I do not know anyone who is having a 'party' living on benefits....post here if you do

[electra]

On MN, I keep reading on many different threads that Labour has been giving away loads of money in benefits to people who don't really need it which has caused the financial crisis.

All the people I know who rely on their tax credits and have children seem to have to watch every penny. I do not see evidence of them having any sort of 'party' life.

I had thought the banks were mostly responsible for the financial crisis by lending money that didn't exist.

Can anyone correct me on this? I'm open to different opinions.

Thanks for that onedietcokebreak will look into it again.

I agree with Reality. When I was a single working parent with one dc, I had much MUCH more disposable income than I do now. (married, working)

And I have an acquaintance with 2 dc who truly has a nicer lifestyle than I do (private gym member, car, 3 bed house, clothes/hair done) who is entirely on benefit.

I don't understand how (am I being dense)? As as soon as I work more than 16 hours a week, my benefits will be reduced, as I understand it? Am I missing something here? I've had one hair cut in a year and barely make ends meet on benefits myself

Oh no they are preventing people from living on the street. As a lone working parent I can ensure you the tax cradits do not bump up my wages to 'party' solely ensure I can afford bills, rent, childcare etc which my wages alone wouldn't cover. I am slightly better off working than not to be honest but not much. To be honest it was enough to allow me to get and run a small car which I need to get to work anyway.

One of the things that does actually annoy me if i'm honest is the way low income system works. I do not expect hand outs but many a time I have been told I don't qualify for low income help (free sch meals being one) because I receive working tax credit. Although the threshold amount to receive them is still much higher than the amount I earn plus working tax.

Agree with other mn that that I don't think its why the country is in debt but do think there is not much incentive for people to return to work because moneywise the difference isn't substancial.

it was interesting to hear my son say where people were stuck at easter and couldn't return to school - due to the volanic distruption. a single parent cleaner in egypt? we couldn't have justified this - devon was our limit.

because all single parent cleaners should holiday in skeggy obviously....

Ffs!! 'a single parent cleaner in egypt?'

She cleaned some extra houses, she saved, she took her dcs to Egypt. And?

You are free to do the same if you want instead of being bitter

Actually, it can appear to the outside world as if I am living the life of Riley.

I am on IS, and incidentally marginally better off than when I was working in London on a 21K salary (although largely this was due to travel costs, that salary close to home and I'd be laughing!).

I don't want to go into why I am now on IS as that is my business, but I can see that someone like me would bother those that don't know me.

My DS wants for nothing. At Christmas we went to Barbados for 4 weeks. I have a decent car. I live in a nice flat. I have Sky TV (basic package, basic box) and clearly broadband. I have a mobile phone.

BUT, the reason I have these is because I had the car, TV etc when I was working. I had the flat when I was working and I am lucky enough to have a landlord who is a friend and former colleague of my dad and is therefore eternally patient and has never raised my rent.
My parents are "middle class" and have healthy incomes. They get DS what he needs, allowing my benefits income to go on the bills. I don't have luxuries. The last time my hair was cut was when I was working last April (a year already, cripes!), all my clothes are more than 3 years old, including knickers. Skanky!
Barbados was booked when I was still working and planning to pay for my ticket. Mum paid for DSs and offered to pay for mine as my xmas and bday when I ended up on IS.
I manage to cajole my Dad into paying for car services and tyres when needed. I rarely drive as DSs school is 0.8 miles so we walk the 20 mins each way - good exercise.
My TV is a hand me down from mum when she got a new one. My DVD player is 10 years old. My laptop was a birthday and Christmas present from my mum.

So yes, I am doing very well. But only because of my wonderful parents. If not for them I would have had to sell my car, cancel the Sky and God knows what else. I would most certainly be up shit creek in debts after 3 months of no income at all yet still paying my rent, rates and utilities when DS was in hospital.

Oh, and I never go out. Twice in the past year - baby head-wetting and a birthday and I went with £20 in my pocket each time.

As someone else said further up the thread, you do not always know the story behind. Although it looks good for me, I am ashamed to be nearly 30 and reliant on my parents like a bloody teenager after over 10 years of complete independence.

I fully expect to get flamed for this post and would normally namechange but, I can't be bothered to hide this time.

yeah read my above post bout my situation and then pick on me for being stuck in spain!!! My hol was paid for with money from a relatives death so don't judge people. It was just enough to get ds a 2nd hand wii, his passport and a week sc but I actually felt pleased to be able to offer him some of the things his peers get.

