MSE News: Government moves towards new monthly benefit system

shegirl

jamespir wrote: »

the landlord had them in nowt i can do about it

Of course there isn't I'm just surprised they are still around,I assumed they were the old day equivalent of key meters so would've been replaced by them! You learn something new every day Must be a pain to have one though?

cit_k

shegirl wrote: »

Possibly,but firstly there can't be many of them and secondly,I'm not sure anyone would believe people had lost their entire months money(I would say that would have been easier to try if they still paid by giro or book but then they'd know it'd been cashed lol).

Plenty of people on the forums here have talked about cases of people claiming crisis loans, after 'claiming' they withdrew all their money and 'lost it'....

You also get the problem with (if paid monthly) the risk of far more outgoing payments from the bank bouncing if the monthly payment is late or does not arrive.

Remember, the dwp can, and do screw up, as I mentioned, our last payment was not paid into the bank, no reason given, and eventually I had to get a giro posted.

I have lost count of the number of times (its commonplace) that after being turned down due to a medical, benefits were stopped - and we were NOT informed, the first we knew was no money was in the bank...

At least fortnightly, limits the amount of outgoing payments the bank can bounce, because banks have a nasty habit of charging nasty fees for each bounced payment.

A monthly payment, could easily (considering we buy a lot online to save money) lead to massive bank charges over the space of a month, which would be limited if fortnightly payments were in place.

cit_k

shegirl wrote: »

A huge amount of people do manage,many of them still have plenty left over for the next month too,many also save money.

For many, saving money is an impossiblity, no matter how hard they budget - as the DWP stopping benefits (incorrectly) on a regular basis means they have to exist on crisis loans.

What do the dwp insist you do before they will pay a crisis loan... Spend ANY savings.

mummyplus3

I think its a great idea! I get all these bloody benefits paid at random oints in the month and it's a bloody pain in the bum to work out when I can pay this and that.

It everything came in on the 1st of the month all the bill's could be paid and what i'd have left I could budget properly! Although It's not so important to me at the moment as I'm off to Uni next september and so I'll be out of the cycle long before this kicks in. Even having my DLA, CB & CTC paid monthly would be easier.

sunnyone

jamespir wrote: »

err im not on benefits so i suppose it would ot affect me but i ahve been in the past and it would make life harder

You are on benefits, you just prefer not to think that you are like 50% of claimants.

shegirl

cit_k wrote: »

For many, saving money is an impossiblity, no matter how hard they budget - as the DWP stopping benefits (incorrectly) on a regular basis means they have to exist on crisis loans.

What do the dwp insist you do before they will pay a crisis loan... Spend ANY savings.

I wasn't referring to those on benefits when I mentioned saving etc it was in response to jamespir stating most people who work can't stretch their wages across 4 weeks.

shegirl

sunnyone wrote: »

You are on benefits, you just prefer not to think that you are like 50% of claimants.

Oh,did I miss something?:rotfl:

jamespir

sunnyone wrote: »

You are on benefits, you just prefer not to think that you are like 50% of claimants.

im not i get none

sunnyone

jamespir wrote: »

im not i get none

But your partner does and they are not just for her so your household gets significant benefit help.

cit_k

mummyplus3 wrote: »

I think its a great idea! I get all these bloody benefits paid at random oints in the month and it's a bloody pain in the bum to work out when I can pay this and that.

It everything came in on the 1st of the month all the bill's could be paid and what i'd have left I could budget properly! Although It's not so important to me at the moment as I'm off to Uni next september and so I'll be out of the cycle long before this kicks in. Even having my DLA, CB & CTC paid monthly would be easier.

Its a great idea, until you realise that under Universal credit, that is exactly what they plan - to pay everything from the same 'department' at the same time.

So when they mess up, as they OFTEN do, you wont get your other benefits to help tide you over, the mess up will mean you get NOTHING.

So that one missed payment, for one benefit, that means you go short, but can still survive due to other benefits coming in at different times, will turn into a missed payment for EVERYTHING, leaving you high and dry.