Is there any point at which earning more money will lower your benefits by the same?

leveller2911

Vicky123 wrote: »

I think initially benefits may be seen as a nice easy option but if we are really honest only the very dull and ignorant would find a life of watching Jeremy Kyle fulfilling. One thing that dreadful programme on benefits showed ,was as the claimants got older most of them wanted to work and start living rather than just existing.
I have only ever had a couple of very short periods of unemployment in my life and I found it utterly sould destroying and not the picnic it is often portrayed as.
This is also a bad time to try and reduce unemployment in any case but even in good times the minimum wage needs to be set much higher, there is no point in comparing the UK to third world Countries, we don't pay third world prices for anything here.
I do agree something has to be done about our benefit culture but it does have to be something real and not one mickey mouse scheme after another.
Vicky

I'm self employed Vicky, have a small joinery workshop, Im a sole trader but would love to have an apprentice but due to HSE regulations etc I can't afford to employ anyone.The regulations we have regarding maternity,paternity, HSE etc etc etc is killing small businesses off and they are the ones we should be encouraging to train people.
Im not justfying slavery here,lol help people qualify in the jobs we really need not "Degrees in Monkey Behaviour etc"..If we stiffle small business then no-one gets employed.The problem with people realising they want to work (generally older people) is they have received far more in benefits during thier few years they would work and paid taxes, although it all helps its a bit late for people to decide later in life theyd rather work..

Vicky123

I understand that and really sympathise as I used to have my own business in a previous life, thing is back then we were not done over with more and more rules and regulations but I would never have employed someone to do a job unless I could pay them a reasonable wage.
My experience was low pay = low output so wasn't in my own interest either.
I had apprentices and back then got government help which did result in a worthwhile job at the end but as I say it has all changed now no doubt.
It's more unemployed adults I was thinking of beyond the age of apprenticeships and maybe not even wanting a "career" but still willing to do a good job but need to earn a reasonable wage which the minimum wage is not at the moment.
We need to make it worthwhile to go to work rather than keep looking at the problem the other way round.
Vicky

littlemermaid_2

leveller2911 wrote: »

But like you said Littlemaid "recent press about ......" doesn't excuse the last 12 years or so.If we all do 3 days a week and claim WFTC for the rest where is the tax revenues coming from to pay them??.There is also a moral question too, why should people who work,many earning just above the wftc threshold subsidise the lazy ones(not the genuine sick).I knew a chap, disabled all his life,lost both legs but he bettered himself and worked hard.

I agree completely. It's more that this type of press could act as a deterrent and put people off job hunting. For me I was earning more than my £64.30 JSA per week and really want to get back into work and buy a house, there's no way I could be better off on benefits. But if my circumstances were different, I can see how a reliable source of income could be seen as a better deal than not knowing if you're going to have a job and therefore a pay packet the next month...