Can anyone help please?

PippaGirl_2

piskie, are you claiming all you are entitled to? Are you getting child tax credits and working tax credits? I think it would be worth your while checking your entitlements in case you are missing something.

MrsE, of this couple one is sick and unable to work and has been assessed as being so. You don't know her from adam tbf so how can you say she is 'sat at home', the other has been actively looking for work proved by the fact he has found a job despite the poor job market at present. Never has he said he might not take the job if he will be worse off etc. never has he said anything that might suggest he is work shy and doesn't want to support his family he has merely come here to find information on how his finances will be affected when he DOES take the job, this is good financial planning for anyone.

I don't know of anyone working who has two children who receives less than that amount because they are topped up with CTC and WTC.

PippaGirl_2

Apologies, re-reading the OP I see he said "if" he takes the job which does indeed imply he might not. That's not great I have to say, I do agree that we must if well enough do everything we can to support ourselves and our families first and foremost, the welfare state is there to rightly support those who are unable to work due to sickness or disability or who need help to find work and need financial support while they seek it. But I have seen so much 'hounding' by posters on this forum, people making judgments about people's ability to work, how sick they are or whether they should be working when no one here can possibly know anything about how sick they are.
The Government have very cleverly instigated a benefit scrounging scum attitude to benefit claimants in order to justify their cuts, and unfortunately this has led to bullying of claimants and ever hatred towards them when many are rightly claiming and need to claim. Yes there are some who abuse the system, some who lie and deceive, some who are work shy but there are far more who need our support and compassion or in the absense of knowing their full circumstances, the benefit of the doubt and the ability to therefore sit on your hands knowing you don't knowing everything about them.

Cornish_piskie

Hi Pippa - yes, am claiming and receiving all that I'm entitled to and it amounts to £358 per week. I have a mortgage though so no housing benefit etc to claim which I think does make a difference when it comes to benefits v working amounts.

I manage absolutely fine - was just a bit of a shocker that a non-worker (and, again, I'm not judging) actually receives more in straight benefits than I do whilst working, recieving a wage and benefits of CTC and WTC.

PippaGirl_2

Piskie, this is an ongoing problem. People who own their own properties and have a mortgage are worse off on the same wage. Say for instance your mortgage is £500 a month, when working you would be responsible for all of it (If sick/unemployed you might get interest payments relief though) but if you were renting and your rent was £500 per month you might get housing benefit. So had you been renting you might be better off if that makes sense. Very hard for people in your situation.

FBaby

What frustrates me most about the large benefit income a family can live on is the fact that their non working status mean they have so many few costs. No transports cots, no childcare, no having to buy appropriate working clothes, etc.... yet have all the time to make as much savings as they can, cook from scratch, look for bargains, enter all the competitions in the world, all things that people working full-time don't have the time or energy left to do.

This inevitable resulting in the 'IF I were to take the job' as stated in the OP, as if there should be any such alternative as an 'IF'....

mazza111

Can I also ask if she's in the support group or the WRAG? She may lose this benefit after a year if in the WRAG, and would then go onto Income based ESA, which she probably wouldn't be entitled to if you are working. It all depends on group on whether she's getting contributions based or income based.

PippaGirl_2

That is true too FBaby

Personally I think they should reduce over all benefits for people who are not working but are not sick, and increase WTC for people on low wages to counter balance that. That is what the Government say they are aiming to do but as yet I see no evidence of it, maybe with the Universal Credit it will happen.

princessdon

I think benefits are far too high and in *most * cases need reduced. Ctc is one such area, far too high a figure.

Balance that with an under 25 who gets pennies (too low)

Disability benefits need looking at - dla and disability wtc?

But how can anyone agree that over £1000 pm after rent and ct is living on the breadline?

Cornish_piskie

Pippa and FBaby - that's it exactly I have all the costs that go with working, childcare, fuel (ouch, ouch, ouch), even just silly things like paying into collections for colleagues birthdays, baby pressies and leaving gifts :rotfl:

BUT the way I look at it is that, in not too many years, my mortgage will be paid off (fervent MSE-er that I am) and as my kids get older I'll be back to full-time work (had to go part time last year simply as lack of school holiday childcare, now I have an arrangement with SIL who works opposite end of the week to me). So, with careful budgeting now, I will be better off in the long run. I'll not dwell or get bitter about my peers having more in their pocket than me at the moment - the future is bright

PippaGirl_2

Great attitude piskie!