Cost of living.. advice please

princessdon

Just read your wife worked recently until an accident - can she claim cont based ESA?

robbie1412

Dunroamin wrote: »

Nannytone is partially sighted.

Love the comment,

"We are on no actual benefit other that tax credits, wtc, 50% HB and child ben."

which strikes me as quite a lot of actual benefits.

I agree in effect, but we didn't make the rules and spent many years earning and paying into the system is it wrong that we claim what we can when faced with unfortunate circumstances?

Still doesn't help me with my budget breakdown of how to spend said benefits, which is all i asked

rogerblack

robbie1412 wrote: »

I agree in effect, but we didn't make the rules and spent many years earning and paying into the system is it wrong that we claim what we can when faced with unfortunate circumstances?

Still doesn't help me with my budget breakdown of how to spend said benefits, which is all i asked

In general, there is no official breakdown.
Decisionmakers for some grants/... may decide that certain expenses on a budget you give them are unreasonable, on almost no evidence.

For advice on how to spend your money - go over to the 'thrift/debt-free' side of MSE - and do a full budget, and start swapping out things for cheaper things, and dropping others.

princessdon

Your budget is high though - objectively (as I said working should always pay) get rid of car - no £45 pm. Pack lunches save £80 pm - utilities are high etc. most of us can Shave that budget down, which is in effect what they are doing.

robbie1412

princessdon wrote: »

Just read your wife worked recently until an accident - can she claim cont based ESA?

Its too complicated hun. And they dont make it any easier.

I feel I am being forced into reducing hours to be better off. We are living at £100 a week worse than we would if we were not working. And we have been doing that for a good few months now.

We did the step up at April from the 16 to 24 hours, cos the government told us we would be better off, it actually took ages to convince an employer who is feeling the pinch too to do this, and it was all lies, we are not better off at all.

nannytone_2

it's mpt wrong that people claim what theyre entitled to. it is the level of entitlement thats wrong.
the system is so skewed towards people with children. and the childless/dingletons/disabled are suffering way more than families are.

biw the system is re addressing this misnoma and everyone ( people with kids) are up in arms.
welcome to our world

princessdon

So she can't work but can't claim? She has conts if worked 50 hours plus - have you investigated this?

Can you get a 2nd job if only working 24 hours a week?

Also have you looked at universal credit as to your future?

robbie1412

princessdon wrote: »

Your budget is high though - objectively (as I said working should always pay) get rid of car - no £45 pm. Pack lunches save £80 pm - utilities are high etc. most of us can Shave that budget down, which is in effect what they are doing.

Honestly, if you saw what we had cut down on you wouldn't believe it. cant get rid of car as not paid for, so need to stand the £45. School lunch is £1.85 per child per week so thats £22.20 pm, not sure where you get £80 from, lol. Utilities have stayed same cost, but we have reduced our consumption by 1/4. Honestly, we are trying every best way we can, we just feel as much as we give, its not enough. There are single people near us living in 3 bed houses , all paid for, with fancy lights up, and we have to make sure every light is switched of when leaving a room...

robbie1412

princessdon wrote: »

So she can't work but can't claim? She has conts if worked 50 hours plus - have you investigated this?

Can you get a 2nd job if only working 24 hours a week?

Also have you looked at universal credit as to your future?

Can you explain universal credit to me?

robbie1412

nannytone wrote: »

it's mpt wrong that people claim what theyre entitled to. it is the level of entitlement thats wrong.
the system is so skewed towards people with children. and the childless/dingletons/disabled are suffering way more than families are.

biw the system is re addressing this misnoma and everyone ( people with kids) are up in arms.
welcome to our world

I just don't get it why they started on the middle working class tho. The really rich folk got, oh we'll give you a tax break cos we want you to stay in uk. The proper scroungers got, look out, we are coming for you, ( maybe next year ) and the man in the middle gets hit with both barrels. I'm really surprised this hasn't kicked off like the poll tax protest did to be honest.