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.

We had a massive TV when we claimed. And an X-box and a wii and we fucked off to Turkey for two weeks too . Shoot me now. It was all bought and paid for before DH suddenly lost his job

I had a huge TV when I was a lone parent to dd1 too. My Grandad bought me it, well he bought himself a better one and gave me his old one. Lovely man, he is

I'm still waiting for my free TV off the benefits people. And my goat. I didn't get that either

you have to offset the cost of benefits for EU migrants against the general benefits we all get from being part of the EU.

if you just look at the cost you see a distorted view.

MrsHeffley, a family bringing in a wage of £35K can still claim DLA if someone in their family qualifies. If one of them had to stay at home as a carer, they would also qualify for Carers allowance under the current rules if they were caring someone in receipt of DLA middle rate care or higher and would possibly still receive a small amount of tax credits if they had 4 children with one or more qualifying for the disabled child component of tax credits, like the woman in the article.

I have read this all with interest, but I am still on the side of the OP I get what she says. If you earn around 25-30K have several kids, one being disabled. Then why the flying F would you carry on working your ass off in a average job? what the hell is the point??? If it gives you satisfaction fair enough, if not why do it? give it up the state will look after you! 3 kids here, one disabled. No benifits.
If we all did the same thing the country would be in a worse state than it is now. I and many others really find things tough, life is hard but we just get on with it. 25K for doing sod all.....I'm in!

Our opinions on what constitues a/ an adult conversation and b/an insult seem to differ.

A bunch of grown women whining about people poorer than them is offensive IMO
An educated, literate woman refusing to even try and understand how the welfare system works and prefering to believe that it only works for someone who is not 'them' is an insult IMO

campbells, do report back to us when you're freezing your backside off outside a stinking bus station trying to sell the Big Issue, if you're that serious.

Go on then Cambells.

Then let us know how it goes.

Okay, campbells, how much WOULD be reasonable for her to get?

the romanian women is being responsible - she is within the law and doing the best for her family.

you can argue that the system is incorrect but a person getting their entitlment from the system is doing the right thing.

I work
My OH works.

We have three children (out of five) at home and one is disabled and so is OH.

We work because were are LUCKY enough to be able to.
We have the LUXURY of being able to go out to work.

I dont know how long this will last as my OH's condition gets worse. If it gets too bad for him to work the chances are I will have to give up my job to care for him full time.

So for now I am grateful that I can work because many of my friends with disabled children and/or partners cannot.

Instead of whinging and bitching about how hard my life is because I am lucky enough to have a job I just hope that I can keep it for as long as possible.

I don't get where these figures come from. Last week my dh lost his job. We have four dc and live in a rented house. Hb covers around four fifths of our rent and our other income (jobseekers, CB, CTC ) is just over half of our previous income when dh was earning around 20k per annum. Then we still received cb and ctc and a portion of hb too.

Two years ago he was again made redundant and we were in exactly the same boat except hb almost covered our rent but since the changes it doesn't.

It only makes financial sense for us to work and to work full time. Unfortunately jobs are not easy to come by at the moment. I am terrified of how we will manage if neither of us can find work.

They make half of them up Whyme2, but this lady also gets carers allowance and DLA, which is why the figures are higher than what you receive.

To those who wonder what deal they could get in other countries the answer is that if they went to another EU country they would get whatever the natives of that country get in a similar situation. Which might mean a less good deal for a UK citizen going to Roumania, but probably a better deal if they went to Scandinavia. Which you are, of course, free to do. Just as all those British OAPs who chose to go and live on the Costa del Sol are entitled to the same healthcare as the Spaniards- which I believe can be quite a problem at times.

Contrary to popular belief, the UK is not the only European country with a welfare system. Or even the only country which receives immigrants.

They get their figures from the last article they wrote on the subject.

There is no wish to inform in this articles, only one to inflame.

And some people love it.

I know that in Belgium, women such as that mentioned in the link, are trafficked to beg illegally on the street, along with their children. Such families often spend time "living" in the Gare du Nord. I was going out for a nice lunch with a supplier one day and passed a young girl with a tiny baby in a doorway. It was just starting to snow. And the guidance is NOT to give them money as they don't get to keep it.

In the scheme of things, yes maybe it is "wrong" on some level that people can come to the UK, never pay taxes and then benefit, when so many hardworking people are struggling. But heck, I would much rather the young mother I saw was safe and warm and pay another 1p tax, than the alternative.

foglike Wed 18-Jan-12 18:47:09
"Miss Vasile, whose marital status is unknown,

I mean honestly..what does that mean?

If you read the piece cory you'll find your answers."

Sorry, still don't get it. Seriously do not get how being an unmarried person (if indeed she is) is proof that you came to this country to claim benefits.

I have numerous foreign colleagues- they have all come here to work and do so. Quite legally. (Just like several colleagues at my old, Swedish university were British.) Some are married, some are not. If they become unable to work they are entitled to benefits quite independent of marital status- it's got nothing to do with being married.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere Wed 18-Jan-12 19:21:27
"I work
My OH works.

We have three children (out of five) at home and one is disabled and so is OH.

We work because were are LUCKY enough to be able to.
We have the LUXURY of being able to go out to work."

God yes! It is my greatest nightmare that dd will deteriorate to the point where I have to give up work. People just don't know how lucky they are. I have been poor and it is horrible but it is nothing to the strain of seeing your child in constant pain and not daring to hope that things will ever get better. Being able to go to work and escape for a few hours is such an enormous gift

My sister works 2 days a week and her husband works FT. They live in a house that is worth £££ on which they've largely paid off the mortgage and go on several holidays a year. But she gets DLA. Because she's disabled

She probably won't live that much longer so you don't need to worry about her scrounging off the state for too long

No one should get any benefits ever and the poor should be taken out and shot. Especially if they're foreign and from a funny country I couldn't point to on a map.

Really proud to be amongst such fab MNers. Such empathy and love in these posts.
Indeed, who'd want to be out in the freezing cold selling the big issue and trying so hard to look after 4 kids.
Perhaps OP would prefer to see her kids in one of those naice Romanian orphanages and maybe once a year send a naice charity shoebox.

Or perhaps we could send invites out to everyone in her position to come eat out of the never ending trough of goodwill ?

She's not on peanuts and she wont even give her marital status up when asked.

Welcome to scamsville.

I wondered whether you're being sarcastic or not weevil about being proud to be amongst such fab MNers. Because it really depends which posts and posters you're thinking of. I feel there is empathy and love here usually shown in complete indignity at the more stupid posts !

Yes, charity christian shoeboxes are the way to go. Who cares if your parents can't afford to keep you, some lovely toothpaste and crayons will improve your life NO end.

Or should that have been "indignation" ?

WhyME - they get the figures by being very sneaky and deceptive.
They will count the money she actually gets but will also add in things like free school meals. Average is £10 per week. if you times that by 4 children and then by however many weeks in a school year....it all adds up.

though even with all of that in mind i am still doubtful of the figure they quote