k8bug79 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 This country sometimes (most of the time) drives me crazy. Today I saw an advert for a great job for me here in the UK. Top company in my field and doubles my salary. Great, as we are ready to file our visa I thought I'd have a stab at it, see what happens as we can always hold on a year or so to go for the sake of boosting my career. Now we are a fairly typical family, live to our means, no luxuries really and have a comfortable but not well off existence. We have 3 young children so we receive help through child tax credits towards childcare. Not masses but enough. This job combined with my husbands wages would take us above the threshold meaning we would no longer receive child tax credits. So a quick calculation and it turns out we would be worse off by £10 a month taking this new job (if I was lucky enough to be offered it) plus we would have the added costs of increased rent (it would mean relocating to a more expensive area) and probably increased childcare costs due to extra hours and more expensive settings. I just find it ludicrous that I could over double my wage and still not feel the benefits. I don't by any means take the benefit of child tax credits for granted, not long ago we had a combined household income of £18K and 3 kids with childcare costs and it would have been impossible to have survived without the added assistance. But it just seems so wrong that I aim to strive and further my career but can't or feel I shouldn't due to financial reasons. Please tell me Oz rewards people who work hard for a living!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nollie Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 wow i cant wait to see the responses on this one..... it has happened to us too .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimsdu Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Dont get me started !!!!! The UK offer NO REWARD for hard work and make it easy to stay in the system.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RioMarina Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 This country sometimes (most of the time) drives me crazy. Today I saw an advert for a great job for me here in the UK. Top company in my field and doubles my salary. Great, as we are ready to file our visa I thought I'd have a stab at it, see what happens as we can always hold on a year or so to go for the sake of boosting my career. Now we are a fairly typical family, live to our means, no luxuries really and have a comfortable but not well off existence. We have 3 young children so we receive help through child tax credits towards childcare. Not masses but enough. This job combined with my husbands wages would take us above the threshold meaning we would no longer receive child tax credits. So a quick calculation and it turns out we would be worse off by £10 a month taking this new job (if I was lucky enough to be offered it) plus we would have the added costs of increased rent (it would mean relocating to a more expensive area) and probably increased childcare costs due to extra hours and more expensive settings. I just find it ludicrous that I could over double my wage and still not feel the benefits. I don't by any means take the benefit of child tax credits for granted, not long ago we had a combined household income of £18K and 3 kids with childcare costs and it would have been impossible to have survived without the added assistance. But it just seems so wrong that I aim to strive and further my career but can't or feel I shouldn't due to financial reasons. Please tell me Oz rewards people who work hard for a living!!!!!!! Britain is the best place on earth to live. No other country looks after its people like England does. If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. That bank is now owned by the people of the U.K with its profits benefitting all. England is fantastic, I don't know why I left. I need to back as soon as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 I agree with you to an extent. The UK is a great place, certainly far better than many other countries on this planet. My plans to emmigrate have never been about hating the UK. Hower I disagree with the statement below. "If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. That bank is now owned by the people of the U.K with its profits benefitting all." Unemployment is still rising and I fail to see the economy that is benefiting all!!! Plus whilst Im not exactly a follower of the financial markets I don't believe any banks have paid back their debts!!! I think the welfare that this country offers is fantastic. But what I don' agree with is something for nothing. What would be the point in me striving to better my prospects for my career and family if I am left out of pocket. What need sto be readjusted is a ople sitting doing nothing and living the life of luxury for it and ose that geninely want to help themselves and get no reqard. I believe that the government needs to sit down with about 100(per se) diferent financial situation and ensure their reforms don't hit people unfairly. We have seen it with the child benefit reiew, def worthy n my opinion, but unfair that a couecoudl earn £75K and get cb whilst one eson earning £42K couldn't. AsI say I amll for hard work, I want career and I would like to get to the top of that career, I just don't want tfeel have to wait until the children have left home before I can do that. Give me recognition to those willing to work to not need the extras. I can't tell you what I am actually suggesting bysaying this. It would seem ludicrous in the current climate to suggest higher benefit caps, and likewise I wouldn't want to suggest they reduce the benefts at the lower end either. No wy would be easy. Itis just very frustrating to think you can see a way forward for your