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

tescobabe69

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I have 8 items on my repeat prescription monthly plus extras such as steroids and antibiotics so it averages out at £76.00 per month

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx

A 12 month certificate is £104.00 and saves money if 15 or more items are needed in 12 months.

rogerblack

http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fem/fem_oct09_sep10.pdf - DWP fraud and error.

Taking for example, IB, and DLA.

DLA overpayment due to fraud is 0.5%. Due to customer error is 0.6%, and official error 0.8%.
IB (2010) fraud is 0.5%, customer error 0.6%, and official error 1.7%!

I note that for almost all benefits, official error is higher than customer error.

Doom_and_Gloom

I'm not here to bash - I get DLA (getting HRM and MRC is a bit over 5K a year on it's own for me) and my partner and I get LHA, CTB so am on benefits myself * - however 11k for 2 adults and 2 children? I don't think so somehow.

IB - over 3.5k/year
CB - over 1.5k/year
CTC
CTB - over 1k/year
DLA - at least just over 1k/year
IS
HB/LHA

Of the ones I know for sure it equals over 7k at least as DLA could be higher. Someone has stated that CTC is over 5k = over 12k! That isn't taking into account HB, IS (possible in this situation I believe) and possibly CA (and if that was the case DLA would be higher as only possible to get it on MRC or HRC).

I'm not going to say it is easy on benefits as it isn't but to say they have only just over 11k coming in when it is obvious they don't isn't on.

*partner works so we are not 100% reliant on benefits - we wish we didn't have to claim what we do. I also say how much we get without underestimating as I watch all transactions in and out of my account and know what we get for CTB.

poppy10_2

Barneysmom wrote: »

I don't see what difference it makes knowing to the last penny how much the family gets.

It's not down to the last penny. It's a difference of several thousand pounds between the household income he claims he recieves and what they would actually be entitled to. It weakens the case being made by the article when such inaccurate figures are being used to support it. Makes people doubt the validity of the whole thing.

tescobabe69

Edinburghlass wrote: »

I wish I could thank your post more than once. This guy is a real person, not an MSE statistic, he told his story and the figures don't need to be validated to the last penny by anyone here.

Sometimes I'm ashamed to be a member of MSE.

How about he validates it to the nearest £5000, after all he is the one complaining.

MSE_Martin

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.

Butterfly_Brain

Thank you for the info tescobabe I will look into that tomorrow x

tescobabe69

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Thank you for the info tescobabe I will look into that tomorrow x

It does work I do it myself.

I'm not certain but it used to be possible to back date it, ask the chemist.

Butterfly_Brain

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.

:T Thank you Martin.
Too many people forget that behind each story there is a human being and it is all too easy to bash those less fortunate and unfortunately this has been caused by !!!!less MP's who wouldn't know what it feels like to have to grovel for these benefits

krisskross

poppy10 wrote: »

It's not down to the last penny. It's a difference of several thousand pounds between the household income he claims he recieves and what they would actually be entitled to. It weakens the case being made by the article when such inaccurate figures are being used to support it. Makes people doubt the validity of the whole thing.

It's like me saying I only get £64 a week pension. This is absolutely true but but everyone knows that I will be entitled to other benefits if this is my only income.

I agree the guy is entitled to his benefits, no one is saying otherwise, however the article needs to be accurate. Perhaps it would have been better to have left income out altogether rather than use a figure that is so open to comment about inaccuracy.