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MSE News: Monthly benefit payments 'risk backfiring'

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"The shift to monthly benefit payments could push some families further into financial difficulties, a think tank warns ..."
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  • Mara69
    Mara69 Posts: 1,409 Forumite
    Considering that most jobs pay monthly it makes perfect sense to start giving benefits on a monthly basis.

    The DWP state that "we are working with local authorities and the financial industry on how best to support individuals. We have always said we would be flexible with people who might struggle to manage their money."

    So help will be available for those that need it. Bit of a non story really.
  • FredaBelgin1
    FredaBelgin1 Posts: 1 Newbie
    edited 17 September 2012 at 1:51PM
    Mara69 wrote: »
    Considering that most jobs pay monthly it makes perfect sense to start giving benefits on a monthly basis.

    The DWP state that "we are working with local authorities and the financial industry on how best to support individuals. We have always said we would be flexible with people who might struggle to manage their money."

    So help will be available for those that need it. Bit of a non story really.
    [FONT=&quot]
    Also most people have to pay the following monthly: Council Tax, Water rates, Rent, Gass, Electric, phone, ISP. How do thay budget for these if they get paid weekly. I am sure that it would be easier to budget for monthly bills when you are paid monthly, especially if you are able to get the timings right and the bills are paid one or two days after the pay goes in.

    [/FONT]
  • CompBunny
    CompBunny Posts: 1,059 Forumite
    edited 18 September 2012 at 9:54AM
    Some people, such as my brother who has mental health problems, are incapable of budgeting. If he didn't have my parents handling his money on his behalf he would most likely end up either spending it all at once at the beginning of the month, being convinced to give it away (he is very gullible and generous by nature) or losing it somehow.

    Incapable is not the same as thick.

    He has my parents to make sure that rent and bills are paid out of his benefits, and give him the rest via cash in small, more manageable installments. He is lucky. Many others who don't have the skills due to illness (but not officially ill enough to have a full time guardian to keep an eye on them!) are left to fend for themselves. Many end up homeless due to simply not being able to handle the system and responsibility of budgeting. I can't imagine anyone choosing to be like this.
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  • Whilst the issue may be budgeting for a small number of claimants, for most it is going from weekly or 2-weekly payments to monthly and therefore having no payments for 3 or 2 weeks, or if the DWP do their usual thing, a whole month.
  • rogerblack
    rogerblack Posts: 9,446 Forumite
    http://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2011/10/21/a-blog-in-support-of-stupid-peoples-rights-probably-the-most-important-blog-ive-ever-written/

    Stupid people are people too.

    Should people who have the mental capacity to manage their money well be expected to do so - certainly.

    Many people, for whatever reason - illness, age, ... do not reliably have this capability.
  • squeeks
    squeeks Posts: 309 Forumite
    ... could be a perfect opportunity.

    Wonga budget management. For the low price of £10 a week, Wonga budget management can help you manage the costs of those pesky day to day expenses, so you don't have to...
  • my sister has what is called key card for electricity and also for gas and she has to budget for these items, some weeks espically when it has been cold for here electricity £40 and her gas was £65 that was for a weekshe is going to find it difficult to budget monthly and feed her children
    abigail
  • Only strongest will survive in this world. If you are so thick that can't even do a basic budgeting than I have no problem of you dying rather than living your parasite life of my taxes forever.

    what a wonderful human being you are ........NOT

    explain if you can how someone/a family living off the bare minimum can suddenly go from budgeting one week at a time to 4 weeks at a time?

    you cant explain it neither can the neo-facist, iain drunken smith
  • [FONT=&quot]
    Also most people have to pay the following monthly: Council Tax, Water rates, Rent, Gass, Electric, phone, ISP. How do thay budget for these if they get paid weekly. I am sure that it would be easier to budget for monthly bills when you are paid monthly, especially if you are able to get the timings right and the bills are paid one or two days after the pay goes in.

    [/FONT]

    you forget that alot of people on basic means tested benefits dont pay full rent or council tax,that many pay for gas/electric as they use it and not all have an isp or phone
  • Budgeting

    Politicians themselves in the house were told :

    - the IT costs of UC would be in the order of £2 billion
    - Chris Grayling, before he departed for the MoJ admitted the cost had spiralled to £2.1 billion
    - just two years in, the project is £100 million over budget
    - and we learned yesterday that UC when it is fully rolled out in 2017, will demand an extra £3.1 billion in welfare payments each year

    Budgeting for the masses but not for the political class then ?.
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
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