family and finances to realise that it woulactually be to your detriment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moven Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I agree with you to an extent. The UK is a great place, certainly far better than many other countries on this planet. My plans to emmigrate have never been about hating the UK. Hower I disagree with the statement below. "If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. That bank is now owned by the people of the U.K with its profits benefitting all." Unemployment is still rising and I fail to see the economy that is benefiting all!!! Plus whilst Im not exactly a follower of the financial markets I don't believe any banks have paid back their debts!!! I think the welfare that this country offers is fantastic. But what I don' agree with is something for nothing. What would be the point in me striving to better my prospects for my career and family if I am left out of pocket. What need sto be readjusted is a ople sitting doing nothing and living the life of luxury for it and ose that geninely want to help themselves and get no reqard. I believe that the government needs to sit down with about 100(per se) diferent financial situation and ensure their reforms don't hit people unfairly. We have seen it with the child benefit reiew, def worthy n my opinion, but unfair that a couecoudl earn £75K and get cb whilst one eson earning £42K couldn't. AsI say I amll for hard work, I want career and I would like to get to the top of that career, I just don't want tfeel have to wait until the children have left home before I can do that. Give me recognition to those willing to work to not need the extras. I can't tell you what I am actually suggesting bysaying this. It would seem ludicrous in the current climate to suggest higher benefit caps, and likewise I wouldn't want to suggest they reduce the benefts at the lower end either. No wy would be easy. Itis just very frustrating to think you can see a way forward for your family and finances to realise that it woulactually be to your detriment. I thought he was taken the piss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansi Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I've just explained in another post that my OH and I earn about £40k and don't get the benefit of benefits, we live near Brighton and with 2 kids its a struggle. So am hoping that there is plenty of positives about Aus in this post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Britain is the best place on earth to live. No other country looks after its people like England does. If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. That bank is now owned by the people of the U.K with its profits benefitting all. England is fantastic, I don't know why I left. I need to back as soon as possible. Very simplistic, the problem is now the UK cannot afford to look after its people, its people have to take cuts and start looking after themselves a bit more. The pot is diminishing and lets face it the well off are not going to go without, its going to be ordinary jo blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 I hoped he was but answered just in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Very simplistic, the problem is now the UK cannot afford to look after its people, its people have to take cuts and start looking after themselves a bit more. The pot is diminishing and lets face it the well off are not going to go without, its going to be ordinary jo blow. What makes people think its any different in Aus? Its in the real world after all You still have means testing for benefits. You get people on disability pensions as young as in their 20s, because of eg mental health issues and chronic pain You still get longterm unemployed drug addicts and alcoholics who have never worked a day in their lives, have no means of income except through benefits, and YES, they have children Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Austala is no different from the UK, you are hammered with taxes and everything else just the same, in fact I thing oz hammer's you more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scottiedog Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Same old same the rich get richer! Joe bloggs struggles away pays his dues gets zero! Always been the way since i was young and always will be. All you get from labour,Tory,snp,lib dem, we will work for the man in the street blah blah! No prize but how many mps did not come from private eduction i rest my case! Ihope when i get to oz since i am a migrant i will get lots of money given to me like in the UK what u think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eera Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 It is no different; the limits for means testing (which applies to pretty much any form of benefit) tends to be on the low side and taxes are high (though I have no idea what they are in the UK right now, so how they compare???). By way of an example, my cousin used to be a manager for the southern hemisphere region of an international company. They moved out from Australia and she took a much lower paid job at Macquarie University. Her new salary was about 1/3 of the previous one, but with the increase in benefits she was suddenly eligable for and the reduction in tax and fringe benefits liability etc, her effective income was only about 30% down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Same old same the rich get richer!Joe bloggs struggles away pays his dues gets zero! Always been the way since i was young and always will be. All you get from labour,Tory,snp,lib dem, we will work for the man in the street blah blah! No prize but how many mps did not come from private eduction i rest my case! Ihope when i get to oz since i am a migrant i will get lots of money given to me like in the UK what u think? LOL, you will get nothing in oz in the way of benifits, the UK has always given money away to anyway who asked, oz is more sensible work or struggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scottiedog Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I dont have 20 kids a wife under 20 so i think i am buggered in this country. p.s do you get money in oz for being ehhhhhhhhhh stupid,ugly?????????? anythinggggggg let me knowwww???