Warning! Big benefit payments shake-up: frequency and pay-day will change for most

laney_222

After seeing the correction feel the need to add this. Last month my DLA got uncoupled from my Incapacity benefit and had to wait 3 weeks before receiving a separate payment for just the DLA as this has already been changed and I did not receive a letter in advance to warn me of this. I do not know if this is limited to if you have more than one benefit made in one payment but just wish to warn that it may be the 3 weeks as originally warned.

PhiltheBear

bestpud wrote: »

I realise benefits are not meant to provide a life of luxury but why oh why do so many people think being on benefits means they should have everything handed to them on a plate?

Plenty of people have to budget and plan ahead for things.

People on benefits (on the whole) are not helpless and can take responsibility for themselves and their finances as much as the next person.

Why do people feel think they must lie down and let the state pick them up again and again?

Jeez, we are lucky to have what we do in this country! And disability benefits are actually not that bad.

Maybe its time people were made to realise they can survive ok and then we won't need threads like this one?

I'm on benefits. I'm not helpless but I haven't been able to get a job. I wish it weren't so - but it's a simple fact. I don't think the state 'picks me up'. It's helping me out - from the money I've given it in taxes.

My last year's total income was just over £3,000. Now, explain to me clearly how I can pay for food, heat, light, clothing AND job searching on that. Perhaps when you have done so I'll use the surplus to buy a new car.

tigtag02

PhiltheBear wrote: »

I'm on benefits. I'm not helpless but I haven't been able to get a job. I wish it weren't so - but it's a simple fact. I don't think the state 'picks me up'. It's helping me out - from the money I've given it in taxes.

My last year's total income was just over £3,000. Now, explain to me clearly how I can pay for food, heat, light, clothing AND job searching on that. Perhaps when you have done so I'll use the surplus to buy a new car.

What benefit was this made up from?

KimYeovil

PhiltheBear wrote: »

I'm on benefits. I'm not helpless but I haven't been able to get a job. I wish it weren't so - but it's a simple fact. I don't think the state 'picks me up'. It's helping me out - from the money I've given it in taxes.

My last year's total income was just over £3,000. Now, explain to me clearly how I can pay for food, heat, light, clothing AND job searching on that. Perhaps when you have done so I'll use the surplus to buy a new car.

Over 25's JSA alone is more than £3,100 per annum or more than £260 per month (and that was last year.) Not many workers have that much left after housing and commuting is paid for. They have to budget. So do job seekers. (And you can pay less for clothing and travel - more than enough to offset the job search costs.)

How can a worker pay for all those things? Is the reason you are out of work is that you are a little slow? Life is expensive for the poor. The poorer you are, the more you have to budget.

richard9991

KimYeovil wrote: »

Over 25's JSA alone is more than £3,100 per annum or more than £260 per month (and that was last year.) Not many workers have that much left after housing and commuting is paid for. They have to budget. So do job seekers. (And you can pay less for clothing and travel - more than enough to offset the job search costs.)

How can a worker pay for all those things? Is the reason you are out of work is that you are a little slow? Life is expensive for the poor. The poorer you are, the more you have to budget.

maybe they have been sanctioned

PhiltheBear

tigtag02 wrote: »

What benefit was this made up from?

It was JSA.The actual figure (from the official notification for tax purposes) was £3,380.84. At the end of the year it went up from £60.50 a week because I reached 60.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how I can live a profligate life on that money. I haven't mentioned the £5 fortnightly bus fare to go to sign on. Or the fact that I'm supposed to spend money on paper, envelopes and stamps and telephone applying for work as well as eat.

And how, exactly, is it cheaper for me to buy clothing than someone working? KimYeovil once again displays a total lack of understanding. To claim that most employed people only have £60 to live on after commuting and housing is ludicrous. The reason I'm out of work is that like many others there aren't the jobs available - it's that simple. Pop into a jobcentre and find out for yourself.

NASA_2

£5 a fortnight. Kinda puts my £25 a week in the shade.

richard9991

PhiltheBear wrote: »

It was JSA.The actual figure (from the official notification for tax purposes) was £3,380.84. At the end of the year it went up from £60.50 a week because I reached 60.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how I can live a profligate life on that money. I haven't mentioned the £5 fortnightly bus fare to go to sign on. Or the fact that I'm supposed to spend money on paper, envelopes and stamps and telephone applying for work as well as eat.

And how, exactly, is it cheaper for me to buy clothing than someone working? KimYeovil once again displays a total lack of understanding. To claim that most employed people only have £60 to live on after commuting and housing is ludicrous. The reason I'm out of work is that like many others there aren't the jobs available - it's that simple. Pop into a jobcentre and find out for yourself.

if you have reached 60 then you do not have to be available or activly seeking work as you can claim pension credit of £130 per week and they pay your credits for ni

tigtag02

PhiltheBear wrote: »

It was JSA.The actual figure (from the official notification for tax purposes) was £3,380.84. At the end of the year it went up from £60.50 a week because I reached 60.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how I can live a profligate life on that money. I haven't mentioned the £5 fortnightly bus fare to go to sign on. Or the fact that I'm supposed to spend money on paper, envelopes and stamps and telephone applying for work as well as eat.

And how, exactly, is it cheaper for me to buy clothing than someone working? KimYeovil once again displays a total lack of understanding. To claim that most employed people only have £60 to live on after commuting and housing is ludicrous. The reason I'm out of work is that like many others there aren't the jobs available - it's that simple. Pop into a jobcentre and find out for yourself.

How did you pay your mortgage/rent & council tax?

PhiltheBear

tigtag02 wrote: »

How did you pay your mortgage/rent & council tax?

I have a room in a house which I have for free in return for doing some basic caring for the house owner. So I have no rent. If I were paying rent then I believe it would be paid by the government - as would council tax if I were the house owner.