Full benefits

sarahevie

The point is there is very little incentive for people earning less than 20K a year to work if they have children. I work 16 hours a week in a supermarket earn around £5K, my OH works 52 hours a week salaried for 17K a year.

We would be a lot better off financially on benefits, free house, CT benefit. I have a good friend single mum three kids, gets £24K tax free a year in benefits.

It is a disgusting system and needs serious overhaul. There will always be those who choose benefits as a lifestyle choice, who wouldn't, it is very easy money compared to a minimum wage, low status job.

mazza111

janninew wrote: »

I think people are talking about single parents getting very good benefits, not people who are medically unfit to work being 'scroungers!' That is a different kettle of fish entirely.

I agree that being a single parent is difficult, but the benefits are very generous compared to working a low paid job. If you had 2 children and were a single parent, surely the amounts of IS, CTC etc are the same for all?

That's what I'm trying to get at tho, on these forums especially, people seem to jump on their high horse and judge everyone the same. Maybe it's just me who feels the social stigma of having to claim benefits, but reading some of the posts on these forums sure as hell doesn't make me feel better about it.

And yes there is needing to be a bigger gap in the income of those working and those not. I always felt better about a £ worked for than a £ I got for nothing. Old fashioned perhaps but I struggled through my working life. And tbh, I was better off financially working, even part time (in the past few years) than I was on benefits. Not a lot, not enough, but I was slightly better off

FBaby

To be fair, a number of lone parents struggle financially because of the debt they have to repay. Some as a result of seperation, some because of life choice they made. When you take out debts repayment I think most single parent does very well indeed.

Miss_Yell_2

Really interested to read this thread!

My husband and I have worked all our lives and had our own business. However, that went under inMay and my husband and I lost ur income. We split up as a result and he went bankrupt as the company owed him so much and he had so much personally at stake. (please dont judge; he tried!)

However, I had already started my own small business in January (if I had known the bankruptcy was inevitable, I would not have done this, however, I did!)

My business is growing fast and doing well. However, I work from home and I work part time on a casual basis in the evenings when work comes up. We have 2 younger kids)

I was receiving working tax credit. However, my husband and I have now decided to give it another shot and he has moved back in.
The benefits have now stopped as he has come back, and I have to reapply. He is not entitled to Job seekers allowance apparently as his income has been so low for the last 3 years!

The house is up for sale and has been for over a year. The bankruptcy wants his share of equity (about £15K, if that) and I am trying to support everyone!

I feel at my wits end and the sums just don't add up! My husband is looking for work, but at 58 is struggling to find anything!

Does anyone know of any financial help I am entitled to? Apparently if I sell the house and rent, then we would get help with housing benefit. But each month I just wrack up more credit card debt. Yet we live on the cheapest food and never go out etc. Kids really suffering and we cannot believe after years of paying taxes etc, we are not entitled to anything much!

Self esteem is low! This is our first ever experience of needing benefits!

BigAunty

Miss_Yell wrote: »

..

Does anyone know of any financial help I am entitled to? Apparently if I sell the house and rent, then we would get help with housing benefit. But each month I just wrack up more credit card debt. !

You will probably get a much wider range of responses, by standing out more, if you create a new thread for yourself as otherwise it will be hidden within this much larger one.

mazza111

Depending on how much u are making from the new business he may still be able to claim income related JSA, other than that, tax credits which you've already applied for. Council Tax benefit perhaps?

Miss_Yell_2

Thanks both of you! Maybe I should be brave and start a new thread! :S

Apparently because I work so many hours, my husband can't get benefits! I work, but as yet do not pay myself anything, as the money is all tied up in stock! And as I am having to reorder larger quantities, I have not been able to take a penny out for myself as yet!

The trouble is that the mortgage is now going into arrears, and I have no way of paying it! We have lived on credit cards recently and I fear I see no way out other than having the house repossessed which is totally crazy! The bankruptcy of my husband insists the house be sold for a certain amount, yet we are getting no offers at that price. The mortgage is interest only anyway and is a minute tiny house. the mad thing is, if I was in a position to remortgage I could get a far better deal making it ore affordable. But as all things, "they kick you harder when you are down" the situation is spiralling out of control and I am the only person in the family working! The bills are bigger than the income (even when I had benefits) Just about run out of things I can sell now too!

I am just seems that if I wasn't working, we would be better off! But I love working and would go mad if I wasn't! My poor husband is so down about it, and feels so useless!

Anyway, thanks for listening to me! Apologies for moaning!

RAS

FBaby wrote: »

To be fair, a number of lone parents struggle financially because of the debt they have to repay. Some as a result of seperation, some because of life choice they made. When you take out debts repayment I think most single parent does very well indeed.

Can I remind everyone that this forum is not for discussions about benefits policy?

As per Martin's advice.

Its about helping people get their entitlement! Not about benefits policy!

This board is here for help and support for those on or looking to claim benefits, not for judgement.

It’s ONLY focus is helping people with their money.

It's here to help people find out what they are entitled to under the current system, and to help them get it.

Benefits provide a lifeline for many, and this site is here to help people with their money, and not to judge. Of course, how to illegally defraud the benefits system shouldn't be discussed here, but ensuring you're getting your entitlement is exactly what it’s about.

We all know the benefits system is a mess – but that’s for the discussion time.

Whatever you're political persuasion, we're all aware the benefits system is a mess. Whether it’s the malpayments of tax credits, benefit fraud, or simply the fact that sometimes it doesn't pay to work - everyone has their grumble.

Yet to discuss the benefits system itself and issues around it, the appropriate place isn't here but the Discussion time Board and even there, please remember courtesy and not to make it personal about anyone. This site's prime purpose it to help people with their money and I will always act to protect that.

Thanks for your co-operation


Martin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/365935

Dognobs

No wonder they all have iPhones wear ugg boots and superdry hoodies while getting there nails done!

kingfisherblue

Dognobs wrote: »

No wonder they all have iPhones wear ugg boots and superdry hoodies while getting there nails done!

I'm a single parent, though not through choice. I don't work and I do claim benefits - again, not through choice, but through necessity. I care for my severely disabled son, who needs care throughout the day and the night.

I don't have an Iphone or Ugg boots (personally I can't stand Ugg boots - I think they look dreadful! And I wouldn't be able to use an Iphone properly as I'm a bit of a technophobe).

My nails are short and somewhat ragged, not to mention very dry from cconstantly having my hands in water (changing nappies on a 13 year old = lots of hand washing). I'd love to have beautiful nails, but it isn't likely to happen.

I really hate stereotypes of single mums, as we are all tarred with the same brush. Only a couple of weeks ago, another poster stated that all single mums seem to smoke, drink, and watch Jeremy Kyle - again, not me.

I became a single mum when my ex left and decided to start a new family - not my choice. We hadn't claimed any benefits before, apart from CB and CA, plus DLA for my son. I had given up work to care for our child, but previous to that I had worked from being a Saturday girl at 16. When I had to go to the Job Centre to claim income support, I cried with shame. I am the first (and so far only) person in my family to claim benefits.

Whilst I agree that there are some people who do not want to work, and who fit the stereotypes of single mums, I am not one of them. Don't tar everyone with the same brush - we don't deserve it.