If food prices have risen by - what? 20% - and fuel is sky rocketing then tell me WHY...

[objectivity]

...are those dependent on state benefits still subsisting on the same paltry weekly allowance?

As a lone parent I have been in work and out of work from time to time, sometimes supported by Tax Credits, other times dependent upon Income Support. The money never really stretches far enough, but how on EARTH are we supposed to survive if everything is now costing more.

An annual review isn't good enough. My weekly costs are rising and rising, from week to week pretty much, so if my allocated benefit is the minimum I need to live on in April, and prices have risen since then, how am I supposed to be surviving in June?

Anyone else REALLY struggling- more than ever?

" Everyone could find £4000 tax free work a year surely."

No, not everyone can.

But there are thousands of working people whose pay has not gone up and are struggling just as much as you are on benefits..

Unfortunately its not just those at the top of the heap who pay more tax its all of us - in the past labour would have taxed the high earners but now they seem to be targeting the lower income earners.

No criticism of the fact that people are on benefits but those on a low/average income cannot afford to keep paying more tax to subsidise those on benefits.

We all have to do the same and cut out the non necessities.

Why is always assumed that people on benefits smoke and have Sky?
It's such a silly cliche.
And there's nothing degrading about buying Value ranges. Nothing at all.

nailpolish - me too

dd goes to school in September but will still need after school care which makes it tricky.. I can afford one child (just) in childcare but not two - even if one of them is a schoolie.

The computer thing is a red herring imo. Our broadband connection is the one luxury we have. I would imagine that job hunting is far easier with one.

It's belt tightening for loads of people.
There have been fat years and now there will be lean ones.
Much more helpful to start threads on how to save cash.

Objectivity...

This is a reply to your last post to me...

I have a 3 week old baby. I have had an hours sleep in the last 24.

It's not an excuse, but I didn't mean to be harsh / OTT... Just feeling a bit raw...

I'm on my own, because my DH is working abroad to earn money... I've taken a massive pay cut to have my son, which I appreciate is my choice

I guess it touched a nerve, because working is really really not the easy option it's cracked up to be

what the fuck is wrong with asda?

Yep, me too...struggling.
What really angers me though, is that when prices do finally come back down at source, shops/petrol stns etc wont put their prices back down. They never do.

Nowt wrong with Asda.
The value stuff has surprised me actually.

Right you arses (said with vague affection)Thsi is MY thread so I posted about my situation - open for discussion. Bring your experience but don't make it and us and them argument.

Complain a bit about your lot and then maybe offer some suggestion or sympathy???? We are all struggling to varying degrees why make it a jealous thread?

jealousynot jealous. My threads don't get jealous.

Thanks Youcannot.

objectivity

if yo had started a thread along the lines of

"whya re those on low income still struggling with the same weekly allowance"

this thread would have taken a completely different path

its becuase you moaned that your benefits dont cover your rising costs and that you APPEARED to expect those working to give you more of their wages via taxes that made everyone so angry

The only thing I disagree with is that people on benefits should somehow be treated differently.

Other than that, I agree with you...

Mushy peas are vile. Fullstop.
Who's jealous?
You can keep your mushy peas.

Bluugh

sorry objectivity but what are the options?? Dh works his arse off to support our family he didnt get a payrise last year[actually took a cut because he was made redundant so took what was offered] this year there was no mention of payrise. I cant work due to severe depression and anxiety making me a mentalist[only way can describe it] plus we have 3 young children. So what do you suggest we do to improve our options of dh bringing home more money? Quit? Strike? not eat? live in a box?
We HAVE to pay for our house[yes we are lucky to have a house but even if we didnt we would HAVE to pay rent]
We actually worked out if we rented and all went on benefits our income would go up by around £4000 a year but we choose not to

Mushy peas are horrid.

I like little petit pois and sweetcorn...

But I am on benefits and I am moaning about me. I thought people just added their own take on similar situations. I never breathed a word about the employed soothing my wounds.

I was more up for considering the fundamentals here. Make benefits system work better- how? And so on...

Or just hun hugging.

it's hard for everyone at the moment, but I would imagine those on fixed incomes (benefits or pensions) would be hardest hit. Then again, my annual pay rise this year was all of 3% - not everyone has jobs with massive salaries and bonuses

I find a lot of it is about budgeting (bah), planning meals in advance, using leftovers, no impulse spending. We don't run a car which is a bonus.

This also emphasises the fact that the working/pensions credit system is NOT lifting people out of poverty (rant alert)

On a slightly different note:
We haven't got a pension set up and how the hell can we ever afford one when we never have any spare cash? That's a worry.

you wanted your benefits to increase

who else would pay for that?