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I cannot beleive it.....

I have been suffering with depression for some time now, but have battled on with it and carried on working full-time. I am also a carer to my disabled wife who receives middle-rate care and high-rate mobility DLA. Our 15-yo also suffers with Aspergers - life is never dull around here!

I have been looking on various benefit checkers and it would seem that we have an 'entitlement' overall to as-near dammit the same level of income as I currently provide by working 40-odd hours. Surely, this can't be right?
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Comments

  • it may well be right especially if you are on a fairly low income
    couples rate income support,carers premium,child tax credits,family allowance,2 lots of dla(assuming child is on dla?),help with rent 100%(hb)100% help with council tax
    it all adds up,plus you dont have the associated cost of work,travel etc etc
  • earthbound_misfit
    earthbound_misfit Posts: 460 Forumite
    edited 23 April 2012 at 9:37PM
    Do you mean you are entitled to an additional amount that would double the family income? Or do you mean that if you weren't working you'd have the same family income as now? In which case, did you evaluate yourself for ESA or JSA?

    There are many hoops to jump through to claim benefits to ensure people only do it out of necessity, not because they don't want to work.
    With two disabled people in the same household it would greatly up your entitlement due to the minimum income guarantee. The idea is that vulnerable/long-term claimants have an acceptable standard of living, as oppose to JSA or other claimants where it's supposed to be a temporary measure. (At least that's the theory!)
    The othjer aspect is that wages can be so low that anything below that is considered unacceptable (even by the govt.!) so disability benefits are pretty close to a wage... if not higher in some circumstances.

    I wish you well in your caring duties, and hope you are able to keep battling the depression - you can beat it :)
  • Elvisia
    Elvisia Posts: 914 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I currently earn almost exactly what my JSA was, but to be honest actually having a job really helps me, and makes me feel normal and a worthy member of society. Does working help your depression? xx
  • BigAunty
    BigAunty Posts: 8,310 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Your findings are not a surprise on this forum.

    There are some workless or part-time working households,particularly where the rent (and therefore the housing benefit is high) who get the same or more in benefits than households with one or both parents in low paid employment.

    These are the types of kinks that the Universal Credit system and future benefit caps are supposed to iron out, to incentivise households into employment, making them better off in work than on benefits.

    Currently, it is well known that the high withdrawal of benefits, added with the taxation experienced by households considering employment, disincentive some from undertaking full time employment, or employment at all.

    I believe that a low earning couple who get quite a bit in benefits doesn't really reap any greater income at all if they both get considerably higher employment income - loss of benefit and payment of tax takes it all until a certain level is achieved.

    Note that some benefits are not means/income tested - DLA, for example, and will not be affected by the changes.
  • Katykat
    Katykat Posts: 1,743 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Also bear in mind that some benefits will now have a time limit, so you may have an equal income now, but possibly much lower
    1 year down the line. Also, changes in DLA will make it much harder to qualify.
    :smileyhea A SMILE COSTS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
  • gingergee
    gingergee Posts: 918 Forumite
    Elvisia wrote: »
    I currently earn almost exactly what my JSA was, but to be honest actually having a job really helps me, and makes me feel normal and a worthy member of society. Does working help your depression? xx

    What a refreshing attitude x really positive!!! Good on you xxx
    The feeling i got when i confirmed my place studying criminology at Exeter Uni was brilliant!!!!!

    The pride my children told me they had in me was even better!!!!! # setting positive example to children is OUTSTANDING!!!! !:grouphug::grouphug::smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea
  • shedboy94
    shedboy94 Posts: 929 Forumite
    I don't doubt it.....at the moment myself and my wife work FT, have a mortgage, 1 child at school and 1 at FT nursery.....we receive no benefits except for CB. I used a benefits calculator to check hypothetical changes of circumstances, and if we both decided to work 16hpw on NMW, sell our house and rent, and continue to pay FT nursery costs......we would only be about £20pw worse off - a great price to pay for working far less hours!! I wouldn't dream of doing it though for many reasons.
  • It is ridiculous! We are worse off with OH working by quite a bit, but it makes him feel better about his quality of life. I am disabled and bed ridden most days so OH works from home so we don't have to pay too much in PA fees for my care. He is also my main carer and is the one who helps me through the night when I have accidents or can't move etc but doesn't get paid, the he also works through the day and carries on caring for me.

    PP
    xx
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
    requires brains!
    FEB GC/DIESEL £200/4 WEEKS
  • kelpie35
    kelpie35 Posts: 1,789 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Elvisia wrote: »
    I currently earn almost exactly what my JSA was, but to be honest actually having a job really helps me, and makes me feel normal and a worthy member of society. Does working help your depression? xx

    So, so nice to see that there are still some decent people left in this world.

    I hope you continue to enjoy your job.

    Have a lovely life...............you deserve it :beer:
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