Why work when you can get a good salary on benefits?

[Orwellian]

Sorry to come over all DM but I just can't believe the amount that is given out in benefits. I just read this story; www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087857/Romanian-Big-Issue-seller-given-legal-right-claim-housing-benefit.html
and this lady is getting over £25k a year tax free (and will get housing benefit to boot soon) as well as her nice little earner from selling the Big Issue (isn't that supposed to be for homeless people, not those on £25k per annum?).

Anyway, it just got me thinking. What is the point in getting into debt at university to achieve a high career (which will take years to climb the career ladder), when you can simply achieve the same income by having several children. I did a calculation on the Turn2us website and there is actually not much difference (especially when all the extra benefits such as free school meals are included) in a family with one higher rate taxpayer and a similar family where nobody is working once everything is taken in to account.

I never see my husband because he works so many hours. Maybe I should suggest he gives up work as we would only be slightly worse off on benefits but he would be around to help me with the children.

Would you honestly prefer to be in her shoes?

Honestly?

Some people don't necessarily want what others have; they spitefully just don't want them to have it.

Sigh! Perhaps we could start a thread about whether or not stay at home mums bank-rolled by their DH's should be allowed to read the Daily Mail?!!!!

Go on, Bellum, I dare you! Stick it in AIBU and see what happens!

Make sure you ask whether they should be entitled to wear Boden if their DH's are footing the bill.

I don't know how she manages. Four children, (one disabled?) who looks after her two year old while she's out selling the Big Issue?

I would assume he goes with her or she has a friendly neighbour. Our local Big Issue seller has a child strapped to her and one in a buggy. If it's raining etc. she goes home and looses her income

I am always shocked by these figures not judgey just surprised. I think things must have changed. In 2000 I was on dialysis after my 1st transplant failed. I couldn't work and was dealing with ds who was 5 and just started school. My health took a sudden turn for the worse and I could do virtually nothing.Dp decided enough was enough and decided to give up work for 6 months while I waited for another kidney. When we tried to get benefits the amount we were told we would get wouldn't have covered any of our outgoings really esp mortgage. We had no savings then and I didn't want to ask my parents. The SS people told us to sell our house!!So we did and bought a tiny flat where we lived for a few years until I recovered. We got about £70 a week I think and we lived off our equity for everything else.

I'm glad her appeal worked and she got the amount of money she needed to meet the basic cost of living in the UK plus the costs of raising a disabled child. I applaud her work ethic standing out in all weather selling the big issue and on top of being a single mum to a child with additional needs too!!

Don't worry OP, with the rising cost of food and fuel and the changes to disability benefits she will soon be living in dire poverty. Then, at last, you can feel that going to work is worthwhile.

lets just hope the op or one of her family don't become disabled, as DLA won't be there then

Op..... I have just taken a look at all the other ( 12) threads you have been on........ Ha ha..... They are almost exclusively all about 'benefits'

You are a 'basher'!!!!

The link about the man from Liverpool is far more accurate and reflective of the reality of being on benefits.

As to the OP -

You won't get far with your Daily Fail hatemongering on here, mumsnetters are opening their eyes to the reality these days and won't just blindly swallow the propaganda anymore!

"What is the point in getting into debt at university to achieve a high career (which will take years to climb the career ladder), when you can simply achieve the same income by having several children"

If by a "high career" you mean lucrative, then how does that link into £25K, which is not a highly lucrative career by any stretch of the imagination.

Also, 4 children will be expensive, you can't jut have children to get money for you, unless you are a right bastard the money will go on them - and probably won't stretch far.

I think you are being very silly.

Mi4 was there a time when MNers "swallowed propaganda"?

When it relates to benefits yes SQ, I do believe there was.

Hang on..

So this woman goes out to work for a very low wage. Stands on a corner being ignored by most people, trying to at least TRY and earn some money.

And you are in the incredbily lucky position of being at home whilst your husband goes out to work and have healthy children.

And you are bitching about it?

You have the option of going on benefits and there is ALWAYS the possibilty that you, your OH or/and one of your DCs will become disabled.

So dont be jealous just go out their girl and get what you want! Seize the day, live the dream, you go and claim those benefits.

What, everyone? MNers are not a hive mind, there are thousands of us.

Sorry to be a heartless bastard over this but she came to this country five years ago unable to speak the language - she still can't speak it. Since then, she has failed to establish herself in a job that pays a decent wage and peddles the Big Issue for £100 per week (£5200 per year). To enable her to continue living in this country, the tax payer (i.e. you and I) is being asked to subsidise her and her family to the tune of an additional £25.5k per year - and yet somehow, this is all the fault of the cost of living in this country.

This is ridiculous - what benefit can this woman possibly bring to the people of Great Britain? Why should we all have taxes confiscated from us under threat of imprisonment - meaning that our families are poorer than they should be - just so that she can live in Britain? It isn't as though Romania is a total shithole - it's an EU country for goodness sake. Get real.

And before anyone accuses me of Fascism, let's see your reasoning. Why the hell should the British taxpayer be expected to subsidise this woman, her family or the many thousands of people in similar predicaments?

How DARE you have the nickname Orwellian when you spout such nonsense?!

That's bloody blasphemous is that. Go away and read The Road To Wigan Pier.

Why go to uni and get a good job etc.?

1, career prospects - if you are dependant on benefits, it is a rather precarious existence. If you have qualifications it is easier to find a job, should things go wrong
2, never believe the Daily Mail, there's lies, damn lies and the Daily Mail. they're VERY obviously trying to push an agenda, ignore them.
3, would you rather be in her shoes, genuinely? Disabled child, having to work on the streets selling magazines to disinterested individuals to make a living? Really? Is that better than working in an office/wherever?

Though this made me laugh "Read the Guardian instead, 'tis far more balanced and fair." Fnar. Every article I've read in the Guardian where I have an area of expertise is ridiculously biased, badly written and terribly researched.

Yawn!

Borrrring OP just boring.

You are a moron OP.

And these stories are published purely to cause apathy amongst the people. That way their lies are beleived and their misrepresentations ignored.

People are DYING waiting for benefit claims to come through.

the disabled now face a life of poverty due to the lies of government.

To blindly believe this bullshit without using your brain and questioning the motives behind it is ludicrous.

No one earns a "healthy living" on benefits. To believe so is ignorant of the facts. Put down the Daily Mail and do some research into what benefits mean for a family. No choice, poor accommodation, poor academic outcomes for their children, lower employment prospects, unhealthy diet, poor access to facilities not to mention the derision they receive from people like you on a daily basis.

yes, what a wonderful life indeed.

Well of course not EVERY SINGLE MUMSNETTER SQ

It's hardly the point on this thread now is it ffs.

CoralRose Your post at 9.54 has a very interesting link to it, that I am part way through reading.

However, at one point in the article, it says the man the article is written about is paying £15 a week in child maintenance, despite being on JSA.
Not criticising the article, just wondered if anyone could clarify for me. Isn't maintenance £5 per week whilst you are on JSA. And if you have 3 children, they get £1.66 each??

Other than that, it is a much more realistic view imo of what it is like to live on benefits in the UK today. I agree with other posters that the DM would have you believe that benefit recipients are living the life of riley in every single case. Simply not true.

I agree with MmeLindor.

If the woman had been British then the story would be about a brave mother who goes out on the streets selling the Big Issue, despite needing to care for her disabled child and her three other children.

Why don't you try it then?

Leave work and sign on, keep to your job seeker agreement and come back here after a month or so and report back.