Benefits compared to a payrise

heathcote123

distant_smile wrote: »

Taxpayer? Like me you mean? I pay Tax and NI into the system, so am I not entitled to claim benefit?

You are not a net taxpayer.

somethingcorporate

Whilst you are only considering the immediate impact the long term benefits of having a career rather than just a job is immeasurable. Perhaps not now, perhaps not next year, but in the long run you will be better off. Benefits are only going in one direction (and rightly so).

It may be £25k but the next step may be £30k, £35k and onwards and upwards. It would be foolish to turn down an opportunity for such a promotion for the sake of a few extra quid in benefit. Good luck

Crossed posts with the wise heathcote123...

custardy

I can't believe you would think of a £6+K salary increase as being worse off.
its progression and a substantial pay increase
If you could get more benefits,woul you take a wage cut?

bargainbunny

Hi best thing maybe to call them . or cab work out exactly how much travel would be plus other expenses etc
£200 month saving can be achieved through careful budgeting the old style money saving board on here will help..ie feed a family of 4 for £100 month.. Im nearly at that:j

best thing is to be prepared and sounds like you are doing that
people on here get fed up with others moaning that benefits are not enough to live on when they only get average wage so infact are worse off..
Governments doing though they set the rates..

distant_smile

Okay. Well bear in mind that his is roughly estimated, but it shows a fall of the following

Child Tax (annually) = £3279 to £2708

Housing Benefit (ann) = £5259 to £2939

Child Benefit (ann) stays the same

I am a little confused as we receive around £6,000 a year, but the calculator comes up with a figure of £10,000??

But do these decreases seem realistic?

Killmark

distant_smile wrote: »

Okay. Well bear in mind that his is roughly estimated, but it shows a fall of the following

Child Tax (annually) = £3279 to £2708

Housing Benefit (ann) = £5259 to £2939

Child Benefit (ann) stays the same

I am a little confused as we receive around £6,000 a year, but the calculator comes up with a figure of £10,000??

But do these decreases seem realistic?

Have you made sure you have input gross figures not your net figures?

Did you check my post on page 1?

I'm guessing there is something wrong with your housing benefit rate or entitlement.

distant_smile

I entered Gross amounts, something definatley seems wrong as the values are inflated. If I will be worse off (Financially) I would rather know before hand so as I can plan for changes

drwho2011

distant_smile wrote: »

I entered Gross amounts, something definatley seems wrong as the values are inflated. If I will be worse off (Financially) I would rather know before hand so as I can plan for changes

My calculation came up that you would get £10 per week CTC from april btw, as I couldn't do your housing costs I had to estimate and it was 0.

FBaby

distant_smile wrote: »

The problem is that people do manipulate the system and granted that angers me, but I dont feel I should feel guilty for claiming what I am entitled too.

If you were to refuse a promotion, purely because you will be in the immediate time better off on benefits, you would be manipulating the system.

The only reason why you could end up better on benefits is because the benefit system is wrong in the first place, not because you should get more on £25K. Unfortunately, that's how life goes. I worked hard as a single mum to support my children, and was grateful for the help of tax credits to help me with childcare costs. It was still really hard to make ends meet and I often felt frustrated that I was working hard, always exhausted, no much time with my kids for very little disposable income at the end of the day. I did hang on to the fact that my salary was going up, I got promoted, got increments.... yet somehow, I have been only marginally better off or worse off because of losing benefits as i went up. The worse time is when my kids started school. My childcare costs went down and I was suddenly only entitled to the £50 a month tax credits, yet my childcare costs (afterschool/breakfast clubs) were still over £300. I ended up worse off. My DD doesn't need childcare any longer, but we moved to a new area, and the childcare costs for my son in our new place is double what it was before, so still paying the same!!!! I am now counting the days when he doesn't need it, 2 1/2 years time, and then I should FINALLY see the difference!!!!

Smamfer

May i ask how many children you have please as im confused over the figures but it may be me as its early

I earn a lot less salary than you but do NOT receive any housing benefit

I have one child and my child benefit is £81.20 4 weekls so where does your figure come from?

Also when you mention child tax is this child tax and working family tax added together?