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Is this calculation right?
Comments
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Go on the benefits calculator and work it out.....
If you are a couple, neither working, have 3 school age kids and live in rented accommodation you will have more money in your pocket each month than the person with the same circumstances who is working for average wage (£26,000) and has a partner at home looking after the 3 kids.
One of the big advantages is less stress, not having to worry if theres enough to pay the bills, mortgage etc each month - fancy a holiday, get an interest free budgeting loan and pay it back a few quid a week, I often ask myself who is the mug?
This is why we need a complete review of the benefit system as there are too many people with the attitude of 'why work when you can get it for nothing'. :eek:
Yep and the why work extra hours if less tax credits and Hb etc. I don't entirely blame the claimants either, the system is wrong and that's before I even start on pass ported claims and passported benefits!0 -
It is positive to have these kind of threads to balance with those we read over and over with people complaining that they have it hard on benefits and how terrible Universal Credit system is, how only those on lower income get affected etc...
I know the above is true because I experienced it as a single mum when I worked full-time on what I thought was a good salary, and realised that my single friend on benefits with two children had almost the same disposable income than I. At the time, being under massive stress at work and with an ex who would contribute child maintenance and two children under the age of 5 and little help, it felt like a smack in the stomach, seeing her so relaxed planning her next days, when all I could think of was when I would next get to sleep!
But as it's been said here, time does move on, and one day, it does catch up with you. I am not single any longer, but I can still see the benefits of having continued with full-time work. We can plan things that we certainly would not be able to plan otherwise. My children are older too and they are starting to understand and respect me for what I do and have sacrificed for them, and that, amongst everything, is probably the most priceless outcome of it all, that and of course the satisfaction that I am teaching them proper values.0 -
pmlindyloo wrote: »Difficult to tell if this is correct as we haven't got all the information - rent /council tax.
However, having had a play around myself then it seems possible.
I hope you are thick skinned because you are about to launch a tirade of people talking about misuse of the system/benefits are for those who can only get a low income job/is this the way to live your life/what happens when your children are older and you lose the child tax credits blah blah blah.
Our benefit system is very flawed. The over-riding concern seems to be that children are not disadvantaged because of their parents' inability to find work etc etc.
It would be interesting to find out whether this will still be the case when Universal Credit comes in. Not sure whether it will make much different when children are involved, although the cap on rental allowances in London may make a difference.
Sorry not got back but my little boy was not well last night. We live in a private home that we rent. Our rent is £1100 at the moment and our council tax is £1247 this year for the whole year.
I agree with everything you say and I am thinking it must be a mistake as surely it completely defeats the point of working longer hours and bettering yourself. If true it will kind of make me a bit angry because my husband has worked very hard to get to his current salary and if he had known he would in effect be getting the same as a cleaner he wouldn't have bothered to get into all sorts of debt with his education :mad:.0 -
But again, you need to look at it as an investment. Compare the two situation in 20 years time, when you can expected to have increase your income whilst lowering your outgoings. Those relying on benefits who are getting as much will see it all go when they kids have left home.
I know it is hard to see that far ahead when you are working long hours and feel constantly exhausted, but one day, you do get there and bless yourself for having made the choice to carry on working.0 -
Maybe they will have a higher earning potential, but at what cost?
Me, I would be more than happy with enough that a PT job gives me plus all of the benefits that are available to me.
I don't need anymore than enough, so why work harder and for longer for extra money that will not be needed?
Many are the times that I have seen people 'fight and crawl' their way up the ladder of opportunity only to see them as burnt out by the age of 65 and more than likely dead by 70.
I would prefer a more relaxed and stress free lifestyle that working PT + benefits gives me.
THIS is why the benefits system is all wrong....great work ethic you've got there Willber0 -
But you must admit that a life of PT work is preferrable to someone that develops ulcers and has a heart attack through long hours of work and stress.
What benefits do you get Willber?
I think i am going to advise this to my husband even though it seems nuts. Of course we would both love to have him around more to help with the littles and if we are no worse off it seems silly not to take what we will be entitled to.0 -
normajeans wrote: »What benefits do you get Willber?
I think i am going to advise this to my husband even though it seems nuts. Of course we would both love to have him around more to help with the littles and if we are no worse off it seems silly not to take what we will be entitled to.
And what happens when the government change the benefit rules again?Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.0 -
normajeans wrote: »What benefits do you get Willber?
He gets about £650 a week depending on which character he is playing this month:j0 -
normajeans wrote: »Sorry not got back but my little boy was not well last night. We live in a private home that we rent. Our rent is £1100 at the moment and our council tax is £1247 this year for the whole year.
First, you need to check the LHA rates for your area, and also be aware that you can only claim the rate for a two bed house, even if you are living in a three bed house.
Then you need to go to http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx
Input all details. For rent put in your actual rent or the LHA max, whichever is the lower. This will give you an idea of what benefits you may be entitled to now, if he changed his job for fewer hours and less salary.
Then you need to take into account that if he changes his job, he has no protection under the employment protection legislation for the first two years, so the employer can dismiss him for pretty much any reason during that time, even if he has not done anything wrong, and there is nothing he can do about it. You also need to take into account that the lower the pay, the lower the qualifications required, and the more likely it is that people will be lining up to take his place, thus increasing job insecurity. Added to which the chance of him being bored out of his skull and lower prospects of progression in a less skilled career.
Finally you need to bear in mind that UC is coming in soon, so you would be foolish to rely on the benefits calculator anyway, as things are very likely to change and probably not for the better!I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.0 -
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