Payrise takes OH's income over £50k

Dunroamin

PippaGirl wrote: »

I'm surprised that the social services didn't offer an adoption allowance if they were insisting you give up work for a number of years rather than the normal 6 months. Adoption should not leave someone worse off is the status operandi within adoption. I think you got a raw deal. Any chance of approaching post adoption support?

Adoption allowances are normally available to people on a very low income, not to those earning £50k!

princessdon

woodbine wrote: »

are we beginning to see the start of the middle class backlash against benefits cuts?I really do hope so
as for not being able to manage on a 50k salary god help most of us

So why are *some* on benefits paid more?

My friend from uni who lost his wife has the following

£3250 take home.

£1600 pm childcare, £1200 mortgage. £2800 gone before he pays bills, food, travel to work, CT, etc.

His home is modest - renting would be higher.

Are you saying that £450 a month is "rich" for a family with 4 children because those on benefits get a whole lot more!


Don't tar all with the same brush - some will struggle and are hardly middle class.

If this is the amount then anyone on benefits after an amount for work should also be penalised!

angelavdavis

Just to clarify some points raised:

- Yes I overpaid my mortgage and paid it off in 15 years instead of 25, thanks to living very frugally (and being very anal about saving money thanks to this site). I also had two jobs for a few years. This meant we could actually consider me giving up work to try for a baby - unfortunately, I had left it too late for me biologically, so I paid for the fact I wanted to stay at home with my children when they were young instead of continuing to work and choosing for someone else to raise my children. I am pretty good at budgeting - that is how I paid off my mortgage early.
- My parents do contribute to the accommodation costs plus additional toward grocery costs. They also gifted me a sum from their savings towards paying off the mortgage at the time so pay less than they would if they were renting privately.
- My husband would have to earn approx £1000 extra per annum before tax to make up the £57 per month (after tax) drop, so yes it will be missed. £57 per month almost covers our monthly water bill (metered).
- I don't qualify for Adoption Allowance as I had already given up work two years before we actually had children placed (I had my own, high pressure business which I wound up on the advice of my fertility consultant who felt stress was affecting my health). We did get a settlement grant to pay for new beds, car seats, etc as we did take on siblings, but this was a fixed sum.

We had actually worked out that if my husband's company would allow him to reduce to a four day week (which they won't), we would be better off by £13k per year because his tax would be less and we would qualify for child/working tax credits (not sure exactly which one).

I guess this is the difficulty of being on the earnings cusp for the changes being implemented.

Roll on Sept 2013 when my little boy will be old enough to go to school so I can attempt to get a job! After waiting so long to have children, I can't believe I have just written this!

princessdon

hey it's fine

Then we can hear you "moan" about how working there is no time for homework etc.

Hoping it all works out well.

We lose our CB too - but I AGREE with that. We both work and have a healthy combined income. I find it insane that a single earner on £50K starts the taper and a joint income of £99K (Bearing in mind their tax benefits) don't.

hey Ho - it's the way it is.

But yes - any company pension would take him below the limit as not counted.

As my OH earns too much for this to be viable for us it isn't an option, but in your shoes I'd pop the extra in a pension

PippaGirl_2

angela, adopting is hard work and you are doing a job even now. Sorry life is tough financially though. Hang in there, it is all worth it.

Dunroamin, the two councils here both have a remit for adoptors not being worse off following adoption and would certainly give an allowance if the adoption had created a reduction in income, even when on £50,000 so what you say is not the case here. The OP says though that she had given up her job 2 years previously so an adoption allowance would not have happened here either then.

[Deleted User]

princessdon wrote: »

So why are *some* on benefits paid more?

My friend from uni who lost his wife has the following

£3250 take home.

£1600 pm childcare, £1200 mortgage. £2800 gone before he pays bills, food, travel to work, CT, etc.

His home is modest - renting would be higher.

Are you saying that £450 a month is "rich" for a family with 4 children because those on benefits get a whole lot more!


Don't tar all with the same brush - some will struggle and are hardly middle class.

If this is the amount then anyone on benefits after an amount for work should also be penalised!

what im saying is that so far the pain has fallen on those least able to afford it,now some of the pain is going to fall on the middle classes they are "in general"up in arms about it

Shovel_Lad

angelavdavis wrote: »

We adopted toddler siblings in February this year, and so we are fairly new to child benefit, etc. I had to give up work at the insistence of Social Services when we adopted until the children are in full time education, so our household income has now halved.

angelavdavis wrote: »

- I don't qualify for Adoption Allowance as I had already given up work two years before we actually had children placed (I had my own, high pressure business which I wound up on the advice of my fertility consultant who felt stress was affecting my health). We did get a settlement grant to pay for new beds, car seats, etc as we did take on siblings, but this was a fixed sum.

:think::think::think:

princessdon

woodbine wrote: »

what im saying is that so far the pain has fallen on those least able to afford it,now some of the pain is going to fall on the middle classes they are "in general"up in arms about it

I think it's gonna hit all (bar the really rich) and I do agree with it in principle, but wish they'd take childcare into account for those minority who will stuggle and make it fair. Eg any family with a take home (benefits, pay, Tax Credits) over that value. Single parents are hit harder here and I can't feel comfortable with that if honest and I am the dual income that I argue against.

I get my 8K tax allowance, plus 20% tax etc - it doesn't seem fair to single earners.

Help me down from this soap box please :rotfl:

Poppie68

princessdon wrote: »

of course they may, higher wages often equate to higher outgoings. For many the loss of CB is the same as those who now have to pay for CTB.

Some *may* not feel the loss as much (especially if they don't have large housing costs), but for others the loss of CB will mean an adjustment.

Eg my friend is a single father (his wife died 3 years ago). After mortage, CTB and childcare he is left with £121 a month to feed, clothe and get to work. CB feeds his children currently, he will still get CB as earns pennies under the £50K, but this money for his 4 children pays their food.

I appreciate others may not have such a tight budget and pay as much in childcare etc, but please don't assume that everyone who earns £50K can afford the loss. Especially when a single parent on minumum wage of 16 hours a week would have nearly £400 more per month in benefits/wages than he gets after Tax/NI.

I was'nt assuming anything..your friend is in entirely a different situation to the OP. It must be a difficult for him and he has every ounce of my symphathy. There should be help for people in those situations but sadly there is not.
I think by people 'redirecting money' into their pension fund just to claim an extra £57 a month diverts the money available to other people .
How many people do this, if this is a common practice it needs to be made illegal.
Just maybe the people who need it most would then get more help like the elderly.

princessdon

The problem is *like all govt decisions* they are blanket approaches an individuals are not considered.

Self employed earning "dividends" etc have so many more tax loopholes than PAYE and still claim benefits so I don't begrudge the extra pennies they save via a pension

Though I do agree my friend isn't the "norm" but still affected.

He's gonna give up work (look after his mother) and get benefits so he can feed his children.