Some benefit help please

jennie09

krisskross wrote: »

I honestly believe i could live fairly comfortably on £95 a week for 2 of us.

food £45
gas and electric £15
water £4
phone and internet £6
contents insurance £5

Food I am sure could be a lot less than this and I still have £20 per week left over for transport, clothes etc.

Not a fortune but certainly not unliveable on, especially as it is really only intended to be short term. I have used my actual figures for utilities. This is for 2 adults, both at home all day. We don't run a car but then I don't think benefits should be at a level that would allow this.

Everyones bills are different, according to usage etc, mine for a start are no where near to what you have stated, then there is the possibility that people have extra things such as debts, and other things

seven-day-weekend

And why should your benefits cater for debt repayments?

jennie09

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

And why should your benefits cater for debt repayments?

I was simply saying that everyones bills are different , what people spend their money on is their business, is there a problem with that !! ?:rolleyes: did you not mention in an earlier post about not being judgemental ??

seven-day-weekend

I'm not being judgemental, just querying whether benefit payments should cater for debt repayment (they don't).

Although I suppose officially I should have posted it in discussion time. Sorry.

pipkin71

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I'm not being judgemental, just querying whether benefit payments should cater for debt repayment (they don't).

Although I suppose officially I should have posted it in discussion time. Sorry.

With regards debt repayment sdw, although I can see where you are coming from with regards benefits catering for debt repayments, for those who find themselves moving into a period of claiming, they cannot just ignore the debts they had prior to living on benefits.

The advice is always to pay something, so people would need to factor debt payments into their income if they have debts, because the alternative is to forget about the money they owe, and that isn't really a good idea either.

It is true that everyone's expenditure is different, so what one family could manage on, another would find it a struggle.

viktory

jennie09 wrote: »

you cannot count housing benefit and council tax as it is paid to the authority !!

God, I never knew this is how is works! I pay my rent and council tax to the local authority as well - damn I'll simply start discounting it from now on.

Brilliant! Just think how much better off I'll be each month :rolleyes:

jennie09

viktory wrote: »

God, I never knew this is how is works! I pay my rent and council tax to the local authority as well - damn I'll simply start discounting it from now on.

Brilliant! Just think how much better off I'll be each month :rolleyes:

I meant as in actual cash you have to spend on everyday things, like bills etc and food, i mentioned rent and council tax because in theory a lot of claimants never see this money unless they choose to pay the landlord directly,

seven-day-weekend

pipkin71 wrote: »

With regards debt repayment sdw, although I can see where you are coming from with regards benefits catering for debt repayments, for those who find themselves moving into a period of claiming, they cannot just ignore the debts they had prior to living on benefits.

The advice is always to pay something, so people would need to factor debt payments into their income if they have debts, because the alternative is to forget about the money they owe, and that isn't really a good idea either.

It is true that everyone's expenditure is different, so what one family could manage on, another would find it a struggle.

I understand what you are saying, what I'm saying is their Benefit is the same whether they have debts or not, so they will have to cut back elsewhere if they are going to continue to pay their debts off. Krisskross' budget said she had £20 left, well that could go towards paying the debts.

All I was saying is that Benefit amounts do not factor in your debt, that is your responsibility, not the Government's.

viktory

jennie09 wrote: »

I meant as in actual cash you have to spend on everyday things, like bills etc and food, i mentioned rent and council tax because in theory a lot of claimants never see this money unless they choose to pay the landlord directly,

You still get the money the same as I do. The only difference is you get yours from the tax payer and I get mine from my employer. I understand you do not directly handle the cash - but then nor do I as my rent and CT comes directly out of my bank account.

This is exactly the point ONW has made - too many claimants discount HB and CT as they don't physically handle the money. It should still be counted though as it is two hefty bills you don't have to pay.

jennie09

viktory wrote: »

You still get the money the same as I do. The only difference is you get yours from the tax payer and I get mine from my employer. I understand you do not directly handle the cash - but then nor do I as my rent and CT comes directly out of my bank account.

This is exactly the point ONW has made - too many claimants discount HB and CT as they don't physically handle the money. It should still be counted though as it is two hefty bills you don't have to pay.

Yes i can see that i have always worked until very recently, it isnt all the tax payers money either, and my rent is very cheap anyway, unlike some expensive areas, believe me i would much rather pay the full rent myself, but unfortunately at moment i cant.:rolleyes: