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

tonymint

He seems to have a lot of skills.Hope someone gives him a start/Job.

ses6jwg

I don't think people who work are just angry at people who are fraudulantly claiming, if they are anything like me they are also getting sick and tired of genuine benefit claimaints - especially those claiming sickness benefits - moaning at how little they recieve and how they "struggle to make ends meet".

I'm a 24 year old single father who has shared care of his daughter.

I do not receive any tax credits. I do not receive child benefit.

I pay for my own council tax, I pay for my own rent.

I earn around 12k per year after tax and work 40 hour weeks. People can "earn" the same amount as me without lifting a finger or doing any work at all. I refuse to believe that most people on disability benefit cannot perform some sort of work such as office work.

And there are people out there who are on even lower incomes than I am.

Why should people on benefit be able to afford to smoke, go on foreign holidays and have Sky TV, at the expense of the state, when those who work for minimum wage struggle to put food on the table.

krisskross

I expect the main problem with the man in the article is the one we see so many times on these boards. People tend to only count the money they get in their hand and forget about the rent and council tax they don't have to pay.

Also forgotten will be the free school dinners, free prescriptions etc.

Assuming he has his rent and council tax paid then he has £1000 a month to live on, which is well doable.

zagfles

krisskross wrote: »

I expect the main problem with the man in the article is the one we see so many times on these boards. People tend to only count the money they get in their hand and forget about the rent and council tax they don't have to pay.

Also forgotten will be the free school dinners, free prescriptions etc.

Assuming he has his rent and council tax paid then he has £1000 a month to live on, which is well doable.

But even without any housing related benefits at all (HB/LHA/CTB/SMI etc) he should be getting at least £15k, probably more.

shegirl

zagfles wrote: »

The article says
I can't see how he'd only get that:

IS/JSA for a couple: 5500
DLA 1000 (at least - probably more)
Child ben: 1752
CTC: 5655
Council tax benefit: 1000 (at least)

That's nearly £15,000, and that doesn't include housing benefit/SMI.

DLA rates per year:

Low rate CARE is £1016 a year
Middle rate CARE is £2563 a year
High rate CARE is £3827 a year

Mobility component (If received)

Low mobility is £1016 a year
High rate mobility is £2672 a year

I also noticed that his partner and his two children also have health issues that require a lot of hospital attendance so I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them may be in receipt of something too,possibly carers allowance in there also


I don't begrudge those who need it benefits,but to use this as the story,the figures to be different to those they would receive and the blatant 'how awful is this' attempt by stating £100 is two weeks worth of shopping isn't going to win anyone any favours!

VfM4meplse

krisskross wrote: »

Assuming he has his rent and council tax paid then he has £1000 a month to live on, which is well doable.

For 2 adults and 2 children?

Barneysmom

Blimey. I thought this was going to be a thread against benefit bashing.
how wrong was I.

Poor bloke, I feel for him and his family. His calculations might be wrong but he is no scrounger.

Dunroamin

What a wasted opportunity of showing a sympathetic story about someone claiming and deserving benefits should be spoiled by inaccurate information which just makes the whole story more controversial. What a shame that MSE sjould publish this without checking the facts involved.

want-it-all

ses6jwg wrote: »

I refuse to believe that most people on disability benefit cannot perform some sort of work such as office work.

The main disability benefit, Disability Living Allowance, is a non-means tested benefit designed to help people with care and/or mobility needs meet the extra costs that being disabled does unfortunately bring to many people.

If, for instance, you have a mental health condition which effectively prevents you from using the 'cheap' public transport that 90% of the population can potentially use with no problem (for example, you may become panicked, confused, extremely anxious, or you may wonder off and harm yourself or others), then you may have an entitlement to the low-rate mobility component of DLA. This component on its own is a whopping £19.55 per week, and is designed to meet the costs of self-mobilising in a manner that's appropriate to your impaired needs, such as taking private taxis more often than a 'normal', "mentally sound" person would need to (though in reality, it can be spent on anything).

There are 5 different components payable - 2 for mobility and 3 for care needs. The 'big' money is reserved for people with extremely restricted care and/or mobility needs, and believe me, qualifying for DLA is not a walk in the park! As current rates go, the absolute maximum one can claim in DLA is £6,500, for which you need to be very disabled indeed. Given the choice between having full mobility and physical and mental capacity, versus being able to cream a few extra quid in entitlement, I know what I'd choose...

It's not about being able to work or not, and DLA is not a get out of work free card!

Indeed, many DLA claimants do work, and so long as their work doesn't contradict the basis upon which they are claiming DLA (e.g. claiming for a 'bad back', but working as a brickie), then it's absolutely fine. Because of the unique nature of DLA, it's perfectly feasible for someone to have an entitlement and still enjoy a productive, rewarding and even very lucrative career at the same time.

So, you're a bit off the mark in targeting 'disability' claimants.

Dunroamin

VfM4meplse wrote: »

For 2 adults and 2 children?

It's net income and after housing costs have been paid!