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‘I can’t survive on £500 a week benefits!’


simmo

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......agreed about the choices part......

......and that those who really need help should get it....

......but what angers many is that those earning a minimum wage......with no help......

......and then you have some getting the same money with all the help.....concessions.....

.......life's hard enough as it is without the tabloids sensationalising the few who rort the system so spectacularly...( not pointing to the OP !)

.......but pointing out what they have in their homes.......

........cheap or not ........large tv's to some are out of reach when you have rent and bills to pay....

........bus fares for work and clothes to attend in.....

........so yes this sort of story gets people's backs up.........

..........but then again if you met most of those these stories depict.......

..........you wouldn't want to swap places....ime.....

..........to solve it...?

..........I agree with the controlled spending.......yes it limits personal choice....

..........but if you've made bad choices ending up in the position you are..( obviously those whose position is circumstantial are a different kettle of fish)

...........then someone needs to help you make better choices.....

..........a bit of a rant I apologise......not usually so judgemental

..........but a little lose to home ATM.......................................tink x

 

 

 

 

I think every country/society has to rely on the goodwill and all round sense of decency of its people Tink,otherwise i guess that country would implode because of benefit cheats,thieves,and a massive % of unemployed taking advantage of the system?

 

I prefer to concentrate on the vast majority of us who do work and contribute,than the very small minority who choose to shirk their responsibilities,there's a hell of a lot more doing the right thing,ie there's a hell of a lot more decent people,i focus on them,i know the ne'er do wells are there,but they're a small %,and that contents me more than getting angry about the minority

 

Anyway,now it "is" time for a read:wacko::wink:

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Not the best person to judge at the moment

 

 

 

........an interesting thought....!

......I too wondered about posting .......as such articles can stir the blood....!

........but then who.......if not the general public can voice an opinion....?

......it would be good to hear from such as the OP......not via the media...

........but someone who has been in this predicament.......

.........perhaps then it would lead to better understanding......and hopefully a little compassion.....

.........yes I still think controlling bad choices would help.....

........but all the media does is encourage knee jerk reactions from many......

.........sharing little of the underlying problems many of those on benefits do face......

...........so you share your thoughts kirk.......doesn't have to be judgemental.....

..........your thoughts are as valid as mine.......and others.....IMO........tink x.

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Probably because you're too busy judging yourself Kirky. C'm on mate, we all make mistakes and good on yer for realising yours............chalk it down to experience.............perk up pal. :hug:
Cheers but I cannot judge those who I have judged in the past without knowing why ?.
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Cheers but I cannot judge those who I have judged in the past without knowing why ?.

 

It "just is" mate. ...........Experience has us changing our views/opinions quite often. It's about who we are now, and where we're going, not who and where we've been...............can't change what is done, only learn as we go along and change accordingly.

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From another perspective about benefits... I go to Uni, have 2 children 1 in school 1 in nursery. I get £200 a month bursary from the NHS. Not entitled to any more as my husband earns too much supposedly so I have to find £800 a month childcare from my husbands wages. Girl on my course with kids 1 in school 1 in nursery gets full housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit, 85% of her nursery paid for, doesn't have to pay council tax and gets a full NHS bursary, can also claim all travelling costs and apply for all sorts of grants.

 

When you take the £800 from my husbands wages we are well over £1000 worse off than her a month. So she gets over £2500 a month purely in bursery not including all the rest I've mentioned because she is single and I get £200 a month because I am married. They don't think about the fact that we are a lot worse off but hey Ho lol xx

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From another perspective about benefits... I go to Uni, have 2 children 1 in school 1 in nursery. I get £200 a month bursary from the NHS. Not entitled to any more as my husband earns too much supposedly so I have to find £800 a month childcare from my husbands wages. Girl on my course with kids 1 in school 1 in nursery gets full housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit, 85% of her nursery paid for, doesn't have to pay council tax and gets a full NHS bursary, can also claim all travelling costs and apply for all sorts of grants.

 

When you take the £800 from my husbands wages we are well over £1000 worse off than her a month. So she gets over £2500 a month purely in bursery not including all the rest I've mentioned because she is single and I get £200 a month because I am married. They don't think about the fact that we are a lot worse off but hey Ho lol xx

 

The article is nothing but to provoke further envy within the working class and as such harness further support for the demise of benefits. Some at the bottom do abuse the system but not to the extent of those higher up the pecking order.

Of course the nature of the populist press prefers to highlight the poor/needy as well as no doubt in cases greedy. It suits their agenda. The constant finger pointing at those on the bottom ladder will enable greater welfare reform at a later date with minimal fuss with stories as appeared in the journal.

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From another perspective about benefits... I go to Uni, have 2 children 1 in school 1 in nursery. I get £200 a month bursary from the NHS. Not entitled to any more as my husband earns too much supposedly so I have to find £800 a month childcare from my husbands wages. Girl on my course with kids 1 in school 1 in nursery gets full housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit, 85% of her nursery paid for, doesn't have to pay council tax and gets a full NHS bursary, can also claim all travelling costs and apply for all sorts of grants.