Lol at being horrified a cleaner was stuck in Egypt!!! What snobbery!

I'm a lone parent on benefits...... I have an iPhone! My friend was shocked at this, but it's contract, and her credit rating is rubbish whereas mine seems fine. She works full time and still can't get herself any credit. She's bitter!

oh v don't be ashamed life turns out that way sometimes even with the best laid plans.

my parents often give me money at birthday so I can have a treat (haircut/theatre visit etc) and for xmas i got saucepans - decent ones cos thats what I needed and therefore wanted.

In answer to the OP, I do know someone who used to be better off on benefits as a single mother than she is now having remarried. She left her husband who was on a v good salary, and a house they owned and moved into rented accommodation. She dropped some hours at work, and in her own words "was never so well off". When she met her now husband, and they were talking about getting married, she said it came as a shock to realise that she was going to lose out financially.

I don't know about party but I know plenty who thanks to frucking tax credits have the same income as me but get to be SAHMs while dh and I work a combined 80 hrs a week. We get less money if we have another baby and they get more each week plus £500 for a posh pushchair.

Riven-I would report him but if I do he will take it out on my dsis and he is bad enough already. He really shouldn't get half of what he does but ye knows exactly how to play the system. Another of my friends has just had a heart attack in the last 3 weeks, her carers allowence fo her ds has been suspended whilst dwp faff about trying to sort her out some incapacity benefit, something she didn't even know she was entitled to until dp told her, she had been tld she needed JSA but she quite obviously cannot work yet.

important to consider that its going to get more expensive with an extra mouth to feed, full council tax with 25% reduction, poss 2 cars, extra water etc.

Friend of mine went from single to living with partner and she was better off despite this.

I think it's brilliant. Not only do they fix it so you work for virtually nothing they manage to convince you that the solution is for those who haven't even got a job to get less money.

"you want a raise?... well.. wait!! look over there! There's a benefit claimant who doesn't look like they are starving!"

BIL and his wife have a mortgage yet he only works part-time and she is self-employed earning v little in profit (not enough to live off basically) and they seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. I can only assume their low income is then bulked up by WTC?? Have no idea...

I don't know any other couple who can afford a mortgage on a part-time wage (3 days a week).

I don't know what to think of it all, really - but you can't help but compare situations. I have a friend who is on benefits (I'm afraid I don't know which ones for figures etc)she has a 3 bedroom house and like many 'reported' experiences, goes away several times a year - France for a fortnight last summer, has just been to London for a week at Easter, has also been to Stratford and Eurodisney in the last 18 months.

She has 2 children and both Dads pay maintenance (rightly, of course) and has many hobbies and interests that come and go, all requiring expensive equipment - latest is photography. Her family are supportive and she gets lots of free babysitting so she can go to festivals and things.

I'm not jealous of any of these things, and don't know the details of her budget or priorities...but I do know that she has never worked. Actually, that's not true, she did do holiday work one year when she was a student. But since then, and she is my age (very very late 30's...) she hasn't worked at all. And has no intention of ever doing so. She is quite open about the fact that she never intended to, the only thing she wanted to do was have her kids.

And I'm not saying raising children isn't hard or important work. But I am doing that, too, plus working full-time. How many passengers can a society carry without going under?

First hand, I don't know anyone that is on benefits and having a party, the few I do know are living a fairly basic existance without the security of owning your home, but I'm glad I read this thread as some of the posts (secondcoming yours sticks out) make me feel ashamed that I was whinging to DH that we will probably loose our tax credits under Conservatives. I will duly shut up.

I was claiming JSA for a while after leaving uni; it was an absolute riot.

Obviously nearly 10% of my £41 per week was eaten up by the £3.70 bus fare to go and sign on, but I had great fun blowing the rest on booze, women, fast cars, horses, bus fares to interviews, cocaine, and had a whale of a time.

Then I got a job, and it all went pear-shaped.

But Tanga - maybe your friends pays for all this stuff with money from her dc's dads and her family? I know of people like that.

I haven't read through the whole thread, but thanks for all your replies.

i think its a case of what you actually do with the money you have. i dont drink/smoke,and can budget well. so i have money can save for nice things. being on benefits doesnt mean you cant be sensible

i also spend more on an item,save for longer,to get the better quality. i dont just buy cheap. would rather save for an extra month or so to get better items