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I dont have 20 kids a wife under 20 so i think i am buggered in this country.p.s do you get money in oz for being ehhhhhhhhhh stupid,ugly?????????? anythinggggggg let me knowwww???? You get nothing in oz, work or starve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 You get nothing in oz, work or starve. Are you avin a laff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 This country sometimes (most of the time) drives me crazy. Today I saw an advert for a great job for me here in the UK. Top company in my field and doubles my salary. Great, as we are ready to file our visa I thought I'd have a stab at it, see what happens as we can always hold on a year or so to go for the sake of boosting my career. Now we are a fairly typical family, live to our means, no luxuries really and have a comfortable but not well off existence. We have 3 young children so we receive help through child tax credits towards childcare. Not masses but enough. This job combined with my husbands wages would take us above the threshold meaning we would no longer receive child tax credits. So a quick calculation and it turns out we would be worse off by £10 a month taking this new job (if I was lucky enough to be offered it) plus we would have the added costs of increased rent (it would mean relocating to a more expensive area) and probably increased childcare costs due to extra hours and more expensive settings. I just find it ludicrous that I could over double my wage and still not feel the benefits. I don't by any means take the benefit of child tax credits for granted, not long ago we had a combined household income of £18K and 3 kids with childcare costs and it would have been impossible to have survived without the added assistance. But it just seems so wrong that I aim to strive and further my career but can't or feel I shouldn't due to financial reasons. Please tell me Oz rewards people who work hard for a living!!!!!!! Is your complaint that current benefits are too high? If so, I believe they are pretty generous in Australia too. Take the job, pay your own way, the job may lead to better things in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 This country sometimes (most of the time) drives me crazy. Today I saw an advert for a great job for me here in the UK. Top company in my field and doubles my salary. Great, as we are ready to file our visa I thought I'd have a stab at it, see what happens as we can always hold on a year or so to go for the sake of boosting my career. Now we are a fairly typical family, live to our means, no luxuries really and have a comfortable but not well off existence. We have 3 young children so we receive help through child tax credits towards childcare. Not masses but enough. This job combined with my husbands wages would take us above the threshold meaning we would no longer receive child tax credits. So a quick calculation and it turns out we would be worse off by £10 a month taking this new job (if I was lucky enough to be offered it) plus we would have the added costs of increased rent (it would mean relocating to a more expensive area) and probably increased childcare costs due to extra hours and more expensive settings. I just find it ludicrous that I could over double my wage and still not feel the benefits. I don't by any means take the benefit of child tax credits for granted, not long ago we had a combined household income of £18K and 3 kids with childcare costs and it would have been impossible to have survived without the added assistance. But it just seems so wrong that I aim to strive and further my career but can't or feel I shouldn't due to financial reasons. Please tell me Oz rewards people who work hard for a living!!!!!!! the obvious conclusion from all that is you're currently getting too many benefits, that's what's making you feel that the new job isn't worthwhile. Families with 2 adults working should not be getting any benefits. The UK can't and won't be able to afford it, neither can any other country. Take the new job and at least you won't be sponging off the state. and no Australia isn't any better, some proffesions pay better due to a lack of experienced staff, but most pay the same relative to cost of living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 This country sometimes (most of the time) drives me crazy. Today I saw an advert for a great job for me here in the UK. Top company in my field and doubles my salary. Great, as we are ready to file our visa I thought I'd have a stab at it, see what happens as we can always hold on a year or so to go for the sake of boosting my career. Now we are a fairly typical family, live to our means, no luxuries really and have a comfortable but not well off existence. We have 3 young children so we receive help through child tax credits towards childcare. Not masses but enough. This job combined with my husbands wages would take us above the threshold meaning we would no longer receive child tax credits. So a quick calculation and it turns out we would be worse off by £10 a month taking this new job (if I was lucky enough to be offered it) plus we would have the added costs of increased rent (it would mean relocating to a more expensive area) and probably increased childcare costs due to extra hours and more expensive settings. I just find it ludicrous that I could over double my wage and