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Is this calculation right?

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Comments

  • normajeans
    normajeans Posts: 10 Forumite
    willber wrote: »
    Sorry but I don't understand the relevance of that comment.

    I don't 'play characters' - I have been called a 'character' sometimes though!

    £650 a week - no - the figure is more like £593.17 a week!

    Wow, what benefits do you get Willber? Isn't there some sort of cap now?
  • normajeans
    normajeans Posts: 10 Forumite
    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
    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!

    We are already in a 2 bed. We are paying £1100 per month. I have just checked and we would get housing benefit of £236 but i am not sure if that is correct because i think it would be reduced a bit because my husband would be working. We should still get quite a bit of help towards rent though according to the benefit calcualtor. We are in LB of Enfield.
  • meer53
    meer53 Posts: 10,217 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Anyone who gives up a full time job to work part time JUST to be able to claim benefits should not be allowed to claim them.

    I work part time at the moment (and get CTC and WTC) and am looking to increase my hours to full time now my daughter is at high school because i don't want to continue claiming benefits. I want to be able to manage on my salary. I could choose to carry on just working 20 hours a week but how will i manage when my daughter is older and my benefits stop ? I'd rather not be claiming any.
  • meer53
    meer53 Posts: 10,217 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    willber wrote: »
    And who precisely is going to say that? I doubt very much that anybody will admit to that if ever it became the rule. There are many ways to skin a cat and admitting something that you know would close your benefit claim down is downright foolish. It would be for the DWP to 'prove' that that was the one and only motive.

    If it came to it that you had to lose your benefits because of the age of your children, then that is the time to re-evaluate what other benefits could be available instead, at the time.

    I've gone from unemployment benefits through to sickness and disability benefits as and when the options became available.

    I don't want to "re-evaluate" what other benefits will be available, i want to be able to live on the money i earn. If i'm ill and unable to work because of this, then fair enough, but if i'm capable of working why should i consider what benefits i could claim ?

    People who choose to claim benefits and have no intention of looking for work make me really angry. This woman deserves everything she gets, i hope it's a long prison sentence.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329680/Benefit-cheat-mother-convicted-350-000-fraud-claiming-children-disabled-actually-stage-West-End-musicals.html
  • normajeans
    normajeans Posts: 10 Forumite
    meer53 wrote: »
    Anyone who gives up a full time job to work part time JUST to be able to claim benefits should not be allowed to claim them.

    I work part time at the moment (and get CTC and WTC) and am looking to increase my hours to full time now my daughter is at high school because i don't want to continue claiming benefits. I want to be able to manage on my salary. I could choose to carry on just working 20 hours a week but how will i manage when my daughter is older and my benefits stop ? I'd rather not be claiming any.

    But is it better to work longer hours for the same salary when you can have a better quality of life and be there for your kids? I know it has been drilled into people to work harder/longer but what is the point just to be a martyr and die early from stress and tiredness?
  • CH27
    CH27 Posts: 5,531 Forumite
    Your kids won't be dependant for ever & then you will see a large drop in benefits & be up sh*t street without a paddle.
    Why jeopardise your future?
    Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
  • normajeans
    normajeans Posts: 10 Forumite
    CH27 wrote: »
    Your kids won't be dependant for ever & then you will see a large drop in benefits & be up sh*t street without a paddle.
    Why jeopardise your future?

    Or my husband could stress out in his job and then be made redundant with no hope of finding a new job at 50.
  • SuziQ
    SuziQ Posts: 3,042 Forumite
    Normajeans you can't look at it like that. I am sure if he pursues his career he will be getting a lot better pension than he could ever get on a lower income/benefits. The economy may be booming in 10 or 20 years and he could be on mega bucks. My ex has recently gone back into the jobs market after a 10 year break running his own business. He is 53 this year and was worried he wouldn't get employed, but within weeks he had received 4 great job offers and is now working in a great job with great prospects and a pension plan.

    I am doing a return to practice course (nursing) and I know I will be worse off when I go back to work than I currently am on benefits ( I won't be able to work full time due to a health problem.) it is what it is, government help is being clawed back and we are all going to be in the same position ( except your DH has a wonderful job and salary!)
    Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it!
  • Georgiegirl256
    Georgiegirl256 Posts: 7,005 Forumite
    normajeans wrote: »
    But is it better to work longer hours for the same salary when you can have a better quality of life and be there for your kids? I know it has been drilled into people to work harder/longer but what is the point just to be a martyr and die early from stress and tiredness?

    Benefits are meant to be there as a stop gap, or for people who genuinely can't work due to illness or disability....not as a lifestyle choice.

    To choose to give up a job to choose to go on benefits, is simply disgusting....:mad:
  • Dovah_diva
    Dovah_diva Posts: 539 Forumite
    Interesting that wilber has now been asked twice to specify what benefits he gets but has failed to answer. Draw your own conclusions from that. OP, please don't base future decisions on what wilber says. Fact is, the Government is reducing the levels of benefit all the time and neither you nor your husband will be able to sit back and relax on benefits.
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