in thinking that the Government cannot possibly ensure people are better off working than on benefits unless they increase wages massively?

[TheJollyPirate]

TBH I cannot see how the Govt are going th achieve their aim to make sure "nobody is better off financially on benefits than in work".

I work part-time as I have a son with a disability. I take home £849 and get Tax credit of £190 plus Child benefit of course - Working Tax credit adds another £50 - all in all just over £1100. I am just over the limit for housing benefit and all other help although if DLA is approved for my son that may change a bit.

One of my families gets housing benefit of £700 a month plus tax credit, plus income support, plus child benefit. On paper at least they out-strip me and unless wages drastically improve (oh - was that a recession I just saw over there) then nothing much CAN change. The Govt are talking big but cannot deliver no matter what they say.

I will stay worse off financially than the family I work with who will remain unemployed because wages are NEVER going to amount to enough for them to get work and maintain their home. Not their fault and I am more fortunate in other ways but financially - nah - they are doing a bit better than me (but probably only just).

I am watching the Govt but not holding my breath on this one.

Or do you know different?

If so - explain because I am being a bit thick about it.

I also imagine adult chat work is rather isolating and lonely.

blueshoes - sharing room is the norm - LHA calculates 1 child as a 1/2 - so 2 children to one room. Except older (young- teen) opposite sex siblings, irrc they qualify for a room each.which I think is fair enough.

I have no issue with my boys sharing in their teens, but I don't think if I had a 15yr old boy and 13yr old girl I'd be quite so happy about iykwim.

That's why currently my BF's house is not classed as being over crowded, despite there being 5 adults, and 2 children living there, 2x couples.

I am on the telephone quite a lot as part of my work. Hey, it gets easier. You learn the lines, know what works and what does not.

Can't say it is adult chat though. But I would not write anything off. Sparkle, you could get one of those head sets like in a call centre.

I have no problem with children sharing a room, except I don't want my DC to share.

I think alot of DC in social housing already share. 4 bed houses are already very very thin on the ground.

I live in a 2 bed HA house with 2 DC, and would love to be offered a 3 bed.

Toc, would a living room be counted as a room? Nothing wrong with sleeping in a living room.

What's your lineof work Blueshoes?

Sounds interesting.

I think it can be counted as a room.

Though in my friends case I'm not sure who would sleep in there and how it would work......

sparkle - I have a 3 bed private rent house with 3 children........in theory they could have a room each as I'm still not managing to sleep in my bed.............but no - it's been used as the ironed clothes storage right now

Living rooms can only be used as sleeping area's if they do not have gas heating iirc.

Ironed clothes storage sounds like a useful way to utilise a room toc

I used to have a 'laundry' room, until DS moved in there.

I miss my 'laundry' room.

A friend from where I used to live is in a 2 bed house. They are a family of 6 with 2 dogs.

Mum, Dad, DS(13) DD1 (9) DD2 (7) and DD3 (3)

Mum and Dad sleep in the living room.

DS in the small bedroom on his own (understandably)

The 3 girls in the main bedroom.

The downstairs living space is a small living room and small kitchen/diner.

That is it. Social housing can only do what they can do - if they dont have the housing stock, they cant offer it out.

Im in a 3 bed with 3 kids, but it works fine for us. My girls are only 15mnths apart though so no problems with them sharing!

I only want a 3 bed.

I want my DC to have their own rooms.

I have a gas fire in my living room, so a bedroom for me would be nice too.
I promise I'll appreciate it.

We could have a 4 bed social house but to be honest, I dont think my girls would want to sleep seperately. They have slept in the same room since they were 1 and 2yrs old.

If I was ever to get a 4 bed, I would probably use one room as a playroom!

But I dont want a 4 bed - rent is a lot more each month

yes well you see piles of ird clothes, and folded sheets and towels over the bed are keeping the (only used once in 3 months) sheets nice and clean under there.

Sparkle, risk management. I explain to partners in the law firm whether or not they can accept an instruction from a client.

Yes, I chat with a lot of different men, sadly an indictment of how few women partners there are.

Playroom sounds good too.

My DC don't want to share. They want their own rooms.

I am on the list for a 3bed house.

I am a determined woman.

I actually laughed out loud then Tocc.

My day will come, I can feel it.

Sparkle - have you checked out mutual exchanges? Thats how we got our house here in our dream town (even if there are no fecking jobs) Swapped Suffolk for the Scottish highlands!

Sounds like a nice job Blueshoes.

I do browse the mutual exchange's, but it's not easy upgrading from a 2 to a 3.

Not easy, but not impossible.

(I want Tocc's house.)

check out Homeswapper.co.uk

thats how we got ours as the local ones were crapola!

You never know, your dream house could be round the corner!!!

Thanks DanJARMouse

I'll look there.

Love the name too.

my house is LURVERLY I was incredibly lucky to find a landlord who a) didn't bat an eye lid at me being on benefits and b) quite happily had the house inspected by the Rent Assistance Scheme and waited patiently for nearly 4 weeks for my benefits and the RAS to be sorted out ...........although it's private rent so not secure tenancy........

Imarriedafrog (lockets) chose my name when I had Daniel.

I used to be JARM which was Jessica&RebeccasMummy shortened. Of course I then had Daniel and needed a new name!

DanJARMouse was a little play on words and the one I liked the best so it has stuck for 2.6yrs now!

Cant believe I have been on MN for 6yrs this year!

Tocca

DanJARMouse Love it!!!