I got caught shoplifting

[RoseBiscuitll]

I really didn't know what topic to choose for this

I'm mortified, I got caught shoplifting in boots today, I was stealing baby milk and a facial moisturiser. I'm so ashamed of myself. It was in the city center aswell. They didn't call police but they took my details, took a picture and told me I can't return to the store again

Will this picture and my details go around to the other shops near by or will it just go to the other boots shops.

I can't believe I was stupid enough to do this! I'm so embarrassed and also feel really guiltily!

Op if you’re worried and I would be, email boots and ask. Say you were caught shoplifting, thay your image was taken for facial recognition and wish to know what this means for visiting other stores or other companies who use facial recognition. They will tell you.

Why are you obsessing about going to Boots? Just order online or go somewhere else.

I'm not bothered about boots I'm more worried about will I be kicked out of other shops I enter now

Don't shoplift and you won't be.

Boots aren't going to run around to other shops to give them your mugshot.

@RoseBiscuitll it's so sad you felt you had to steal and I'm not judging or condoning.
Are there any food banks or specific baby banks you can google if near to you?

It's just awful how fathers can opt out of providing for their children.

You said your family do not know you're struggling. Would they be able to help?

You might just be watched. You won’t be kicked out. But if they get the notification, then they’ll watch you. So don’t steal anything.

Sigh, it’s like people don’t know technology exists. I mean seriously who thinks that’s how it works. Someone runs round all the shops. I mean even if you’re so clueless you don’t know about facial recognition software surely you’d know email exists.

That’s great but the Op Wasn’t buying a next to me crib. She was buying a proper cot.

I've seen out of date food given out at food banks with my own eyes.

The UC system isn’t enough to afford anyone an amazing standard or quality of life, but as another poster said it is designed to encourage you to work, so they are never going to increase it, and if they did then others would be paying more tax to enable that.

You do realise that a lot of people on UC are either already in work, or can't work?

You may be comfortable with punishing people for being in poor circumstances, but I am not.

And not a few days out of date either. A year out of date.

I think I would feel differently if you were desperate, and stole the milk.

But when you receive UC and benefits, and food banks and charities are there to help - to steal moisturizer is terrible.

🙄

They can't send stuff like that by email. That would be a data protection violation.

There is nothing off about the numbers as RoyallyEFFEDOFF has kindly explained. OP needs for food for herself, she can't live on fresh air!

TBH I wouldn't blame them.
Nobody wants shoplifters in their store.

OP gets money for food. Going forward OP needs to budget better and perhaps be more frugal. People have had to do this for centuries - it's becoming more of a luxury to just get what you need when you need it and not worry about a budget.

Nobody is punishing anyone, merely pointing out that on a low income you have to budget, you have to be frugal, and yes you might have to go without your moisturiser every now and then!

If your on universal credit you can apply for a job center plus travel discount card and you get 50% off bus and train travel

I don't think 300 is much at all . But 3 times I have suggested op applies for discretionary housing payment. This means the shortfall will get paid for op . Its for people like op if the rent is above the LHA and other reasons. Which would them give op more to live on so she would nlt struggle as much. But it seems to have gone unseen even though I done 2 links and a general message.

I totally understand why op may have tried to steal baby milk. It was probably a desperate moment and didn't know what to do or how she would feed baby etc. It's been done now though. But op does need to find a better way.

Of course, but the point remains that the system is meant to be enough to survive, not enough to allow for luxury. Because as I say, it’s tax payer funded and the money has to come from somewhere so if we increase UC we need everybody else to pay more tax. Now take your example, someone who already works full time say taking home 20k annually, you think they should have to pay more than 20% tax to cover the extra UC you want to give?

Nobody wants to punish anybody, but there is no perfect answer. The only way to increase UC would be to increase tax, and people working really fucking hard for their money do not want to part with any more of it than they already have to. As you say, some are already receiving UC top ups while working, imagine taking a higher % of their pay to go towards tax to fund your UC increase?

No you can’t. That’s for those on JSA or job searching via UC.
OP will not be entitled to that as she isn’t required to fulfil work commitments til baby is 3.

That's only if you (actively) seeking work.

Either something has gone wrong with their system, or they are advising people that it's past it's date.
Remember that 'use by' isn't the same as 'best before end' and that it's fine to give out of date items if you tell the person. Some items are fine past their date, others aren't. I suppose if it's no food or out of date (but safe) food then I know what I would chose.
Foodbanks can also only give out what they have, so people cannot really be choosy (other than allergy and or perhaps religion related).

No one is punishing anyone, but we all pay a fuck ton of tax we can’t afford in many instances, and it has to pay for schools, the nhs multiple things, I mean wtf are you thinking really that we all now need to pay more for those in benefits too. Do you know how many people are struggling?

Have you been to a local food bank? Will you eat the food provided? Out of date vegetables and cheap tins of food!