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Hey

I feel rude to just join this forum and ask a question off the bat, sorry if I offend anyone.

I'm an 18 year old boy in education, I live with my mother and my brother. My mum is a nurse and gets about 1200 a month after tax. After all the bills we are left with 75 pounds for food, clothing anything extra basically. I know rent is 500, then theres 100 council tax, not sure how the rest breaks down but theres 75 pound a week to spend on food and clothes as I said.

She had her money cut 115 pound in some form of tax credit I think about a month ago. Can it be right that a family of 3 with 1 child under 18 to be expected to live on this amount of money? What can we do? I feel really bad for her but I can't do anything about it.

I feel like the government don't want to pay you and every department tells you to !!!! off elsewhere. She came off benefits a while ago to try and improve her life, and in the 3 months transition period after her degree to a job, we had to live on 33 pound a week for 3 months, leading us to be in 1500-2 grand worth of debt, nobody wanted to pay us any money. Not really related just feel like poor people are punished whatever they do lol..

If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them, thanks.
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Comments

  • shegar
    shegar Posts: 1,978 Forumite
    Have you not thought of getting some evening/weekend work to help the household..?.Alittle extra money would be better than nothing,pub work/gardening/shop work. etc etc.....
  • Hi Sloppy. First off, you should be so proud of your mum for studying hard and getting a nursing job to come off benefits. I'm sure her hard work has taught you that if you want something in life you work for it, don't sit back and expect someone to hand it to you. ;) Have you looked for part time work while you are studying? My niece has just turned 18 and has been working in Next for 2 years around her college work. Every little helps!
    DMP Mutual Support Thread member 244
    Quit smoking 13/05/2013
    Joined Slimming World 02/12/13. Loss so far = 60lb in 28 weeks :j 18lb to go :o
  • sloppy
    sloppy Posts: 5 Forumite
    Yeah, I've been applying for jobs for a year. It's very hard to get one with no experience. I have really good grades at school and my a levels at college, still can't get one.

    Does anyone know if it is actually legal for a family or 3 to feed themselves on 75 pound a week? Seems ridiculous how expensive food is now.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    At 18 in full time education, I was the eldest of 7 and we were very poor. I got a weekend job and also worked in the holidays.

    I know lots of people who would be glad to pay for odd jobs, like a bit of gardening, moving stuff etc. It won`t fall into your lap, you will have to ask around
  • the benefits system isnt interested in how much you have to live on,only that you have the basic amount to do it with or without benefits
    mum could put her details into turn 2 us and see if she is missing any benefits
    http://www.turn2us.org.uk/
  • shegar
    shegar Posts: 1,978 Forumite
    Advertise in local shops/post offices for gardening jobs/window cleaning/shelf stacker at supermarket, etc, you dont need A levels for that sort of work, and theres usually loads of people need help,plus you dont have to have experience, its easy to learn as you go..........

    I dont know about how much your family should receive to live on , hopefully another member on here will and will be able to answer your questions............
  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    I can feed a family of four (two adults and two teenagers), on £75 a week. You might be able to help your mum by getting the fruit and veg for her from Aldi and Lidl - they often have good offers.

    The Old Style board has good ideas for making money go further.

    Your mum might also want to fill out a Statement of Affairs (from a sticky on the Debtfree Wannabe board). She can keep for her own personal use, or post it for help and advice on cutting down costs.

    Supermarkets often employ students, or as you are 18, you could try bar work. A lot of the time, vacancies are not advertised, so it si worth going in and asking the manager about jobs.
  • gingergee
    gingergee Posts: 918 Forumite
    What a nice son you are! Above all else, your mum is prob really proud of you, as you are her! Makes such a nice change to have a decent post by someone so young. And as someone else said, well done to your mum. It may be tough now, but sticking together as a family and all mucking in, should see you all doing well in the future! x
    Could you maybe have a clear out? then sell some stuff? My daughter is 13, so i know teens hoard stuff lol x Ebay or carboots etc maybe an idea xx Good luck x
    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
  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,857 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It's really not up to the government to feed and clothe you. At 18 you really shouldnt be thinking this way.

    Its nice that you think of your mum but unless you know the full extent of her income and outgoings you really cant say for sure.

    Can you see things that are being spent that could be cut down on, do you get lunch money, you could easily make your own lunch to take to school, what about the telephoen bills, cut those down, does she pay for mobile phones for you, on a contract, well cut that out and get a pay as you go. Internet etc, get a package, water metre instead of water bill. See what I mean, you have to help yourselves before you can expect the government to give you money that is better spent on people far worse off than yourselves.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • paddedjohn
    paddedjohn Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    OP does you dad not chip in anything for your brother?
    Be Alert..........Britain needs lerts.
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