still not feel the benefits. I don't by any means take the benefit of child tax credits for granted, not long ago we had a combined household income of £18K and 3 kids with childcare costs and it would have been impossible to have survived without the added assistance. But it just seems so wrong that I aim to strive and further my career but can't or feel I shouldn't due to financial reasons. Please tell me Oz rewards people who work hard for a living!!!!!!! I've heard it being an issue with friends when the wife wants to go back to work from not working at all the childcare and loss of family benefit makes it seem less worthwhile. I haven't heard of your situation though where you are already working and a doubling of wage would have that effect. Normally when both are already working they would have a combined salary near or above the $120,000 limit already and would not be getting much family benefit and would already be paying childcare so while it would stop some payments the difference wouldn't be any where near large enough to absorb a doubling of one persons income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Britain is the best place on earth to live. No other country looks after its people like England does. If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. That bank is now owned by the people of the U.K with its profits benefitting all. England is fantastic, I don't know why I left. I need to back as soon as possible. With ANZ making 3 billion profit in 6 months you would have to think so. :cry: http://www.smh.com.au/business/anz-posts-297b-firsthalf-cash-profit-20120502-1xxvm.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boganbear Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I had to read these posts a few times to work out what the original poster was trying to say and I am still not sure. Are they complaining about the fact that taking a highly paid job would mean moving and additional living costs or that they will lose welfare benefits? I know it is tough in the Uk but you shouldn't just see the financial side of any decision you make in life. If taking the job will bring more responsibility, career promotion, experience and training then that should help in the long run. If you live in a "better area" would you get a benefit of nicer houses and location, neighbours, schools, lower crime which would make life more pleasant? Are there things that you can do to reduce your expenses to make life more pleasant? If you are coming to Oz I am sure the new job and experience would help in getting one here. If you are coming to Oz you also need a reality check and get the right attitude. Many things are more expensive here, particularly housing, depending on where you choose to live. The cost of renting or buying in Sydney is astronomical compared to Melbourne and Melbourne is pricey compared to Brisbane. This is one of the reasons why we are moving to QLD in 2 weeks. I've managed to get a new job but it pays slightly less than now and travel costs are 3 times they are at the moment but I am looking forward to it as the move will be beneficial in other ways - a nicer place to live, near to the family, a change of direction in my career which will be challenging but hopefully a lot of fun. As an immigrant you will not be entitled to many benefits and depending on your visa you have to pay school fees in some states even for state schools. You also have to pay loads for dentists and pay to see a doctor and some medical procedures that you don't in the UK. There are many people struggling with higher costs of living and the price of things will go through the roof with the incoming carbon tax. There are lots of posts on here moaning about the cost of living and the price of things in Oz and yes it is expensive. However, if you shop around, get things on the internet, perhaps do without some things for a while and save then it won't be so much of a problem. I think Australia is a country where if you work hard you get the rewards, perhaps more in the long term than the short term and sometimes you have to wait. Life is not going to be perfect anywhere but it can be better here. My OH's parents emmigrated 30 years ago with not much money. Mother in law had to work doing crappy jobs and times were very tough in the first few years. They had to do without a lot of things for a long time and she has told me many times that she wanted to jack it all in and go back to England but she never did and hard work has paid off. She now has a good job that she loves, has seen her kids grow up to have happy fulfilling lives, great family and grandkids, a stunninng million dollar house and a tinny (small boat). She still has to watch the pennies but in doing so can afford some of life's luxuries and live a better life than she could in the UK. We had to do without a car for 2 years, only get one mobile phone for a long time, reduced going out drastically and save as much as we can. Nearly every decision to buy something was based on "do we really need this?" Nearly 4 years down the line we now have a new car paid with cash, do not have to worry about bills, no debts, looking to buy a house with a large deposit. Our careers have changed drastically but they are more interesting and enjoyable (yes they are also very stressful at times). One of our great pleasures in life is now growing veggies and are looking forward to getting a big garden to grow as much as we can and get some chickens for eggs. There is nothing more uplifting for the soul than getting out and about, going for bike rides and drives to explore this beautiful country and it all started by needing to do things that cost little or saved money. It has been a hard time for both of us in different ways, particularly emotionally but now we are closer together and happier. