Better off on benefits

Bluemeanie_2

It is terrible in theory. I debate benefits with people all the while as I have strong particular views and individuals take it personally. However I am not having a pop at individuals, if it's there, claim them. It's the system. The keep NMW low. Can you not get tax credits if you work? Or I think you are just above the threshold.

rogerblack

Morlock wrote: »

Benefits have historically risen with the cost of inflation, wages haven't. Benefits are designed to provide a minimal amount that is considered reasonable to live on..

Though the recent change in most benefits will see their value in real terms significantly eroded over the years.

FBaby

I don't know how old you are Faye, but your priority is to sort out your depression and anxiety. You have a partner, so are not alone to face this. You can't go on all your life depressed and anxious, yet the longer you let it rule your life, the worse it would get. That would get down to wishing you were living on benefits, especially if you are young is a real reflection of your feelings. You should be aspiring to better yourself, to gain some employment that brings you some satisfaction, enjoyment to be able to afford luxuries without getting into debts, pride in supporting yourself.

Have you done anything to deal with your depression and anxiety? Not just going to your GP, but actually sitting down and asking yourself why you are feeling the way you do and finding strength in wanting to beat it. It is unlikely any therapy will help unless you really want to do it and are prepared to work to do so, that means confronting your fears, forcing yourself to do things you really don't want to etc...

Once you feel better about yourself, the prospect of working full-time and starting to see the benefits of it will be self-fulfilling.

Alleycat

BigAunty wrote: »

Age is not relevant when it comes to a 1 bedroom rate for a couple. Age is only relevant when it is a single claimant - those who are single and under the age of 35 (used to be 25 but changed in January) can only get a shared accommodation rate rather than 1 bed rate. Age is not relevant for the OPs benefit claim.

EDIT - I haven't double checked the calculator but I would be surprised if a couple netting nearly £1000 in benefits and employment income per month only have to find £35 a week towards their £150 per week rent, but there you go, I haven't verified this.

I know. I work as a Housing Advisor and advise on a daily basis re HB entitlement. From the figures she put, I thought I'd better double check her full situation including age just in case as this would affect the rate of JSA and she'd initially left rather vital info out of her first post including the fact that she was living with a partner. Sorry, I was dealing with two annoying children (role on the end of the summer holidays!) so wasn't giving the thread my full attention and didn't explain properly!

As a couple with no health issues etc, they'd have an applicable amount of £111.ish on their joint income with a £5 earnings disregard. So 65% of excess income would need to be paid towards housing costs.

Dinner nearly ready so will do the full calculation and post it in a bit.

annie1975_2

Morlock wrote: »

Benefits have historically risen with the cost of inflation, wages haven't. Benefits are designed to provide a minimal amount that is considered reasonable to live on.

Wages have been kept so artificially low, that they now often equate to less then the government deem to be the minimum amount of benefits one needs to survive. The government's solution is to slash the amount deemed necessary to survive at a subsistence level, by slashing benefits, not raising wages.

Something is amiss when even basic utility companies rake in billions of pounds of profit per quarter, whilst the majority of the working population struggle to pay their basic utility bills.

Leading people to believe that benefits need slashing to save the economy is smoke and mirrors, the ignorant and uneducated suck it all up, ignoring more powerful adversaries who are the real cause of the problem.

I agree. There are a lot of people working on low wages, never had a pay rise for years,even getting pay cuts and having hours reduced,whilst the benefits are rises,(even though not by a lot,still getting a rise).
And people do think to themselves..Why should i work for a pittance and get more not working.(although people think its wrong to want to be able to stop at home and get benefits).
If in my household there was only me and my husband and we lived in a council house,he could claim £111 for him and myself,then rent paid,that could be between £80- £100 a week, and £25 a week council tax,thats a total of between £216 and £236 a week.He goes to work 42 hrs a week for £250..
But when I mention things like this on here you get people jumping down your throat and having a go and saying its the pride of earning a living..
So I do see why people dont want to work for less than than what they get on benefits..( Sory for the rant)

morganedge

FBaby wrote: »

to wishing you were living on benefits, especially if you are young is a real reflection of your feelings.

Interesting. I read that and it struck a chord in me.
I'm only in my 20's and can really emphasise with the OP. Not so much that I dream of living on benefits, but I really hate work. It makes being alive depressing for the 5-6 days a week I have to work. I'm happy on Saturday morning as I have a day off where I can do as I please.
I don't really have any hopes/dreams/aspirations. I want to own a small house outright that is my own so that I only have to really worry about finding money for food to stay alive. That's kind of it.
Maybe I am actually deeply depressed and just don't know it!!

PippaGirl_2

Whereas I'd give my eye teeth to be well enough to work. My social worker says my goals are too big, all I want is to be well and working and initially she said that was a long way off but changed that to not a long way off but it won't happen soon so with my goals as they are I feel a total failure and despondant. So we are working on short term goals and medium term goals in the meantime all working towards my long term goal. I will get there but it can't be soon enough for me.

Man_Overboard_2

People with emotional/mental/psychological difficulties. or with some kind of physical disability, will never be able to compete on an even playing field with the majority of the population.

These are the people who have the greatest need of a 'Welfare State'.

Unfortunately, the Welfare State has become little more than some kind of 'Ready Reckoner', which entitles you to claim cash benefits according to your ability to understand the rules, and play the system

tescovaluecrisps

HEY! everyone let's all quit our jobs and claim! then where would we be. We would probably be better off on benifits but we work and just get on with it!!!!!!!! Britain makes me sick today, how alot of people think that they are owed a living. There are genuine people out there who need the money from the benifits system and they are they people who I would proudly give money too because they deserve it and more.

Man_Overboard_2

tescovaluecrisps wrote: »

HEY! everyone let's all quit our jobs and claim! then where would we be. We would probably be better off on benifits but we work and just get on with it!!!!!!!! Britain makes me sick today, how alot of people think that they are owed a living. There are genuine people out there who need the money from the benifits system and they are they people who I would proudly give money too because they deserve it and more.

If you were 'in charge', how would you differentiate between the deserving and the non-deserving?