MSE News: 'I'm on benefits but I'm no scrounger'

thomaspaine

Satisfying reader prejudice with stories of gross abuse of the benefits system has exposed the very worst in our nature. Severely handicapped people throughout the country are now vilified at the same time as extremely hostile immigrants are nurtured by the State in the name of Human Rights and civil liberties. Government have done nothing to counter this bizarre behaviour but rather have used it as public support for a laudable campaign to reduce spending through abitrary budgeting and not recognition of need. We Tories may have bridled at Therese May's reference to being known as the 'nasty Party' but we have surely earned the title now.

Lockstock66

There are always times when people both ends of the situation are misinformed in some way.

For example my wife has been Out of Work for the last year seeking a Job, Nay Searching the length and Breadth, She is with Agencies for contract work but nothing. No Perm/ Nothing

The question is What does she get paid from the JSA to help us struggle thru.

Answer is nothing, Zip. Because The government deam that you have to have paid 24months NI. Its no fault of my wife to have been made redundant twice in the last 3 yrs.

So we get no help, I get £1500 a month, My home costs me £600 Interest Only, My Car and Petrol/Maintenance around £600(£450 in petrol alone) So I have £300 for paying Bills/Council Tax/Food etc., So every month we are out of pocket.
My wife wants to work and is very skilled but in our area there are no jobs even at minimum wage, 300+ attempts in the last six months with only 2 Interviews with 30 being Interviewed!

So People think they know other peoples Situations and they do not always but can only go on what they perceive/told and secondly the Government haven't got it right.

Thanks for Listening

shap_2

:T:T

MSE_Martin wrote: »

I must say Im a little surpised some of the comments above. The whole point of Ross's article (as it clearly states - it is his article not ours - this is a guest comment) is to give a voice to someone who you wouldn't normally hear from.

It isn't about the pounds and the pence its about the attitude and prejudice he has felt about claiming benefit. As for checking through his benefits - this isnt about auditing the man's life - its about a platform to give him his say, in his words, with his view - talking about what it feels like.

We have tried to minimise any editorial influence (the same courtesy we give to other guest contributers including the Prime Minister, or Ed Balls, Ray Boulger) and let him have his say.

He had bravely stuck his head above the parapet - he is a real person - please remember that when you comment.

:Thank goodness for this post in defence of Ross. we are in a very real, very similar situation ( the medical reasons for my hubby not being able to work are due to a dense stroke, that occured whilst he was at work as a carpenter at the age of 50, and before anyone wants to categorise those in the building industry as beer swilling, smoking, yobs with unhealthy diets, you could not be further from the truth) he now has right sided paralysis, and can only speak about a dozen words due to aphasia, from the density of his stroke.I had to wind up my business to provide 24/7 care for the man I love. I have no intention at all in explaining the details of our benefits income, because people will analyse and probably get it wrong. You will just have take my word for it that WE ARE NOT SCROUNGERS, We hate not being able to work, and our budget is really really tight. I totally sympathise with Ross regarding the prejudice that he faces on a regular basis, especially the disapproving looks when you mention that you do not go out to work, the truth is that I have a very intense job as a carer 24/7 for which I receive £222 per month. The ignoramuses that think they are clever analysing the pounds and pences should walk a mile in our shoes before they comment.

poppy10_2

oliver1950 wrote: »

I don't understand the numbers quoted.

If I do a test run thru the UK benefits calculator this guy potentailly has benefits of a minimum of £24,000, probably plus his diabalement entitlement.

Means-tested income entitlements
Tax Credits-Initial Tax Credit £5,662.02
Income Support £5,539.67
Council Tax Benefit £999.70
Housing Benefit £10,457.14
Other income entitlements
Child Benefit £1,762.02
Total Entitlements £24,420.55

This equates to a tax free £467.06 weekly

He also gets DLA at £150 per month.

The partner has lupus, and both his children have severe health problems, so presumably there are additional ESA/DLA/carer's allowance payments for them.

Nobody has accused this guy of being a scrounger or not deserving the money he is getting - people have been pointing out that he should actually be getting much much more than the £11,000 household income he is claiming.

whizzocki

Very saddened by the lack of compassion and empathy on this thread. Is this really the position society is in?

Cerisa

I think people need to remember - and never do - that what someone is 'entitled to' and what they get are two completely different numbers. The DWP also frequently change how much they give you.

My partner earns a total of £20 a week and is apparently not entitled to any benefits, because my £15K a year salary should be more than enough to support us both. After essential bills that leaves us around £190 a month for food and other 'luxuries'.

Zagles, you have absolutely no idea how much he's being given in JSA or ESA.

Housing benefit is often far below what rent actually costs. And moving costs money - if you were living on the breadline, could you scrape together a month's rent + a deposit (i've seen companies asking for deposits of two month's rent for a £350 flat) and money for a moving van?

Also seriously -is this thread really bashing a man with a severe tumour for NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK?

robpw2

whizzocki wrote: »

Very saddened by the lack of compassion and empathy on this thread. Is this really the position society is in?

i think we have been beaten with the how benefits have ruined society stick / benefit scum stick for so long people believe its true

everyone is guilty untill prooved innocent .
the other issue that narks me right off is the i have x and i am ok , i have a job etc because each person/ health condiditon is different and it then adds to the oh you must be faking it

cappo

Onearmedbandit wrote: »

It didn't say he got dla did it? I read ,people shouldn't judge those on dla or benefits. I know my hubby doesn't qualify for dla even though I care for him over 8 hours a day.

i agree bandit i had a stroke 3 years ago and haven't worked since, we are blessed as when i worked as a painter/decorator i took out critical illness policies and an income replacement policy but we live on that and dla and get the same (roughly) amount of money and it is bloody hard. so i do sympathise

chocolady

What worries me here is that people are being brainwashed by the media into benefit claimant bashing regardless of the circumstances. It has been a drip drip effect of various stories coming out over the years I think personally being fed to the media by the various political parties all of whom would be quite happy to cancel benefits and free nhs if they could surrepticiously get away with it. While I am happy that the benefit system is tightened from abuse I know that when my brother worked for the benefit office years ago policing was very underfunded in that area and some obvious loopholes were left open that could easily have been closed and were exploited.

Benefits are incredibly complex to apply for and have a variety of things excluding people who genuinely should be able to claim. I have SLE for instance and despite having to have continuous medication do not qualify for free prescriptions as my condition is "not on the list" of conditions which this benefit covers. Despite having a collapsed disc in my spine along with my sle and having trouble walking so that I would like a mobility disc my condition is not covered by that either!

Returning to my original point how nice for the government to be able to turn one person against another and divide and conquer so they can free up more cash to use for more illegal wars and their suddenly totally forgotten expenses! How easy this is now becoming for them and how gullible the general public are.

Cerisa

"LESS than the guy in the article claims to get."

Yes... but they don't have medical expenses. Or a tumour. Or a wife with lupus. Or a child on dialysis.

'I do not think that the purpose of benefits is to compensate someone for being dealt a poor hand.'

No, it's to enable someone with greatly reduced earning capacity to live.

And whoever said 'he doesn't have to support his partner' - no, you're completely right. They could live separately and get more benefits, splitting up their home - perhaps they could have a kid each? Or he could leave her to starve. Y'know, whatever you think it fair.