Why Do They Want To Know About My 5 Month Old Sons Savings On HB/CTB Form?!

Oldernotwiser

Freebie_Hunter wrote: »

Before anyone babbles on about 'your tax money was spent then, mr x's tax money would have been used for you.' Don't give me that rubbish. That's just splitting hairs for the sake of being ruddy awkward.

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It really isn't splitting hairs to explain this to people. So many come on here talking about paying taxes for years and now wanting something back that it's obvious that most people don't understand how the benefits system works.

Giving information to those who don't have it, can never be a bad thing, in my book.

Oldernotwiser

briona wrote: »

How do you think people managed BEFORE cots were invented?! :rolleyes:

Perfectly possible to make a cot out of an empty drawer, in an emergency.

Oldernotwiser

Freebie_Hunter wrote: »

Ah well, guess I won't be amongst the 'turf your kids out in the cold with beggar all' generation then

But that's not what's being suggested. Equip your children with a good education, a work ethic and practical living skills and you're doing far more for them than any amount of savings accounts.

Freebie_Hunter_2

The chest of drawers were damaged as well. And people managed with beds. If you read it properly, we didn't actually have one! We tried sleeping on the floor with the baby in the bed but it was a choice between lino or wooden floorboards.
Oh but hey, we could always lie on the charred carpet. At least we wouldn't have been spending your taxes eh?

Oldernotwiser

Freebie_Hunter wrote: »

The chest of drawers were damaged as well. And people managed with beds. If you read it properly, we didn't actually have one! We tried sleeping on the floor with the baby in the bed but it was a choice between lino or wooden floorboards.
Oh but hey, we could always lie on the charred carpet. At least we wouldn't have been spending your taxes eh?

I'm more than happy for some of my taxes to go to people who are on benefits; I just don't think that people should act as if they're getting their own money back!

aliasojo

briona wrote: »

There are kids out there now who WON'T work minimum wage jobs because they're too good for that and if they can't get a starting salary of 25K, then they bloody well won't work at all. Instead they'll live off their parents until said job comes along, contributing nothing because "OMG! How can I be expected to live on JSA of £47pw". .

Don't you think they are very much the minority though?

My middle 'child' is now 19 and has some money stashed away for him by me and his Dad. It's not a great deal and was only ever meant as support and not a 'start you off' payment iyswim. He knows about it, but he also knows he's not getting his paws on it until it's needed (and not just wanted). He has an apprenticeship he is 3 years into and came home with £504 in his hand this week as he did 12 hour shifts to earn it. He's achieving something and feels better for it as he knows it's all his own hard work that's got him to the point he is at now.

I think most kids are decent and want to get on in life. I think it's just a minority who seem to be moneygrabbers as in briona's description above.

Oldernotwiser

aliasojo wrote: »

Don't you think they are very much the minority though?


I think most kids are decent and want to get on in life. I think it's just a minority who seem to be moneygrabbers as in briona's description above.

I wish I could be as confident and as optimistic about this as you are. In my experience, it's not the case.

aliasojo

It would seem you and I are always destined to be at different ends of the opinion spectrum oldernotwiser.

Oldernotwiser

aliasojo wrote: »

It would seem you and I are always destined to be at different ends of the opinion spectrum oldernotwiser.

I'd just be happy with your own children; you've obviously done a great job with them, so congratulations.

I spent 15 years teaching 16/18 year olds and also 3 years at universty not long ago. Neither experience inspired me with confidence in many (not all) of the younger generation!

briona

aliasojo wrote: »

I think most kids are decent and want to get on in life. I think it's just a minority who seem to be moneygrabbers as in briona's description above.

As nice as it would be to believe that, sadly I think it couldn't be further from the truth. If anything it's kids like your son who are in the minority – people who are actually willing to work hard for a day's wages!

Over the past couple of years on these boards (especially the benefits one!) there's been a huge rise in teenagers and people in their very early twenties complaining about how hard life is, how it's not fair that they should be expected to survive on JSA of £47pw, etc... They complain that they can't find a job yet they point blank refuse to even entertain people's suggestions of taking one of the many minimum wage jobs around... Depsite the recession, places like Starbucks and McD's are always hiring.

If they must live off the State, rather than welcoming any assistance they get, they wonder why they are not getting more – "You mean I have to to pay my own bus fares?! From £47pw?! Are you kidding?" They expect the State to pay for travel costs, interview clothes, glasses, prescriptions, housing, Council Tax, and God knows what else... Perhaps I'm being unfair? But then I think back to ten years ago, when I was earning £2.50ph, and taking home £100pw...

Out of that £100pw, I paid £45pw rent. Plus around £15 for bills. I spent £25pw in Tescos (food for the week and lunches). I walked the 2 miles to work in all weathers; I made my own lunches; I didn't buy clothes unless they came from charity shops; I only ever bought second hand books; if I wanted a CD or a trip to the cinema, I knew that I would have to put aside £5 one week and £5 the next just to be able to afford it (and hope to God the price didn't suddenly go up). Once a week I went to a creative writing class which cost me around £5 a time.

So what did that "hardship" teach me? Well, certainly the value of money. A decade on I command an annual salary of between 40-50K but I have as much respect for money today as I did when I had very little at my disposal. I have learned to save, and to only buy things if I really want them. I still appreciate being able to treat myself to things, or have holidays as I can still clearly remember when I could barely afford to pay for my creative writing class...

I guess the point of my story is that you can teach kids how to make their way in the world without handing them huge savings accounts. If you've never had money, you have a far greater respect for it, not to mention a determination to survive whatever life throws at you...