Could claim benefits...but choose not to! Why?

melly1980

nattprice wrote: »

I don't see CTC as a benifit i know it is but i like to think of it as getting some of my tax back!

It used to be thaqt way but not anymore. It really does depend on what tax you pay in.

The tax credits system is plundering several hundred to a thousand pouinds per month into many peoples accounts. Clearly these people are not paying that much tax so it isnt a case of them getting some tax back. They are essentially paying no tax at all thewn getting some more given on top of it.

AimeesMum_2

melly1980 wrote: »

It used to be thaqt way but not anymore. It really does depend on what tax you pay in.

The tax credits system is plundering several hundred to a thousand pouinds per month into many peoples accounts. Clearly these people are not paying that much tax so it isnt a case of them getting some tax back. They are essentially paying no tax at all thewn getting some more given on top of it.

I completely agree with this. I am one of the people who tax credits pays over a thousand pound a month to as I claim the childcare element (I only pay £550 per month tax). I would actually be claiming less if I wasn't working in benefits full stop.

I really feel like something needs to be done to lower childcare costs. If the government provided subsidised nurserys for people who work instead of just people with social services referrals then surely the government would save masses of money.

Oldernotwiser

AimeesMum wrote: »

I really feel like something needs to be done to lower childcare costs. If the government provided subsidised nurserys for people who work instead of just people with social services referrals then surely the government would save masses of money.

I'm afraid that this just doesn't make sense.

The government is already subsidising childcare by paying tax credits. if it were to subsidise it in a different way so that the amount paid by tax credits would be less, it would still cost the same kind of money.

Good quality childcare should be expensive, the amount that childcare workers earn is derisory.

melly1980

AimeesMum wrote: »

I completely agree with this. I am one of the people who tax credits pays over a thousand pound a month to as I claim the childcare element (I only pay £550 per month tax). I would actually be claiming less if I wasn't working in benefits full stop.

I really feel like something needs to be done to lower childcare costs. If the government provided subsidised nurserys for people who work instead of just people with social services referrals then surely the government would save masses of money.

absolutely, and Im glad that you dont appear to have taken my post as an attack because it isnt. Its just a statement of fact. A system that used to give a proportion of your tax back is now a system that gives more than the tax some pay. How to sort it? I really dont know. One thing I do agree with is a comment made (dont know if its on this thread) but this system was created to bribe people into voting for New Labour. It enabled employers to not pay a living wage, while topping up peoples wages all courtesy of the tax payer.

lizzybear_2

I'm entitled to WTC due to living alone and being on a low income. I never used to claim it (at first I was unaware of it, but then I just put it off as I was managing financially) but now I do. My boyfriend will be moving in with me later in the year as we're expecting a baby in December and the extra money i'm able to save now (i'm well aware that I will stop being entitled to WTC once he moves in) will be really useful when i'm on my maternity leave. If anyone thinks i'm somehow undeserving of WTC just because i'm not living on the breadline (mainly because I live on a budget, even more so now with a baby on the way) then that's their problem not mine.

AimeesMum_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I'm afraid that this just doesn't make sense.

The government is already subsidising childcare by paying tax credits. if it were to subsidise it in a different way so that the amount paid by tax credits would be less, it would still cost the same kind of money.

Good quality childcare should be expensive, the amount that childcare workers earn is derisory.

Sorry what i meant is, in my area we have nurserys that take children full time (who's parents aren't working) who have social work involvement for respite etc. Everywhere there is also the free 15 hours a week for 3yr olds. Perhaps if this was looked into and less people were offered these then we could have state run nurseries that are either free or subsidised for people who work.

The nursery my kids go to are charging me £320 a week. A large number of the staff there are at college and are there on placement earning probably no more than £80 a week. An article I was looking at the other day should that the cost of putting your kids in nursery has risen by 65% in the last 6 yrs as they know that tax credits will cover the majority of this cost.

I dont really know a solution behind it...I just think if someone could come up with one that worked that it would be much cheaper than the childcare element of tax credits x

melly1980

lizzybear wrote: »

. If anyone thinks i'm somehow undeserving of WTC just because i'm not living on the breadline (mainly because I live on a budget, even more so now with a baby on the way) then that's their problem not mine.

Do you not think they have a point at all? The welfare state was initially there to provide for needs not for peoples wants. Most people know someone on tax credits. I know plenty myself and it is the norm for these people to have cars, holidays, big TV's ect. Do you not think the tax payer has the right to say "hang on....why is my tax paying for peoples holidays / TV's etc??

Im not calling you because I myself have taken tax credits when on a decent wage. Its not a critisism, Im just asking you if you think they have a point. Put yourself in their shoes where you are paying loads of tax, receiving nothing (in cash terms) and then seeing those that are claiming having all the nice things that you have. What would your opinion be then?

meluvnext

AimeesMum wrote: »

Sorry what i meant is, in my area we have nurserys that take children full time (who's parents aren't working) who have social work involvement for respite etc. Everywhere there is also the free 15 hours a week for 3yr olds. Perhaps if this was looked into and less people were offered these then we could have state run nurseries that are either free or subsidised for people who work.

The nursery my kids go to are charging me £320 a week. A large number of the staff there are at college and are there on placement earning probably no more than £80 a week. An article I was looking at the other day should that the cost of putting your kids in nursery has risen by 65% in the last 6 yrs as they know that tax credits will cover the majority of this cost.

I dont really know a solution behind it...I just think if someone could come up with one that worked that it would be much cheaper than the childcare element of tax credits x

I so agree with you, the gvernment paying up to 70percent of childcare should mean there should be someone to govern and justify the costs of childcare not just charging you obscene amounts because they find out your a single parent and are entitled to full child care costs and will charge the top whack that the government is paying out for.

lizzybear_2

AimeesMum wrote: »

The nursery my kids go to are charging me £320 a week. A large number of the staff there are at college and are there on placement earning probably no more than £80 a week.

I work in a nursery and we've just had a girl come from another nursery who was getting paid £100 a week even when qualified as they wouldn't put her on full wage (she started there as a student) When she left she was immediately replaced by another student. The owner has 2 other nurseries and apparently runs them all the same way, so wrong but apparently legal! I'm so glad that where I work isn't like this, we're a charity so all the profits go back into the nursery and not to some greedy owner.

Doom_and_Gloom

One of the reasons I don't claim ESA even though I could is that my partners earnings changes every 4 weeks. This would mean informing them of said changes each 4 weeks. Now it is bad enough doing that with LHA and CTB with them saying they have overpaid/underpaid all the damn time because we have to inform them, why would we then choose to have more hassle for what in ESA would at most be a couple of pounds? With LHA and CTB it is the difference of a roof over our heads and the council tax being paid, but with ESA it isn't that important for the agrovassion (sp?) you have to go through although part of me does always think that an extra £100+ a year would make things easier.

Also have you seen the ESA forms? They are huge! The DLA ones I had to fill in were bad enough even with help from my ma to fill them in. The ESA ones make me want to cry! As you can tell I did ask for the forms (must be nearly 2 years ago now) and due to the size and the difference in my partners pay, as it would be income based, I gave up on it. These forms are really depressing! I still have the half filled in ESA form somewhere . There may be a time when we ask for the forms again and get ESA for me but right now it isn't something we are overly bothered about.

I use my time to study (by July I should have a new qualification from a part time course I am doing) and to try and find a job that I am able to do with my disability, won't make my disability worse and is part time (full time just would not be possible). Thankfully I am not under pressure to find a job that will be 'good enough' but not perfect for my needs.