Living on £53 a week?

chirpychick

So Ian Duncan Smith was challenged to live on £53 a week.
I haven't ever been on job seeker benefits myself so I can't say I have ever had to live on what someone on benefits would get.
However, we are in an IVA and since that has been approved we have had a baby and refused to go back to the creditors to reduce our payments as we want to pay as much as we can and don't want to extend the life of the IVA at all.
I am pretty sure we don't live off much more than the £53 a week that IDS was challenged to live off.

I am thinking of giving it a try to be honest, because I am genuinely interested in how someone would live on that amount of money.

But knowing nothing about the system I wondered if anyone could inform me as to what is included within the £53 a week?
What has to be paid for within that £53 a week?
We are a family of 2 adults and 1 baby so that would be £126.30 a week for all 3 of us?

I know some people will think I am a bit weird but I am just interested in finding out if it would be possible for us to live on this amount of money. I'd like to give it a try and maybe blog about it. Perhaps if I can do it then the things I learn might help others too.

I don't want anyone to be offended by me trying this just so you know, I am not trying to spark debate, I am just genuinely asking the question.

skintchick

I always wonder this too. I assume housing costs are paid but not bills.

BitterAndTwisted

Feeding yourself and paying all your bills is very tough as long as you have no debt and don't run a car, but possibly do-able if you're canny and don't need the heating on in the depths of winter. It's when it comes to having to manage on it long-term that most of the trouble starts. That's when you find out that something like getting your shoes repaired is out of the question, never mind replacing worn clothing or affording something like a new washing-machine if the old one breaks down.

As for the £53 a week: I think that's what the young under-twenties receive. A single person on JSA receives £71.

A lot of people imagine that the figure awarded just has to cover food but it patently doesn't if you're trying to run a household alone and not living with family

HappyMJ

£53 is for a single person. Rent supplements and council tax are paid reducing the amount from £71 to £53.

A couple with a child should be trying to live on the benefits level.

The benefits level for 2013 is £489.06 a month for a couple plus £272.08 for your first child....or about £175 a week....plus child benefit of £20.30 a week. So about £195 a week....plus rent and council tax support.

CH27

I think the £53 is for food & utility bills.
Housing costs will already be paid.

Also remember the free optical, dental & prescription costs trigged by some benefits.

chirpychick

HappyMJ wrote: »

£53 is for a single person. Rent supplements and council tax are paid reducing the amount from £71 to £53.

A couple with a child should be trying to live on the benefits level.

The benefits level for 2013 is £489.06 a month for a couple plus £272.08 for your first child....or about £175 a week....plus child benefit of £20.30 a week. So about £195 a week....plus rent and council tax support.

Really?
£842.34 a month? + rent and council tax support! That is a lot of money. That is more than what we have to live on.

I am shocked at the difference between a single person and a family. Because even being a single person you still have bills to pay.

rock_queen

Both my OH and I were made redundant last year (thankfully one of us has a job now) We were both able to claim JSA at £71 a week. We weren't entitiled to any help with housing or council tax. Everything including rent, c tax, food, bills etc had to be paid from this money, we also had debt payments to make aswell. This was our sole income for 6 months and it was horrific. We ended up having to move in with my parents after a couple of months because it was just impossible to manage. It worked out at £616 per calander month. Many people, including (I think) the gov. aswell don't seem to realise that not everyone who isn't working is entitled to all the benefits available. If, as people assume, rent and c tax is paid then it is just about do-able providing you don't need to heat your house and use minimal electricity and water. Also, once employment is found there is no help (apart from a gov. loan if your entitled to it and many aren't) until the first wage comes in. It is still assumed that people get paid weekly when in fact the majority of people get paid monthly, yet you have to stop claiming as soon as you start work.

£71 or £53 a week doesn't go very far with constant fuel and food price rise. I think you, like many others would struggle if this was your sole income. Good luck to you if you willing to give it a go!

marisco_2

I think it would be extremely difficult to live on that amount. Taking into account expenses such as; food, petrol, essentials like clothes and haircuts, utilities, TV license, phone and broadband package, insurances. Then the costs of running a car, something most need to get to their place of work.

You would need to be very canny about sourcing the best deals for everything. Also good at budgeting and keeping to it. Doing a sensible weekly shop after meal planning and maybe look at dropping down brands etc. Even so, with the best will in the world, I think it would be extremely tight.

Worth a go though OP. I for one will be very interested to know how you get on, do keep us updated.

podperson

If you were on that amount then you should get housing/council tax benefit paid so the £53 a week would need to cover food and the rest of utilities - electric/gas/water and then probably phone/tv licence/any debts/car if you had one etc.

Have been on jobseekers before and it was a real struggle. As mentioned above it's possible to just about get by for the day-to-day expenses but if you need extra for something, eg something in the house breaks down, there's a family emergency etc. then there's just nothing spare to manage on. The first time I was on jobseekers I had credit cards with balances when I lost my job and couldn't afford to keep them up to date so it also seriously damaged my credit rating. There's also costs for jobhunting that you need to take out of that - so printing off cvs, travel costs to interviews or even just into a city centre to drop off cvs - it all adds up when you're on that kind of amount (and yes, I would walk if possible but it's also weather dependent as if you're wanting someone to hire you then the drowned rat look isn't always a good one lol!)

19lottie82

marisco wrote: »

I think it would be extremely difficult to live on that amount. Taking into account expenses such as; food, petrol, essentials like clothes and haircuts, utilities, TV license, phone and broadband package, insurances. Then the costs of running a car, something most need to get to their place of work.

IN terms of being able to live on £53 / £71 a week, First off, a car is not essential. Most people don't need one. Sure it makes their life more convenient, but it's not essential. I use mine to get to work, and I'm glad for it, BUT if I had to I could get a bus and a train. If I wasn't working, I definitely wouldn't need one.

Neither is a TV (license) or Broadband.

Haircuts can usually be done yourself or by a friend. Or local colleges offer cuts by students for a few pounds.

I think I could live on JSA, it wouldn't be nice, but I could do it. (If I didnt' have any debt, or other financial commitments that is)

£71 per week = £307 pcm

£60 pcm on utilities

£108 pcm on groceries

£5 pcm on content insurance

£20 pcm for a gym membership (not essential but pretty cheap and would keep me sane, i'd imagine)

£20 a month for un walkable journeys for interviews etc

£8 a month for mobile phone (essential for job seeking)

£10 a month towards clothes (primark / charity shops are ideal for essential)

leaves £66 for other costs

podperson

Have just read the article and the man who's challenging him to do it lives on £53 a week after rent AND BILLS! That's more than I have left a week after paying them and I work full time :rotfl: