Another one of those benefits threads

carolt

juicygirl wrote: »

Makes me so angry! I am putting off trying for my first baby because I can't afford it <:(

Absolutely.

And as someone with 3 kids myself, I am so jealous of all the time she has to spend with her kids. Most couples in work cannot get by on 1 salary only; few working mums I know wouldn't like to work less hours and have more time with their kids (or dads either, for that matter), but they can't afford to work less.

While the workshy can spend as much time as they like with their kids.

treliac

carolt wrote: »

Sorry to all those who hate these threads - but I don't think the point can be said enough that we as a country simply cannot afford to incentivise people in this way - to deliberately divorce, not work and have innumerable children.

I was talking to someone today, said their daughter had just got pregnant. After trying endlessly to get somewhere affordable to live, she succumbed to the lure of pregnancy in order to get housed.

Probably can't blame young mothers who see it as their main chance, though it's tragic for children to be brought into the world as commodities, but something has to be done to change these incentives.

michaels

carolt wrote: »

While the workshy can spend as much time as they like with their kids.

Except the kids are often a burden preventing them from hangin out wiv their mates so (grand)mum gets overnight babysitting duty.

treliac

carolt wrote: »

Absolutely.

And as someone with 3 kids myself, I am so jealous of all the time she has to spend with her kids. Most couples in work cannot get by on 1 salary only; few working mums I know wouldn't like to work less hours and have more time with their kids (or dads either, for that matter), but they can't afford to work less.

While the workshy can spend as much time as they like with their kids.

Hear hear carolt, I would have been ecstatic to have been able to stay at home full time with mine when they were young.

And how many of the workshy actually want to spend time with their kids anyway?

silvercar

Dare I say that it is harder work being at home with 3 kids under 5 than it is going out to work and leaving your kids with someone else?

(Harder work, but more rewarding.)

Shakethedisease

I was talking to someone today, said their daughter had just got pregnant. After trying endlessly to get somewhere affordable to live, she succumbed to the lure of pregnancy in order to get housed.

Rubbish ! Most of those that can't afford to rent/buy and can't stay in the family home any more end up in temporary accommodation. For years usually.

It should compare what full-time workers have left at the end of the month AFTER PAYING RENT/MORTGAGE AND COUNCIL TAX. And travel to work/work clothes etc.

You think those on benefits pocket the rent money ? Newflash. They don't. The landlord does.

You can't ever compare, as the only constant is the rental levels. Private or Social, makes no odds to the person pocketing the money surely ?

think the definition of 'poverty', as discussed on another thread, very urgently needs to be revised.

No it's the astronomical mortgage levels btl landlords need monthly to break even that needs to be revised if they accept social tenants.

It's also the amount that ALL of us have to pay out to ensure a roof over our heads that needs to be revised. All are far too high. O/O, private tenant or social tenant. All are draining the country and causing division.
Most single parents are those from failed marriages ( 1 in 3 ?) not the popular 'oh they just go out and get pregnant at 17 brigade'.

Going on about how 'you pay half your wages out' just to pay the rent on a 1 bed flat, so why don't those on benefits be forced to live somewhere even crappier than me even if they have 2 kids'.. is absolutely and completely missing the point IMHO.

Rental levels are the problem. Not who gets to pay for them ( you or the goverment).. whatever circumstances they're in.

SingleSue

I'm keeping out of it......for once!

:rotfl:

nembot

Well I started, so may as well thank everyone

I'm still in disbelief after reading mitchaa's post, it's truly shocking to see the figures in black & white.

Generali

Shakethedisease wrote: »

Rubbish ! Most of those that can't afford to rent/buy and can't stay in the family home any more end up in temporary accommodation. For years usually.



You think those on benefits pocket the rent money ? Newflash. They don't. The landlord does.

You can't ever compare, as the only constant is the rental levels. Private or Social, makes no odds to the person pocketing the money surely ?



No it's the astronomical mortgage levels btl landlords need monthly to break even that needs to be revised if they accept social tenants.

It's also the amount that ALL of us have to pay out to ensure a roof over our heads that needs to be revised. All are far too high. O/O, private tenant or social tenant. All are draining the country and causing division.
Most single parents are those from failed marriages ( 1 in 3 ?) not the popular 'oh they just go out and get pregnant at 17 brigade'.

Going on about how 'you pay half your wages out' just to pay the rent on a 1 bed flat, so why don't those on benefits be forced to live somewhere even crappier than me even if they have 2 kids'.. is absolutely and completely missing the point IMHO.

Rental levels are the problem. Not who gets to pay for them ( you or the goverment).. whatever circumstances they're in.

After housing costs and associated taxes the person in the above example is still getting about £10,000pa

LilacPixie

It is scary reading. The female in Aberdeen 'earns' more in benefits than I earn in wages.

I had a play about considering my circumstances but removing my OH from the calculation (imaganing i was a single mum).

I work 30 hours a week, have £40 of child care costs a week. I have a neurological disorder so I get DLA. At the moment I get £42 every 4 weeks tax credits plus child benefit which is fine, I did not have kids for someone else to pay for them.

If things changed and I split from OH, found a council/LA house at say £110 a week which seems to be typical rate in my area for a 2 bed flat then I would be entitled to the following. (weekly)

WTC £77.80
CTC £98.94
LHA £14.01
DLA £68.80
Earnings £287.63
25% CT disc £4.34
CSA £74
Child benefit £33

So £658.52 per week so an 'income' of just over 34k after tax, NI pensions etc. :eek::eek::eek::eek: