The recession, benefits, the safety net, and the learning curve

PasturesNew

Francesanne wrote: »

Doesn't it also depend on the your local council? might be wrong on that but thought it might vary from council to council.

I don't see what the council have to do with anything.

pipkin71

lostinrates wrote: »

I've told this story before, but here goes.

Me: at the time a solicitor's clerk, earning around £200-250 a week.
Barrister: baby barrister, desperate for work, getting only a little work...that day I was paid £50 she was paid £46.50 I think.
Client:serial young offender, now young adult offender, all minor charges, no custodial that I recall.

Fillingin his forms barrsiter and I answer his query about ''why we watsin'his time with this paper pushing'' with why didn't he get a real job and stop ending up in court.

He said, its alright for you both, you got proper jobs.

Filling out his forms it became very, very clear, this young man, (under 21) was bringing in more in benefits,entitlements and had free housing, than either the barister or I were earning at that time.

I accept that rent, council tax, prescriptions ect will increase the actual amount a claimant receives, but for a single young male, no children, no disabilities, cold hard cash will be £60 or £64 and some pence per week.

The OP would also receive council tax benefit and rent [if he was renting], so they would get the same.

lostinrates

pipkin71 wrote: »

I accept that rent, council tax, prescriptions ect will increase the actual amount a claimant receives, but for a single young male, no children, no disabilities, cold hard cash will be £60 or £64 and some pence per week.

The OP would also receive council tax benefit and rent [if he was renting], so they would get the same.

He was also recieving a weekly payment to go to college (he had an attendance rate of less than 20%, three CGSEs) and travel money. Housing and hosing benefit really, really does add up in central london. He had a studio flat paid for in one of the most desiarable London postcodes, while the barrister was in shared accomodation (in a reasonable not great area)

There were of course, also, all the other non legal earnings, which of course neither we nor whoever is responsible in allocating these funds could account for or guess at. But we didn't count them. Just the cash and travel and housing costs.

I have, BTW, no doubt, that this young man had a difficult emotional life. I have no doubt he is a victim of society, but I hold while we were paying for him in such a way he would have found it very hard to have been anything else. As he said, why should he lose his time, his benefits (anmd his illegal income, which in work he would have had less availablility for)? This is a totally different scenario to a parent, or someone like Max.

Oldernotwiser

pipkin71 wrote: »

I accept that rent, council tax, prescriptions ect will increase the actual amount a claimant receives, but for a single young male, no children, no disabilities, cold hard cash will be £60 or £64 and some pence per week.

.

If he's 25 or over, if not, £51.

Oldernotwiser

lostinrates wrote: »

Housing and hosing benefit really, really does add up in central london. He had a studio flat paid for, while the barrister was in shared accomodation.
This is a totally different scenario to a parent, or someone like Max.

Don't forget that people who are working can also claim HB (now LHA) and many do.

lostinrates

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Don't forget that people who are working can also claim HB (now LHA) and many do.

IMO, thats part of the issue, why is it that people working fulltime in ''average'' or above professions should NEED to?

Max_Headroom_3

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

1
2. Yes, I think it provides adequately for Max if he's prepared to make adjustments.

Which adjustment do you recommend, the "not eating at all" adjustment, or the "not using any gas, water or electricity at all" adjustment?

pipkin71

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If he's 25 or over, if not, £51.

Thanks onw, the £60ish was the previous rate for over 25's That's what happens when you're trying to do too many things on the computer at once

mewbie_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If he's 25 or over, if not, £51.

£50 a day's not bad. That would cover most things I think. Don't know why they complain.

lostinrates

mewbie wrote: »

£50 a day's not bad. That would cover most things I think. Don't know why they complain.

Hello you.