 

When you take the £800 from my husbands wages we are well over £1000 worse off than her a month. So she gets over £2500 a month purely in bursery not including all the rest I've mentioned because she is single and I get £200 a month because I am married. They don't think about the fact that we are a lot worse off but hey Ho lol xx

 

If your figures are correct then this is where the system falls down,and lets the likes of yourself down

She gets £2.500 a month PLUS all those other benefits?did she tell you this ? i find it extremely surprising she can claim all that if she's on an NHS bursary of that much tbh

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I just asked her to write out what she gets (I don't begrudge her this by the way I just think there should be a fairer system for people like me lol) x

 

She gets (per year)

 

£5,460 Full Bursary

£1,000 Grant

£3,263 Maintenance allowance

£9024 Childcare allowance

£3179 Dependants allowance

 

And she still gets full housing benefit, no council tax, tax credits for the kids and child benefit which she told me works out well over £3000 a month her housing benefit payment alone is £800

 

Her bursary sorry is about £1900 per month she got extra in the first month I saw it due to back payment she said xxx

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It's correct. I've seen her bursary award and know how much she claims for the rest as I've seen her bank statement lol (she showed me haha I didn't go snopping lol) :) x

 

No,i didnt think for a minute you snooped,im just extremely surprised she can claim all that while getting 2.5k a month

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I just asked her to write out what she gets (I don't begrudge her this by the way I just think there should be a fairer system for people like me lol) x

 

She gets (per year)

 

£5,460 Full Bursary

£1,000 Grant

£3,263 Maintenance allowance

£9024 Childcare allowance

£3179 Dependants allowance

 

And she still gets full housing benefit, no council tax, tax credits for the kids and child benefit which she told me works out well over £3000 a month her housing benefit payment alone is £800

 

Her bursary sorry is about £1900 per month she got extra in the first month I saw it due to back payment she said xxx

 

You'l have to excuse me,but,i dont understand how full bursary is £5.460,yet its £1.900 a month?

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From another perspective about benefits... I go to Uni, have 2 children 1 in school 1 in nursery. I get £200 a month bursary from the NHS. Not entitled to any more as my husband earns too much supposedly so I have to find £800 a month childcare from my husbands wages. Girl on my course with kids 1 in school 1 in nursery gets full housing benefit, tax credits, child benefit, 85% of her nursery paid for, doesn't have to pay council tax and gets a full NHS bursary, can also claim all travelling costs and apply for all sorts of grants.

 

When you take the £800 from my husbands wages we are well over £1000 worse off than her a month. So she gets over £2500 a month purely in bursery not including all the rest I've mentioned because she is single and I get £200 a month because I am married. They don't think about the fact that we are a lot worse off but hey Ho lol xx

 

I can see where your coming from but hopefully the financial support she receives now is enabling her to get out of the 'single mum unable to work because she unskilled and earns less than if she's on benefits' type rut and she'll end up with a good qualification and be able to contribute for the rest of her working life.

 

I know it seems a bit unfair and well done for you and your family making financial sacrifices while you train, it's to be admired as much as the single mum trying to have a better future for her family.

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No that's exactly why I don't begrudge her that. As I said above :) I think its great she is doing something and I said earlier in the thread if anything happened to myself and my husband I would have to go onto benefits to finish my degree to provide for myself and my children xx

 

I just think there should be a fairer system for people like me as well x

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Sorry I added up all those bits and then divided it to get the total so I added in the word bursary at the end when I shouldn't have lol xx

 

Roughly £100 a week bursary then ?plus £1.000 grant,the other benefits she would get anyway,is that correct?

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CS can you claim the childcare grant?

I have just started my course and can't get working tax credit (I don't work yet but am trying!) but am about to apply for the childcare grant to help. Currently 4 weeks in arrears with nursery payments but they are so kind and know we are waiting for the house to sell and I have more student finance due in Jan so they are letting B attend still and letting us postpone payment till the house completes or next SF payment in Jan.

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I can see why working folk get the hump though. It happens in Oz also..........................my foster daughter (single mum) has been enrolled (for free) at tafe studying for a "Community Services" qualification. Her two kids will be enrolled in the creche for a dollar a day. A (non-working) mother who had a working partner, would not only have to pay the Tafe fees, but also the creche fees, according to her partners income which would severely reduce their disposable income...............my dughters disposable income is only reduced by $5 a week.

 

Some benefit recipients take the tafe route because it is "suggested" to them by their case worker......................if nothing else, it means that they can palm the kids off to the creche for 5 days a week, when kindie is only available to them for 2 days a week.

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CS can you claim the childcare grant?

I have just started my course and can't get working tax credit (I don't work yet but am trying!) but am about to apply for the childcare grant to help. Currently 4 weeks in arrears with nursery payments but they are so kind and know we are waiting for the house to sell and I have more student finance due in Jan so they are letting B attend still and letting us postpone payment till the house completes or next SF payment in Jan.

 

No not entitled to a penny. Not entitled to a penny of anything other than what I'm getting now all because hubby's wages :( and his wages aren't amazing lol I wish they were then I wouldn't be worrying lol xx

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My hubby works 20+ hours, on top of going to uni...and we have to pay full rent council tax etc. I do think you are penalised for working, it should be the other way around..you should benefit financially if you work.I remember when I had my boy and a lot of people were asking if id put in for this baby grant thing

..500quid I think it was...but we werent entitled as I was working/hubby at uni...can't remember the specifics but you get my drift. I do think things like that are unfair maybe, or possibly that it should just be that you're always better off working full stop, it would encourage people to get out there y'know. I don't think there's enough incentive, certainly not for young people...apprenticeships are few and far between...that's another issue anyway...I can see why some sit on their arse...

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