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.

I'm confused @happybug1234.

Is the problem that the hoi polloi are encouraged to take their children into these places where yours might come into contact with them, or is it that you think that you should be due something for nothing as well?

Am I squeezed middle or working class?

Dh works full time
We have a mortgage
privately educated
I had a career

BUT

on UC top up
PIP for me

No housing costs covered as we have a mortgage.
No holiday in the last ten years.
No spare cash.

Nobody knows what their future will hold.

About the average pension, so not loads but not what everyone has either.

I get a small amount of UC, single parent of 2 kids, work nearly full time in a professional job, don’t get any child maintenance. To clear up any misunderstanding, we are not eligible for FSM or free prescriptions, I don’t get my mortgage paid and I won’t get pension credit. We went to the Tower of London last year on the discounted rate. I’m very grateful for these places that offer a reduced rate. There are some people on UC who still wouldn’t be able to go there because they wouldn’t be able to afford the train fare. I am aware that some people who earn more wouldn’t be able to go cos they still can’t afford it, which is rubbish but also I can’t do anything about that. Please aim any vitriol at my ex husband who chooses to earn almost nothing which means he doesn’t need to support his kids financially, rather than those of us who are doing their best. As for having lots of disposable income, I have less than £200 to last until the 24th which has to pay for food and petrol for all of us. My exh was supposed to have the kids this weekend which would have eased the food cost for a couple of days but has decided he’s “too busy”. It’s doable yes but not the life of luxury.

Sure Jade, I’ll pack my job in then and add to the benefit burden of this country. Thanks for your advice love. See ya at the zoo yeah?

They don't call it the benefits gravy train for nothing!

I was made redundant and my husband has just been deemed too ill to work. We're living off UC and let me tell you I would not choose this life if I could right now. Ignoring the fact the there are limited cheap tickets to these attractions so they are hard to get hold of, if I could do that so my kids get a day out then I am incredibly grateful for it.

I'll happily swap positions with you OP?

You can come and be on Universal Credit, where I'm in complete poverty, and I'm struggling to get out of it. Where I work full time and still get Universal Credit to top up my earnings.

I don't think you realise how lucky you are that you don't need to claim benefits.

I would say more on what I think of you but I'll probably get banned from Mumsnet 🤷‍♀️

😂 should have done better at school and uni then - picked a higher paying profession

I mean if working hard and getting a professional job isn’t getting you what you think you deserve
quit and get benefits

think how many times you will be able to go
to the Tower of London if you get UC

Ha yes maybe if I do away with the mortgage and actually paying for my children instead of scrounging off the state!

I'm sorry I didn't realise being born with a rare condition that is causing my organs to fail meant i have no self respect. Thanks for clearing that up

More misinformation.

I don't get lower coubcil tax, lower water bills, help with energy costs, or free prescriptions or free dentistry. No free school meals or free childcare. I do get UC. And I do work.

Yes!! It may have been more subtle if I hadn’t read it straight after Jenrick’s tweet.

In my experience when we were on benefits I couldn't have afforded to visit attractions anyway. We didn't live that far from one but it would be the cost of the bus fare and possibly a drink whilst there as well as the entrance fee.

But by cutting off these reduced rates it will only affect the children. I want to be in a society that treats all children as equal.

No, you're right OP.

All those organisations need to stop doing charitable acts so that they lose their charitable status and cease receiving income from the additional visitors these schemes attract who would never be able to visit at the price that has proven insufficient to support continued operations.

Then, once they have all closed due to falling revenue and increased costs due to the loss of charitable status, the land can be sold off for flats that overseas investors can use to launder money.

Far, far better than the four birds with one stone approach that maintains charitable status, reduces costs, brings in more income and widens access to educational activities.

I pay my mortgage but I chose to live in an affordable area. Did you?

The world is on fire, families are being blown to pieces in the Middle East, and this causes you despair? Ok hun.

Be grateful for what you not what others have.
You never know when the world will crumble for you, you lose that well paid job, cant pay mortgage and end up homeless

The problem is most people claiming UC on this thread are expecting buckets of sympathy and woe is me but you are completely incapable of putting yourselves in the shoes of working families who receive nothing in hand outs, and are yet in exactly the same financial position as you are in at the end of the month. Oh but you get to go to these places at a discounted rate. Make it make sense. It needs to be fair.

Change the company you work for then.

You need to get a bit creative,don’t give up work but look at ways around it.
Perhaps overpay on mortgage,then bump up pensions, as income for benefit purposes is usually after deductions.then drop hours so benefits kick in.
If you can’t beat em join em.

Thanks for the heads up 👌🏼

Sounds like working full time.

I just find it really unfair that under 4s go free to my local National Trust place, but I have to pay. They live such a good quality of life on someone else's money already 😭😭😭 you should see them all lining up at the gates on nice days.

You'd need to check the individual attractions I think. All the sites with lists concentrate on UC. But many attractions offer various discounts - like pps have pointed out, for people who travel via public transport, people who are disabled, people of state pension age, etc.