Am I Eligible?

mouseymousey99

You really don't get it do you? Hey ho........

alwaysonthego_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

And who would then give advice and information - you?

Shudders at the thought :eek: Just imagine the advice she would give, probably tell couples to live apart so they can claim more benefits :rolleyes:

devils_vixen

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Encouraging people to milk the system for all they can get isn't popular here, whether or not it's allowed!

How dare you! If I was encouraging someone to milk the system my advice would have been wait 9 months have a child and quit work all together!! But it wasn't!

devils_vixen

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Shudders at the thought :eek: Just imagine the advice she would give, probably tell couples to live apart so they can clam more benefits :rolleyes:

I use the PM for that kind of advice :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

alwaysonthego_2

devils_vixen wrote: »

How dare you! If I was encouraging someone to milk the system my advice would have been wait 9 months have a child and quit work all together!! But it wasn't!

or tell someone that working full time would mean them losing their entitlement to HB/LHA.

devils_vixen

alwaysonthego wrote: »

or tell someone that working full time would mean them losing their entitlement to HB/LHA.

And how in the hell is that encouraging someone eh? Some people may not realise that this could have knock on effect with benefits. The system is so complex why the hell do you think there are alot of questions and sometimes the answer may be obvious for one person but not so obvious for another!

squirrelchops

Hi all, so where is the OP to comment on their position or have they been scared off by the thread!!

I have read it all just now as something to keep me occupied o.k procrastinating from writing an essay!

Back to the OP and isn't the issue here that they are an able bodied single person who wants benefits because they choose to work 20hours a week only.

Woohoo....I would love to work only 20 hours a week in a job I loved and for that to be it....oh yes but then to get benefits to fund my chosen lifestyle. Unfortunatley in the real world many of us work 1 full time job or more, many years I have worked 50,60,70 even 100hour weeks to pay for myself.....oh yes, then i would have been 25 years old, single and childless!!!!

OP I suggest you work your 20 hours in the job you love then find something else for another 20 to pay the bills and get off the benefits. there is no reason for you not to work a full week......there are many jobs out there that are weekends/evenings etc that fit in. One man I met at my summer job (am at Uni) said in the last recession he worked one full time job, THEN would go and work another 37hours at another job to keep the roof over his and his families head.

It is people who have had to struggle like this that get unfuriated with the OP who 'chooses' to only work 20hours!!!!!!

krisskross

devils_vixen wrote: »

Well it may be a comforting thought that in 20years time, the attitudes of some people surrounding the benefits system will have changed since the ones who are so against it will be knocking on death's door!! Then maybe just maybe judgement won't be passed so freely!

In 20 years time there won't be such a generous, stupid system. In fact I think there will be major changes in the next 5 years as the bill for social welfare now far far outstrips what is raked in in income tax. Common sense tells us that it cannot continue, unless of course, we scrap the NHS and education system so the lazy people funding can continue.

briona

annabelleuk wrote: »

I am about to move into my own rented accommodation which will be £45 per week with housing benefit. I will also be eligible for council tax, but even with these benefits, I will really struggle to pay all other outgoings. In fact, I calculated approx how much my outgoings will be including rent, electric, gas, water, travel expenses etc...and it comes to around £30 more than I earn and that was without food shopping.

Unfortunately this thread seems to have descended into something of a slanging match but I do have one point to make that appears not to have been asked yet...

When deciding to move out, wouldn't it be sensible to do the figures first? If you can't afford to live on your own on paper, then realistically it's not going to work in practice!

You wouldn't pick up a pair of jeans if you didn't have the cash (or credit) to pay for them, and you certainly wouldn't get to the counter and ask for a discount so why on earth would you find a place to move to that you couldn't afford to pay for on your salary?! If you can't afford the flat without help (which for a single childless person looks a bit thin on the ground), then unfortunately you can't afford the flat.

You are obviously living somewhere at the moment – can I ask if you NEED to move or if you just WANT to? If it's a case of WANTING to move out, you would be better off moving in with other people – a share of the bills will work out cheaper than having to foot the lot yourself. I've lived in house share for years – it's cost me very little and it's how I've met many of my best friends...

exil

krisskross wrote: »

In 20 years time there won't be such a generous, stupid system. In fact I think there will be major changes in the next 5 years as the bill for social welfare now far far outstrips what is raked in in income tax. Common sense tells us that it cannot continue, unless of course, we scrap the NHS and education system so the lazy people funding can continue.

I suppose you don't envisage any circumstances in which you might be forced to claim benefits.

Personally, though I'm in a well paid job, I know I'm a P45 away from the benefits office, and so are most of us.

Anyway, back to the main issue - many people now are being FORCED onto part time hours due to the recession, and are therefore losing tax credits as well as wages. And employers do not take kindly to people who get a 2nd job - they expect you to be available to work for them, not for someone else.