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.

And suppose your family is one of so many that work but can still barely make it through a month with a roof over their heads? Should those children be denied and sort of experiences?

The point is they're not under-privileged. If you include subsidised housing they're often way better off than working people.

Where is the motivation to grow and do better and if see parents that don't work and you still get an XBox, holiday and day out at Lego land?

I agree that there should be a balance between not unfairly subsidising those who don't work verses showing children there is a world outside of their estate. A lot of children aren't shown the opportunities. I would rather that happen through funded school trips. If UC entries are cheaper, it should be for museums, galleries and cultural experiences, not theme parks.

My husband grew up on a council estate with a single parent who barely worked. He remembers Christmas with one toy and not getting swimming lessons or nice holidays. He worked his backside off. He's now a highly qualified professional who ( jointly) owns his own home in a very nice area and our children get great opportunities because we work hard to give them. He will always say he wanted his children to have a better life than him. His hours of studying, renovating houses to move up the ladder was all for that. If he'd seen a comfortable life on benefits he would have followed suit.

I would say life on benefits should be difficult unless you have a genuine disability. I mean a learning disability, cerebral palsy, MS, sensory impairment. Not unprovable and recoverable illnesses or things like ADHD. If you have a genuinely disabled parent, it should not affect your childhood.

Nope nothing

I don’t know the history but she has a lot of family support / help as said.
The fact that people can choose how many hours to work to get UC should not be ok!
How is it fair she doesn’t pay a penny towards a residential yet I had to fork out the £300+ with myself working and other half working two jobs?! We have little family support and so both work to make ends meet!

Well @Mayana1 I fully support your entitlement to UC benefits and I for one am happy that your child is able to see these places. Not least because a society of educated and informed citizens is a nicer place to live in.

The resentment of others and grievances that this thread shows is thoroughly depressing. Inequality is a pernicious evil that disadvantages everybody. There are always going to be quirks and oddities in any system.

Went to one of those attractions with a relative last year. They and their kids got in for next to nothing, the lucky bastards.

The dead partner/parent and the cancer that made working for the remaining parent impossible and UC the thing keeping them afloat was all worth it when they got those wristbands.

Will never understand why some people with enough have to be so utterly mean-spirited.

But if Kew had been running this deal at the time you’d have taken advantage of it. Why are you frothing at a company deciding it wants to offer discounts? It’s up to them. I actually remember student discounts being far more widespread when I was a student in the 90s.

I’m a 54 single mother of 3. I worked and paid NI and tax from age 16 until 43 when I had my first child. I worked part time after my kids were born and was happily married, very good income until my eldest daughter at 7 told me her father, my husband had sexually abused her. I have very little family nearby, just my almost 80 year old mum. I now can’t find a job and in receipt of UC. My now ex husband is attending crown court in 3 weeks. if found guilty of the 13 charges, yes 13, of child sexual abuse and indecent photos of a minor, he will receive a custodial sentence. There will go my maintenance of which no benefits will top up. So I think it’s only fair that my children can still have days out by heavily discounted admission fees. My family unit didn’t end because I’d had enough of him. My children shouldn't suffer any more than they have through no fault of theirs or mine.

you are lucky to be in a fortunate position and let me tell you this, I once thought like you until my world imploded and I lost the perfect life I thought I had.

What subsidised housing? I mean presumably you know people on UC live in all kinds of mortgaged, owned and rented accommodation.

and I’m sure you’re not daft enough to think social housing is subsidised?

I think it’s bad that people get weekends, annual leave, sick leave and other entitlements..there is bound to be someone missing out so let’s junk the whole idea and live in Victorian times again …it just mustn’t be the case that anyone has something another doesn’t..let’s all have FAR less 🤦‍♀️

I was in a middle class family. Both professional's. Husband walked out. I get universal credit and still work part time. I can’t be full time as my child has a disability. Shoot me for my life changing!

Honestly can’t bring myself to get worked up about it. My kids are grown up now and we have a little more dosh but it was tough when they were young. We either saved up or went to cheap/free places or got likes of NT and historic Scotland membership so we could go to places with that. Difference now is we are much more flush financially whereas people on benefits could well still be struggling x

Careful. Your kindness is showing.

London Zoo tickets for UC, pension credit, working tax credit. Job seekers allowance etc claimants are £8.50 or £10 for adults and £4.50 or £5 for children (price depends on date) and they’re not available every day.

The only reason why I'm on UC is because my child is disabled so I can't work.

Would you really like to swap? You're more than welcome to my child's disability so you can have a discount.

I know which life I'd prefer.

I bet your total income is above the national average salary and you chose you have three children with a feckless guy. Your choice, your responsibility.

Few people who don't get benefits can afford three children. I'd love to have three children but I can't afford to. (Yet I'm helping to pay for your children and your bad choices. 😡)

Give up your job, go on benefits , come back and tell us how great your life has turned out

Family member paid £200 for residential instead of £700 to those not on benefits/top ups. Said “why wouldn’t I take advantage of such a discount?” Probably because it’d be £450 across the board if everyone paid the same.

The people who start these posts are just Mr Renfields for Billionaires

Many people on UC do not get their rent paid and the vast majority are working alongside receiving UC.

Exactly

I know it’s hard when they’re young OP but it’s not forever and you’ll turn a corner and likely be in a much better position when the kids are older

£33.60 for a standard weekend adult ticket… what’s your point?

That sucks, tbf I don’t think there would be anything in my area either.

Maybe if you happen to have a haven holiday somewhere there might be stuff close by.

I'm so sorry I went to crown court with my daughter last year following a rape he was found guilty and will be in prison for a long time but what an absolutely horrific experience it was I hope that absolute scumbag gets sent down for a very long time and that you and your daughter get the support you need