Housing Benefit isn't enough!!

Fly_Baby

Forgot to add - and our local job agencies have adverts all over their windows for positions with a "competitive" salary of £14K.

So the disbalance of salaries and property prices is outrageous here - hence the huge mortgage - and no support with bills whatsoever because despite the local prices, technically it is a salary a family can live on.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

gizmo111 wrote: »

Are you claiming child tax credit?

Yeah, i have argued this with them time and time again - he is litterally just over the mark for us. We got a decent amount when dd was younger but now apparently we are not entitled. If his wage was 1K less we'd be entitled to something. It's weird but generally people on benefits ARE better off than those who work their butts off.

We don't get HB either because our rent is quite abit over the LHA, however it is impossible to find anything but the dingyest, dirtiest flats in the 'worst' areas here that actually fit the LHA pricing. So we'd rather struggle and pay to live in a slightly nicer area, just as peace of mind really as when we lived in Croydon we lived on a council estate (privately rented) where 3 murders occured within about 7-8 months.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

BeenieCat wrote: »

I get confused when people come into these threads saying they earn 22k and can't afford a bottle of wine or the luxury of biscuits

If other couples with kids can manage on £12k then i'm sure you can.

If your 22k is a huge mortgage and debts of your own making then it's not really comparable in this situation, is it?

I take it you didn't read what i wrote properly - we don't have a mortgage, we rent privately which is ridiculously expensive. I was not whinging - clearly stating it is how some people live and that the OP had to learn to cope. We are not entitled to a council property, trust me i have been on the list for years but we are an extremely low priority as we have worked since we where young and have never had a problem paying rent. Yes couples on 12k can manage - but they would have either the added support of housing benefit, or a council property - WHICH WE DO NOT!!!!

Please read my post properly before making assumptions.

OrkneyStar

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

I take it you didn't read what i wrote properly - we don't have a mortgage, we rent privately which is ridiculously expensive. I was not whinging - clearly stating it is how some people live and that the OP had to learn to cope. We are not entitled to a council property, trust me i have been on the list for years but we are an extremely low priority as we have worked since we where young and have never had a problem paying rent. Yes couples on 12k can manage - but they would have either the added support of housing benefit, or a council property - WHICH WE DO NOT!!!!

Please read my post properly before making assumptions .

I refer to your last sentence about not making assumptions. Couples, with a child, on around £12K, are not automatically entitled to Housing Benefit or a Council Property.
I also don't understand why you are not entitled to Child Tax Credit, unless you are paying back an overpayment, as £22K joint income, for a couple, should attract approx £15-25 per week, if you have at least one child (these figs are approx, but you should get something!).

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

LadyKhan - i know it is hard, but trust me even if you can't see yourself cutting back now you will gradually learn to. It's just a way most people learn to cope and get through their current situations. I am glad to hear you are taking steps to stop smoking - i used to smoke a good 8 or so years ago so i know it'll save you money that you didn't even realise you were spending. You will also learn to cut back on the little luxuries, whatever they may be, and learn to wear more layers (which was my pet hate at first, but your body acclimatises to you switching the heating down, or even off for most part of the day. I wish you the best of luck.

I wasn't having a dig in my last post, just trying to give an example that even with a family to look after we certainly cope and we have to go without all of the things many would class as neccessities before they ever have to go through tough times. I was stating is was tough - but as long as you learn to budget it doesn't at all mean it will be misserable. We are perfectly happy on our very tight budget, sure we'd like more money but if that meant sacrifising my time with my young daughter well then i'll happily be broke and stay home with her. My husband works ridiculously hard to keep us afloat (As do many, before anyone else jumps on me) and i am very proud to have such a determined hard working man here. So i do wish you the best of luck - i am sure you will be fine and work it out! x

Unfortuanetely some people seem to be a little bitter and jump down your throat 1) if you don't work and take on benefits, and then 2) if you do work bloody hard but STILL don't have much money and state it (AGAIN I WASN'T MOANING for the poster who pulled me up on my post). So unfortunately those who want to have a digg will find away to no matter what.

Big hugs! You should be proud to be TRYING - not like some 19 yr olds who are still at home, not working, not doing anything. In my eyes you aren't doing anything wrong - you just need guiding in the right direction from some of us who have been there done it kind of thing. x

OrkneyStar

Ladykhan,
I do wish you all the best, but tbh I don't really think people are making digs at you, as some posters have suggested. People have suggested ways which you may cut spending, some perhaps more sensible/realistic than others, but none were nasty or judgemental that I can see.
This is an internet forum and if you ask for advice you will get it, and often people are told things they initially did not want to hear. Genereally noone wants to be horrible for the sake of it (and any odd posts that do can generally be ignored) but equally people will often tell it like it is and not wrap the truth up in cotton wool.
The only other sensible suggestion I can think of would be to sign yourself up for as many survey sites are you can (see the up your income board) and make some (limited) money in the form of vouchers (eg for places like Boots) like that. I also thoroughly recommend the OS board, I understand your limited diet but they are such a nice bunch over there, someone may come up with some cost cutting food ideas for you!
Anyway, all the best quitting smoking (hope it helps your health) and try to be as positive as you can as you will find a way forward with your situation, even if it is not as simple as you first hoped!
x

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

OrkneyStar wrote: »

I refer to your last sentence about not making assumptions. Couples, with a child, on around £12K, are not automatically entitled to Housing Benefit or a Council Property.
I also don't understand why you are not entitled to Child Tax Credit, unless you are paying back an overpayment, as £22K joint income, for a couple, should attract approx £15-25 per week, if you have at least one child (these figs are approx, but you should get something!).

