Full benefits

BigAunty

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I'm a single parent, though not through choice. ...
I really hate stereotypes of single mums, as we are all tarred with the same brush. ..
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.

When I was in Blackpool recently, I got chatting with a young hotel worker who loved her two part-time jobs (45-50 hours a week) and said she would hate not to work but she actually said 'sometimes I don't know why I bother'.

She said that out of her contemporaries, she was pretty much one of the only ones in employment and who wasn't a lone parent, the sole graduate.

She was part-envious and part-repelled by their benefits, whose sum she could not believe compared to her employment income, the ease with which they secured council housing. Some were starting to have their second child while she and her fiancee had postponed having children until their lives were a bit more secure.

I asked her whether she thought her peers would ever come to think they were losing out, were regretful that their lives were less structured and fulfilling than hers, whether these young single mums would regret choosing motherhood over employment.

She said no, they were too busy looking forward to dropping the kids off with the grandparents for party nights out at the weekend, shopping for clothes and getting their nails done. She was quite baffled and bitter about her living standards compared with theirs, though she was largely convinced that her path wasn't the wrong one.

SingleSue

jojo_2012 wrote: »

Thats far more than I have in my hand working £38hrs a week. Shame I have morals.

Oh how judgemental!

I too have morals....but I also have disabled children which makes working a wee bit difficult.

For info, all children were born during a marriage (which lasted 16 years, together for nearly 20) and I worked.....unfortunately, due to the boys needs, this had to be in the evening when now ex husband could have them as no child care facility were willing to take them on.

Not all single parents are !!!!less ones, not all sleep with every Tom, !!!!!! and Harry to produce babies.

SingleSue

Dognobs wrote: »

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

All?

No nails to have done, all bitten to the quick through stress.
Ugg boots? I have only just worked out what they are! Suffice to say, I don't have a pair.
Hoodies? Not a good look on a 40 something.
Iphone? Goodness no. Who would honestly want an overpriced bit of tat like that?

janninew

gravitytolls wrote: »

In fact, a low paid job will bring with it benefits, as even this government have to recognise that the cost of living is so high that even low paid full time work doesn't cover living.

Walk a mile in the same shoes and all that, before we judge eh?

My sister is in a low paid job, she doesn't get any benefits, tax credits aren't available if you are under 25 and have no children no matter how low your income is.

Also I'm not judging, just believe that single parent benefits are very generous.