled can live more frivolous than you so they can actually spoil their kids !

But surely you understand the point that there is a group of people who don’t qualify for UC but take home the same net amount every month as a family who do.

then that family who don’t get UC don’t qualify for any of these discounts despite bringing in the same net amount every month. There is a distinct air of unfairness in that.

Dentists aren't free anyway even on the NHS - you still have to pay.

How naive to think this way. You have no idea what barriers people have to face in life. If it was so easy to be successful, and wealthy, do you honestly think that people would choose to be poor? Don't bother to answer, your reply will not be worth reading.