savings and housing benefit

McKneff

googoomae wrote: »

My husband and I have 24K savings, my husband is currently ill off work (but hopefully going back in 3 months). We applied for housing and council tax benefit but was refused due to savings.
We have paid taxes all our working lives and feel we should be able to claim something short term.
Is there anything we can do?

If your husband is currently ill off work surely he should be claiming sickness benefit (SSP or ESA) either from the government or the company he works for so you are in fact getting something back.

Oldernotwiser

Teahfc wrote: »

Surely those that work and save should be entitled to some sort of assistance ?

But people who have substantial savings of their own don't need help.

Teahfc

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But people who have substantial savings of their own don't need help.

Is £24k Substantial ? The O/P states 'We have paid taxes all our working lives' .Why should the fact they have been hard working and shrewd enough to have some savings shold they be penalised when it comes to taking something back out the system they have paid into ? .

There will always be help for those that need it most and sadly money for nothing for those parasites thatgive nothing to the system apart from bleed it. A Saver and someone who has worked all their lives to contribute to the many that receive benefits should surely not be turned away when they need some assistance . Or maybe the mind set is that benefit should only be for the selected few

Rikki

Wasn't the idea of 'saving for a rainy day' mean when the unfortunate happened there was money to soften the blow. Losing your job could be that rainy day.

healy

Teahfc wrote: »

Is £24k Substantial ? The O/P states 'We have paid taxes all our working lives' .Why should the fact they have been hard working and shrewd enough to have some savings shold they be penalised when it comes to taking something back out the system they have paid into ? .

There will always be help for those that need it most and sadly money for nothing for those parasites thatgive nothing to the system apart from bleed it. A Saver and someone who has worked all their lives to contribute to the many that receive benefits should surely not be turned away when they need some assistance . Or maybe the mind set is that benefit should only be for the selected few

You must realise there has to be cut off point. £16000 in capital seems a fair cut off point to me.

Oldernotwiser

Teahfc wrote: »

Is £24k Substantial ? The O/P states 'We have paid taxes all our working lives' .Why should the fact they have been hard working and shrewd enough to have some savings shold they be penalised when it comes to taking something back out the system they have paid into ? .

I think that most people would think that £24,000 was pretty substantial savings. One of the main reasons for saving is to provide for yourself when anything unexpected happens, like illness or redundancy. To expect others to support you when you have funds of your own is wrong.

Rikki

I am saving for the time I can sit and put my feet up. But my car is getting older and if it packed up I would have to spend the money I had put by for a new one.

Its taken me two years to save for a new three piece suite. I don't believe in hire purchase.

real1314

Teahfc wrote: »

Is £24k Substantial ? The O/P states 'We have paid taxes all our working lives' .Why should the fact they have been hard working and shrewd enough to have some savings shold they be penalised when it comes to taking something back out the system they have paid into ? .

There will always be help for those that need it most and sadly money for nothing for those parasites thatgive nothing to the system apart from bleed it. A Saver and someone who has worked all their lives to contribute to the many that receive benefits should surely not be turned away when they need some assistance . Or maybe the mind set is that benefit should only be for the selected few

So, you think that someone with no savinmgs who works a 40 hour week for £220 and has to pay rent of £75 a week should have to pay tax to give money to someone with £24k in the bank?

The first point you should start from when doling out money is to think about the tax payers with the lowest income and keep in mind that it's THEIR tax money you are giving to others.

OrkneyStar

Teahfc wrote: »

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Once the savings are below £16K you may get something, depending on your circumstances. In the meantime you can live off some of your £24K in savings.

Rather smug reply

Worked and saved and get nothing at all where as others who do *"*" All and get 3-400 a week :mad: .

Roll on the revolution and the next Government when benefits are overhauled and not means tested but tested on honesty :rotfl:

Not meant to sound 'smug', just stating the facts as they stand .
I did not say I agreed or disagreed with this, although tbh if you have £24K in savings you should expect to use some of those savings to cover emergencies like this.

McKneff

real1314 wrote: »

So, you think that someone with no savinmgs who works a 40 hour week for £220 and has to pay rent of £75 a week should have to pay tax to give money to someone with £24k in the bank?

The first point you should start from when doling out money is to think about the tax payers with the lowest income and keep in mind that it's THEIR tax money you are giving to others.

Do you think they would be any less annoyed if they have to pay tax
and give money to someone who had £15K in the bank.