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards or sideways but our future is looking rosy and we can't wait to embark on the next step of our Ozzie adventure....ie, life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 To be honest, I think Australia does expect more of its workers. There is an expectation in some professions that unpaid overtime is expected. However the bonuses can be better. EG: I am a nurse and unpaid overtime can come with the job. You cant just walk away and go home when something is happening. But in my place of work I get a paid day off every month for all the extra I do. I also feel that you are more supported in the workplace than in the UK. You get more chance to `work through` issues here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I had to read these posts a few times to work out what the original poster was trying to say and I am still not sure. Are they complaining about the fact that taking a highly paid job would mean moving and additional living costs or that they will lose welfare benefits? I know it is tough in the Uk but you shouldn't just see the financial side of any decision you make in life. If taking the job will bring more responsibility, career promotion, experience and training then that should help in the long run. If you live in a "better area" would you get a benefit of nicer houses and location, neighbours, schools, lower crime which would make life more pleasant? Are there things that you can do to reduce your expenses to make life more pleasant? If you are coming to Oz I am sure the new job and experience would help in getting one here. If you are coming to Oz you also need a reality check and get the right attitude. Many things are more expensive here, particularly housing, depending on where you choose to live. The cost of renting or buying in Sydney is astronomical compared to Melbourne and Melbourne is pricey compared to Brisbane. This is one of the reasons why we are moving to QLD in 2 weeks. I've managed to get a new job but it pays slightly less than now and travel costs are 3 times they are at the moment but I am looking forward to it as the move will be beneficial in other ways - a nicer place to live, near to the family, a change of direction in my career which will be challenging but hopefully a lot of fun. As an immigrant you will not be entitled to many benefits and depending on your visa you have to pay school fees in some states even for state schools. You also have to pay loads for dentists and pay to see a doctor and some medical procedures that you don't in the UK. There are many people struggling with higher costs of living and the price of things will go through the roof with the incoming carbon tax. There are lots of posts on here moaning about the cost of living and the price of things in Oz and yes it is expensive. However, if you shop around, get things on the internet, perhaps do without some things for a while and save then it won't be so much of a problem. ! I think the point I am getting at is it seems unevenly balanced. I agree I would love to get away from requirements on child tax credits but surely if you double your wage you should be better off not worse? I also agree that taking the job would be better for my career and that is why I have applied but I was saying that we would be £10 worse off before moving to a more expensive area. I know you don't know me so don't necessarily know how far off the mark you are. But we live in rural Cornwall, arguably one of the nicest low crime area with great neighbours, an excellent school and a nice 5 bedroom house. We are by no means reliant on benefits but yes if I didn't get help with child care then I couldn't afford to work. I have to commute 40 miles a day to my job (partly my choice but also couldn't afford to live much closer) but that is the only place for me to work here. This job is near Birmingham the houses would be 1.5 times more expensive and smaller and I am sure I don't need to start mentioning crime rates etc. The initial post was more a mini rant at how the UK seems to have a gap where suddenly you can be working hard and earning a very good wage and be worse off than someone earning much less. Maybe my benefits at the moment are too high. That would be a hard thing to admit to as we only just get by each month. My childcare is nearly £300 a week and I get £200 a week towards it. That is it, I'll leave it to you to assess whether you think that is too high. In regards to Australia I think I have my eyes open, although I am always aware that the internet and forums can tell me only so much. I am applying for a spouse visa so many of the issues re school fees and benefits. I have looked at what each situation over there is likely to mean for our actual monthly income but haven't looked at taking such a big leap as this would entail. I definitely agree that the financial aspects in life aren't the most important ones. We are desperately trying to whittle down the small amount of debt we have, save to buy our own house so that would hopefully free up some money. But other than that the only thing I have identified in our lifestyle that is luxury is Sky, so it's gone. I like you hope Australia gives us more opportunity to adopt an outdoors lifestyle. It amazes me that this weekend it has been glorious here yet my children still sit indoors. Hoping a population with a more outdoorsy attitude will rub off on them!!! Thanks for responding though as you make some interesting points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 If you compare economies, could an Australian bank ever pay a £168 million debt back to the government in 3 years. Why not? Considering the average annual profit of the "big 4" Australian banks was $6 BILLION (each) in 2011, the figure you cite is pocket money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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