To be cheesed off with Universal Credit entry fees?

[MaturingCheeseball]

I know it’s been done before, but…

I thought I’d like to visit Chatsworth House with (teenage) dd. The cost is £33 each PLUS parking at £7.50. So £73.50.

Then I saw the universal credit/pension credit/pip etc price. THREE POUNDS. And free parking! So £6.00 for two adults (age 17+).

I do not have 12 times as much money as someone on these benefits. I doubt many people do. I’m not begrudging the disadvantaged a day out, but come on! The price differential is ludicrous.

When I saw the £73 price I just decided we couldn’t go, and so be it. But upon seeing the potential for a £6 entry, it made me feel mugged off.

But why does your first response be that they should pay more? Not that regular families are being priced out of a nice/educational day out?

It's great that the children of people on benefits have barriers removed to visit sites of historic learning.

It’s not jealousy at all, just people fed up of a two tier system where some are taxed to shit and get fuck all in return.

That wouldn't have happened at the school where I worked. The cost would have been covered somehow. Maybe those parents just didn't give permission.

a pensioner who has paid in and now gets just a state pension doesn't get the freebees?

Can't you read? She didn't go. She can't afford it.

The full price ticket is too expensive for her despite working full time so she doesn't get to go. People who earn nothing or far less than her get to go because they get 3 quid tickets whilst hard workers can't afford to go. It's not right. Understand now?

Yeah, my mate got the whole of our party into a Great Garden at the discount rate because she's on UC a few weeks ago.

She's on UC because she has terminal cancer and this was her last big holiday with all of us before she's too ill to go anywhere.

Bet you're well jealous of the scrounging cow, aren't you 🙄

Quite. Hadn’t thought of that.

100% agree...

A lot of these replies don't take into consideration that if you don't claim any type of benifit children like the OPer also miss out on days out in these circumstances, but seems thats ok.

So you could afford the cost of having a lovely day out at Chatsworth House but because people on benefits are getting it much cheaper, you decided not to go?

That sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I think the issue is the imbalance. The average working family (whatever such a beast is) might typically go to 2 or 3 of these higher priced attractions in a year because they can't afford them otherwise.

No one (I hope) begrudges UC recipients being able to go to attractions. But I guess it feels unfair if the lower price means they can go to a dozen a year. Maybe we need a voucher scheme or something so that attractions are cheaper for UC recipients but they can only go to 2 or 3 a year to bring them in line with the "average" family?

They all know already.
Imagine the chaos when they all turn up.

It's not being jealous. The point is, there are huge amounts of middle class families that have to scrimp and save for these days out, or can't actually afford them. Why is a family on UC more deserving than them? And why should the middle class family subsidise the tickets of the family on UC when they struggle to afford days out themselves??

Of course no one is jealous of her. The rest of you should have paid full price.

Ooh, thanks op! Didn't realise chatsworth was in the scheme. I'll be booking for next weekend❤️

Maybe start looking up rather than down for the source of the problem to taxpayers ? The royal family charge rent for ambulances to be stored and charge the MoD to use certain areas of shoreline don’t tell me some of those costs aren’t put back onto the taxpayers.

But let’s just concentrate on some cheap tickets for days out…

Including the people on UC.

It’s so hard with these schemes though as where do you draw the line? The list to qualify for a reduction is quite long - pip, DLA, pension, uc etc so quite a chunk of people could end up going for the discounted price but how else can they support individuals? Not everyone claiming benefits is struggling, not everyone working is living the life of Riley and can afford a £70+ day out but there has to be a cut off point! Unfortunately everyone just wants the line to be whatever is just above them.

The system needs OP to be at work earning and paying taxes, not swanning around at Chatsworth house.

I do understand your frustration. I work with a couple of women who get UC, the kids get free school meals, free school holiday clubs etc. One of them goes abroad twice a year & has paid her mortgage off.
We have been abroad a handful of times in the last 20 years & at times been really skint. Things are getting easier now the kids are older & the mortgage payments have reduced slightly.
It's not about bashing people on benefits, people are only claiming what they're entitled to but middle earners do seem to draw the short straw.

So why should you get discounted entry when someone on a slightly higher income than you pays full whack? And it is a big whack difference.

Who's "they"? All the people claiming UC? Could you look down your nose any more?

It's is 100% jealousy.

Would you rather be forced back into work when you're not well enough, potentially making everything worse?

Would you begrudge me a visit to such a place, when I was working as a teacher, with 2 young children and my marriage ended very suddenly much like the horror stories you read on here?!

The issue is there is no distinction for people - if youve never had to rely on a benefit when your world came crashing down around you, you really have no place to criticise.

Not everyone on UC is lazy, taking the piss, workshy or commiting fraud. Its a minority making it bad for others.

Lots of people are only one family emergency or marriage breakdown away from needing support.

I've seen the forms through volunteering at a Foodbank. Applying for the tickets is quite complicated I doubt there'll be a rush. We do have leaflets about applying for free tickets to English Heritage properties though. They are quite straightforward and there is no means test, they can be given to anyone.