To think some posters need a "reality check" re. views on benefit changes

[lesley33]

I have some concerns about some of the proposed changes to benefits and how these may adversely affect people. So this is NOT a thread about that. But I am getting increasingly fed up at some of the frankly ridiculous reasons some posters are giving against the proposed changes. Examples include:

1. That children 12 and over will be traumatised if both parents work - even if second parent only works 20 hours a week.

1. That a parent with children 12 and over shouldn't have to commute up to 90 minutes each way to work. Far from ideal I know and if someone is on low wages this might not be affordable. But perfectly doable.

1. That childcare is impossible to get for teenagers. Ignoring the fact that many parents, myself included use a combination of kids home alone and afterschool activities.

AIBU to think some people need a reality check? Plenty of people with children already work, many with both parents working full time by the time their kids are teenagers. Plenty of people have long commutes, struggle with childcare, etc. Things might not be "ideal", but these are things that many many working parents already do.

Doesn't hunty have an sn child? will be limited as to where she can access then

They can repossess it and sell it. You can't just have it for free if you decide to stop paying the mortgage on it.

Err they may be supporting a partner in a stressful job,with long commuting hours whilst raising children during a career break thus enabling said partner to pay a stonking amount of tax. Methinks they contribute.

HuntyCat I know that you're prone to exaggeration and that you don't let the facts ruin a good story!

Use the leisure centre!

Goes to show though, that sometimes it does take more than one parent to effectively run a family and at the same time feed them all.

TheRealTilly benefits are a complete trap.

They were intriduced to provide freedom for people in dire straights, but long term they suck the life out of you. My old town and many members of my extended family are in this trap. It's is like the life of the living dead.

Alouisee - the ones that take dc from MY dc's primary ARE. In the holidays. three years ago, when I was last working over school holidays, it cost £37.50 a day. Now it is £50.

No they aren't Hunty, not one primary school in this area charges that.

I've just checked the charges for various holiday schemes around the country online and they vary widely, but including meals many are easily £40+ a day in some areas. That's per child.

With the transport to those locations from this side of town, Alouisee, I would be paying the same amount as the club that takes dc from my part of town ANYWAY. £9.70 bus fare for me and the dc. PLUS on two buses to the childcare, then another bus or two to work - If my start time was 9am, I'd have to leave my house BEFORE the first bus runs! Believe me, Alouisee - those 'cheap' childcare facilities aren't available on some estates in this town. And aren't easily accessible by public transport from other estates,if they are not onthe same bus route, and then you have to factor in the time, cost and waiting lists.

Back pedal away.

That was meant to say to factor in the TRAVEL time, cost OF TRAVEL and waiting lists FOR THOSE CHEAPER CHILDCARE FACILITIES.

Not round here LineRunner

when i was 11 i managed to keep myself and lil bro alive for 4 hours

Alouisee - do you know that you can't just roll up to a childcare facility and say "I have a job working Monday to Friday, now you have to look after my child",don't you? Our town is short of HUNDREDS of needed childcare places. Ring the childcare team at the LEA. They will be only too happy to tell you. The leisure centre is inaccessible to me at least - and had a 6 month waiting list when I last enquired. (September). I'm QUITE sure an employer here is going to wait 6 months for you to be available to start work because you want to use only the cheapest childcare, despite it's unavailability...

I'm afraid round here there are no holiday clubs that cater for working parents that come in at under the circa £40 a day per child mark.

I would love to have a cheaper alternative. But I didn't.

to have had

Lucky you miniMis

Sadly ds1 has ASD and if I do 20 hours and have a 90 minute commute, it is quite liklely he will have burned down the house and or killed his siblings before I get home. I base this on fact; we have enough A&E history, scorched carpets (why the lcoal shop would keep matches on a low shelf where he could nick i will never know - took emages to relailse where theyc ame from) and similar incidents to know this to be fact.

Maybe we need to live in extended families.

The benefit system has fostered an attitude that the state will step in to provide care or housing in an emergency, before that family and neighbours stepped in.

Reading these threads you'd think Grannies and kindly friends didn't exist.

methe I don't know if you're still following this thread, but I just wanted to say your comments were very relevant and, for me, helped me see a reason to be on the other side of the argument. You sound very reasonable and I can see your point.

Yes Hunty, I do. Which is why people get organised and book in advance, the leisure centre have already sent out their programmes. Holiday childcare programmes are planned months if not a year in advance.

Well, if we expect people to move away from their support netwroks they won't will they? nearest relative of ours is 60 miles away, DS1's behaviour emans making friends here has been close to impossible abrring a few nice people- but ones whose children could be ahrmed by ds1.

I would lvoe to live as an extended family, but if the HB is being limited to three bedroom houses regardless of circs and so many houses are starter homes how do we do this exactly? As it happens Mum and dad if they need care will go and live with my sister, that's been definite for a while- she lives in their home town. BBut for many that is simply not a possibility: a shame though becuase it would help with childcare, housing- all sorts.

My ExH and his parents refuse to help. My own parents need care themselves.

but in central london, there are areas, where unemployment is higher than liverpool.

there are jobs, public transport, support networks & still high unemployment.

Methe apart from anything else, what on earth are you talking about losing £45 a month now your DS is 1?! They scrapped that under one element last year!