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

seven-day-weekend

I must admit I don't undertstand why this discussion in on the Benefits board. If I'd started it I would have put it on Discussion Time.

Whilst not begrudging any family Benefits that they are entitled to, I am another one who thinks the figures in the OP don't add up. Either as a family they are getting more than that or they are not claiming all they are entitled to.

I suspect that the OP is talking about what he has left after Benefits have paid his housing costs and therefore giving a misleading picture.

FBaby

I think the confusion which often lead to misunderstanding and therefore 'bashing' is the fact that discussions are based on what income people claim to be getting rather than the disposable income they have. Saying that one gets x is irrelevant if you don't take into a account essential costs too.

Some people on benefits will end up with more disposable income than some high earners, that's reality. Being on benefits mean nothing nowadays because there is so much variation in what that means in terms of disposal income. Some people on benefits geniunely struggle whilst some do very well (as some posters have actually dared coming to post here and admit). Similarly, someone on £40K might do extremely well, whilst another might be struggling. It all depends on so many variables, what is the point of discussing how hard done by someone is or not purely based on their income?

NevGeorge

If you get in a position like me it gets more difficult. I was made redundant August 2010, since then I have been on and off benefits and now I personally cannot claim anything in my own right as my JSA has run out and I don't qualify for JSA income related because my wife is on a pension.....But, the law says as a couple you should have a weekly income of £209 per week minimum to live on, this is made up in our case of two elements plus the additional Council tax that you don't see and is paid for you. We have a small mortgage that we still have to pay but no other debt.

• Wife's pension that is not really a benefit - 136.28 per week
• Pension Credit - this is a benefit £73.42 per week
• Council tax - Also a benefit - £25.84 per week

Plus we get free prescriptions and dental.

So the actual benefit per week is £99.26 or £5161.52 per annum. But now I'm off the statistical radar as unemployed as I do not have to sign on.

We have no other income although we do have a small amount of savings that is dwindling as we have to subsidise ourselves for when things need replacing in the home or we get any unexpected bills.

This month is the real tester and we are going to try and live on what we have coming in without supplementing it. We run two current accounts, both have overdraft facilities that we try not to get anyway near. One account is for Direct Debits and the other is for everyday use. I can switch cash between the accounts on line instantly to juggle what needs paying and when.

I am 58, with little chance of finding a job even though I apply for jobs on a daily basis I have had 1 interview since December, here in the North west there are some 80 people chasing one job so getting just to an interview is an achievement unfortunately when I hobble in and they see how old I am chances of getting the job are practically zero.

I have Spinal Stenosis with bad pains in my legs that don't allow for a lot of standing so the jobs I can go for are limited to admin in type rolls, my condition does not mean I'm disabled and I don't want to be disabled, I still have skills I can use in an office. One of the biggest excuses is that I'm over qualified, how can anyone be over qualified? I find that a negative attitude and don't agree with it so I just keep on trying because somewhere there will be a job even though jobs here in the North West are being lost at a rate four times the national average.

The reason I'm out of work is not because I was rubbish at my job, far from it, it was the economic situation the bankers and government got us into, it caused companies all over to review their head count and cut their cloth accordingly by restructuring to ride out the economic storm.

The media has whipped the lucky working people up into a frenzy over benefits and I only hope that if they find themselves in the same situation one day and then they will appreciate what it's like living on benefits, it's no picnic I can assure them, especially if they have been living beyond their means.

In 2009 I saw this recession coming so I made provision to get all debt paid off and reduced my mortgage by £10k using what my Mother left me in her will. This has helped and we can manage on what we have but will have to do as if we are both on a pension until I can get a job.

I don't want benefits I want a job, being on benefits is demeaning and embarrassing.

FBaby

NevGeorge, you are proving my point. How can your financial situation be aligned to that of a single mum of three just because you are both on benefits? Your disposable income will be nowhere comparable.

i think you will find very few will be prepared to judge you on your situation, and if there are, they are trully imbeciles. I wish you good luck.

jaymacel

Having watched the daily programs on scroungers and how much it costs, I thought this is only going to make the puplic think that all people on benifits are scroungers.

I would like there to be a daily program about tax evaision which costs us at least 5 times as much as benifit fraud. They could also inform the public about legal tax avoidance. Show the public some of the benifits wealthy people can take advantage off. As most of the public do not earn enough to be eligable for most of these schems (or Scams) they should be aware of them so that we can see the gigantic benifits some people are getting from the state.

A balanced view is always best.

NevGeorge

FBaby wrote: »

NevGeorge, you are proving my point. How can your financial situation be aligned to that of a single mum of three just because you are both on benefits? Your disposable income will be nowhere comparable.

i think you will find very few will be prepared to judge you on your situation, and if there are, they are trully imbeciles. I wish you good luck.

Thank you, and exactly every claimants situations and benefit entitlements are different. This subject could be discussed until we are blue in the face and really get nowhere. My wife before I met her was a single Mum with two daughters but this was back in the eighties and we cannot equate that either to today's benefits as the situations are completely different and it was easier to get a job then as she did in the end.

My daughter has a child with cerebral palsy, he is physically unable to look after himself despite all the overpriced aids available. My daughter receives mobility allowance on behalf of her son, he also gets a taxi allowance to get him to school as my daughter also has two other children that go to a school on the other side of the city. The annoyance is that even though she has a blue badge for her son she gets abuse from people seeing her parking in a disabled parking bay, that is unacceptable.

These day's because of the government and media anyone disabled or on benefits seems to be a target no matter what the circumstances, people are quick to assume and judge without knowing the facts.

There is a clear difference between career benefit claimants and genuine claimants and maybe people should not assume that every person on benefits is a scrounger as in the case of the person that wrote the original article.

charlie1973

This is my first post on this board, I read the article and just thought there were many facts missing, so came onto here to find out more. I am not bashing him, I think he is totally entitled to be receiving help, however such a shame the article isnt accurate. A article such as his should create empathy for those in his situation, however it has left me confused.

pandapatch

I really feel for Ross, my son is on benefits but he is no scrounger either.

And what makes the looks and comments even more virulent is that fact that his disbility is hidden - he has schizoprenia.

Society sees a young man (who is dressed somewhat alternatively!!) and judges, and many continue to judge if they discover he has mental health issues.

Although not always in physical pain, the pain & distress his mind puts him through would be unbearable to many and he has to cope with this whilst battling the side effects of the very strong medication he has to take and society's prejudices

The old saying about walking a mile in someone's shoes is so so true

GlasweJen

The article isn't accurate, of course it's going to be picked to pieces!

MSE_Martin

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I must admit I don't undertstand why this discussion in on the Benefits board. If I'd started it I would have put it on Discussion Time.

I have only just seen the board it is in - and was a little surprised. Sometimes there's disjoin with new members of the editorial team who don't use the forum often knowing the rules. I've moved it.