No but they would be entitled to tax credits! Ok, maybe i should have said probably not.

Unfortuanetly no overpayment, but as of my last phonecall a month ago, we are entitled to zilch. I too don't understand but giving them all of the figures they have calculated that way and there is little i can do.

What i am trying to state is that if you are on benefits (i mean not cheating the system) then you ae left with the very minimal in which to live on. This often barely covers your food, utility bills, etc...in most cases i have no idea how people afford all of this AND cigerettes and running a car and other luxuries when they are on benefits. Often they may have support from families, growing debts be-it shark loans or legit loans, and so on.

Again i wasn't moaning but stating that if you try you CAN survive. And that means cutting back and removing things like sweets/crisps/biscuits/wine from your monthly food budget. That's all.

So basically YES a family who are on 12K can cope. But so can we, and so can the OP but it means cutting out certain things. Never once have a said we can't cope - i may have said sometimes we struggle to cope, but in the end you work harder to make sure you are ok.;)

EDIT: I forgot to add the reason that our CTC's are zilch is we are classed as a young family - i beleive it may change in a year or two and we'll get something. I don't know where the bar is, 25-26? Here's to hoping OH's salary rises before then anyway!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Ladykhan,
I do wish you all the best, but tbh I don't really think people are making digs at you, as some posters have suggested. People have suggested ways which you may cut spending, some perhaps more sensible/realistic than others, but none were nasty or judgemental that I can see.
This is an internet forum and if you ask for advice you will get it, and often people are told things they initially did not want to hear. Genereally noone wants to be horrible for the sake of it (and any odd posts that do can generally be ignored) but equally people will often tell it like it is and not wrap the truth up in cotton wool.
The only other sensible suggestion I can think of would be to sign yourself up for as many survey sites are you can (see the up your income board) and make some (limited) money in the form of vouchers (eg for places like Boots) like that. I also thoroughly recommend the OS board, I understand your limited diet but they are such a nice bunch over there, someone may come up with some cost cutting food ideas for you!
Anyway, all the best quitting smoking (hope it helps your health) and try to be as positive as you can as you will find a way forward with your situation, even if it is not as simple as you first hoped!
x

I see we are on the same wavelength I wasn't implying you OrkneyStar. Someone simply didn't read my origional post (can't remember who now) but it wasn't you - you have in fact made some fair points i just thought i'd reply to;).

Again i wasn't stating you - a few are having digs at the op rather than giving advice but i think we know all the OP asked for advice and that's what we should be helping with. Less critisism guys and girls, and more helpful advice that keeps MSE the nice place to be!:T

BeenieCat

Whether you get CTC or not is irrelevant as £22,000 is still a lot more money than most have to live on, all benefits included.

I accept that i live in the North so housing is generally cheaper, so maybe it seems more money to me, i don't know. You say you don't have a car in a way that implies your OH does. I don't think not having a car each is hardship to be fair, especially when you choose to be a SAHM then of course sacrifices have to be made. Plus OP hasn't mentioned being in debt which you did, so like i said it's not comparable.

Also i didn't know tax credits were age dependant , not when you have children....

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

BeenieCat wrote: »

Whether you get CTC or not is irrelevant as £22,000 is still a lot more money than most have to live on, all benefits included.

I accept that i live in the North so housing is generally cheaper, so maybe it seems more money to me, i don't know. You say you don't have a car in a way that implies your OH does. I don't think not having a car each is hardship to be fair, especially when you choose to be a SAHM then of course sacrifices have to be made. Plus OP hasn't mentioned being in debt which you did, so like i said it's not comparable.

Also i didn't know tax credits were age dependant , not when you have children....

I'm sorry, you do ammuse me with assumptions...no, no car for either of us. We pay £850 in rent, £140 in CT - no bills or food or travel on top. Down south that is what costs are i'm afraid. Now taking that off of 4weekly pay at just under £1600 a month, please tell me its very easy to survive, sorry after bills and food and travel - there is next to nothing left to have luxuries.

£50 a week on food to feed 3 = £200 a month minimum
Gas, electric, water (2 companys to pay here for some stupid reason), home insurance, TV licence, travel plus any of the other neccesities like cleaning/toiletries, phone line etc.

So i think you can see, money dissapears pretty damn quickly before any debts (small be-it still debts) are covered.

That was my point to the OP - we are just above the benefit cut off for our area (yes at £22K which may seem high but comparable with the rents and council tax here is not really - if i was living in a council flat where we would get the same type of property for about £500 (i bet that even seems high for a council property if you live up north but its the case) we'd be comfortable) but still have been able to survive!!!!