Better off on benefits

princessdon

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

I really don't understand why it should be relevant. We are two separate people with separate finances, I know the job centre and benefits office doesn't see it that way but it really annoys me, its such an old fashioned view.

It's relevant because the JC and benefits office don't see it that way. Hey I'm a modern woman - pay my own way and always have, never expect my hubby to pay for me,

But if I lost my job - they'd take into account his wages

Alleycat

morganedge wrote: »

OK.....Here's the thing, though.
Isn't that still tempting.

For example, if my boss said to me, ''Hey, new deal, Morganedge. Your pay is being cut from 1000 per month to 900 per month, however, you don't need to ever actually come here or work for it anymore''
I'd bite his hand off!!!

We all dream of not having to go to work

If I'm totally honest, I don't! I enjoy the job I do and I enjoy the interaction with my colleagues, the routine, daily challenges, the feeling of self worth. When I've been off before (maternity leave), I was bored stupid by 6 months in. I'm due to take 6 weeks off to have an operation in a month and I'm dreading the sheer boredom I'll face.

Own_My_Own

My neighbour said he got a letter yesterday saying he would have to start contributing towards his Council Tax even though his is unemployed. He did not mention his rent or when this would begin.
Apparently all councils are cutting back, so you may need to take that into account.
You may find after this change in benefit rate you are better off as you are.

BigAunty

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

I really don't understand why it should be relevant. We are two separate people with separate finances, I know the job centre and benefits office doesn't see it that way but it really annoys me, its such an old fashioned view.

Yes, since it's inception, the benefits system has had the quaint notion that partners mutually support and assist each other rather than the public purse and has never budged on this.

This principle is inbuilt - your separate finances and personal preferences are irrelevant. Make sure you specify your partnership in any benefit calculation to prevent wrong calculations.

Currently, more is paid out in benefits than is received in income tax receipts, a really unhealthy inbalance in the nations accounts - perhas you've heard of the deficit and benefit changes that are in place to redress this? The country can't afford to treat couples as individuals for benefit purposes.

davenport151

As others have said the phone cost seems high. Also groceries. Is this monthly? For 1 or 2 people. Have a look on the other boards for help with a shopping budget and cooking from scratch. Should be easy to save here somewhere.

BigAunty

Own_My_Own wrote: »

My neighbour said he got a letter yesterday saying he would have to start contributing towards his Council Tax even though his is unemployed. He did not mention his rent or when this would begin.
Apparently all councils are cutting back, so you may need to take that into account.
You may fine after this change in benefit rate you are better off as you are.

This comes into place next April. Local councils are receiving 10% in their funding from central government and have been told to come up with their own local council tax discount schemes and to make their own criteria about how receives the discount and how much.

So councils have no choice but to reduce the number of claimants that receive 100% CT rebates.

They are doing it in different ways, there will be no national criteria.

BigAunty

One thing that might help you, as well as a decent debt management strategy, is to download the MSE budget planner and do a thorough budget as your budget is too simple. Then you can work through the site to find ways to slash your living costs - cheapest energy and telecoms tariffs, frugal recipes and so on.

Fay_elizabeth

Usual suggestions of 'making meals from scratch' - i already do
'cutting down on your phone bill' - HOW i'm a 2 year contract
'post on dfw board' - I'm not asking about debt I'm asking about benefits.

Alleycat

So far we're lucky with the local authorities I work with. They are (at least for the first year) proposing to absorb the cuts and keep in line with the current system. Don't know what the proposition for future years will be though.

Sorry to be picky Fay, I understand the frustration but I do think it's important to make sure your figures are 100 percent if you're thinking of leaving work. I've just done a rough calculation based on the situation as you have described it and the figures you have given. Assuming your partner earns the £749 net quoted above and you are both over 25 years and under 65 years, you would only be entitled to approx £300 Housing Benefit per calendar month. I wonder if the figures showed differently on the Lambeth website as you put the details in as a single claimant?

nannytone_2

YOU AND YOUR PARTNER EARN OVER £1300 A MONTH BETWEEN YOU. FRANKLY IM SUPRISED THAT YOU GET ANY HOUSING BENEFIT AT ALL.;

AS SAID, YOU WOULD GET jsa FOR 6 MONTHS AND THEN YOUR PARTNER WOULD BE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT YOU.

YOU WOULDNT GET THE LEVEL OF HOUSING BENEFIT THAT YOU ARE EXPECTING IF YOU WERE ON jsa, AS YOUR PARTNERS INCOME WILL BE FACTORED IN.