Is it legal that the NMW is lower than the benefits cap?

bigk77irl

StormyWeather wrote: »

Can you not get another job that has guaranteed hours? These 0 hour contracts no good for someone who is relying on the income. It's ok for a second income or someone still living with parents.

I am applying for at least a job a day...my record for one day was 20 job applications...but with no success. When I job hunt I have to look not just in my home town but also within 90 mins travel of my home town(same as the job centre) that is permanent full time that pays over the NMW. If have considered picking up a second job but because my work at the moment main hours are in the afternoon/evening it doesn't leave enough scope for work.

Having done a benefits check on the turn to us website they confirm that I am not allowed any help...which makes me really unhappy:(

StormyWeather_2

bigk77irl wrote: »

I am applying for at least a job a day...my record for one day was 20 job applications...but with no success. When I job hunt I have to look not just in my home town but also within 90 mins travel of my home town(same as the job centre) that is permanent full time that pays over the NMW. If have considered picking up a second job but because my work at the moment main hours are in the afternoon/evening it doesn't leave enough scope for work.

Having done a benefits check on the turn to us website they confirm that I am not allowed any help...which makes me really unhappy:(

It's difficult at the moment, isn't it. Companies will be receiving hundreds of applications for some of these jobs.

Have you had someone look over your CV, see if it could be improved?

bigk77irl

StormyWeather wrote: »

It's difficult at the moment, isn't it. Companies will be receiving hundreds of applications for some of these jobs.

Have you had someone look over your CV, see if it could be improved?

Yes and also have someone look at my interview technique as well and they said everything was ok...just I think because I don't have the pieces of paper to say I know what I'm doing...and because of my age(37) I have to be able to pay for the courses to get the pieces of paper...I have looked into funding and I am not entitled to it at all.

zagfles

Mr_Lawnmower wrote: »

As already has been said, very few will get this amount. The very small number of single people who hit the cap are likely be lone parents with several children living in an area of very high housing cost.

Single parents could easily that sort of amount (ie over £18k) even if they only have a couple of kids and live in an average rent area.

Eg Northampton, 2-bed LHA rate is £123.82pw, probably about average.
IS/JSA: £71.70pw
CTC: £115.10pw
CHB:£33.70pw
Free school meals: maybe £7pw x 2 x 38 weeks
Health costs: maybe £200pa
Council tax ben: maybe £1000pa
Total £19,636 a year.

Mr_Lawnmower

zagfles wrote: »

Single parents could easily that sort of amount (ie over £18k) even if they only have a couple of kids and live in an average rent area.

Eg Northampton, 2-bed LHA rate is £123.82pw, probably about average.
IS/JSA: £71.70pw
CTC: £115.10pw
CHB:£33.70pw
Free school meals: maybe £7pw x 2 x 38 weeks
Health costs: maybe £200pa
Council tax ben: maybe £1000pa
Total £19,636 a year.

The cap doesn't include free school meals, free NHS treatment or Council Tax Help. This makes the annual total in your example that counts towards the cap £17,904.64.

In any event, lone parents are capped at the higher £500 per week figure (£26k per year).

bigk77irl

zagfles wrote: »

Single parents could easily that sort of amount (ie over £18k) even if they only have a couple of kids and live in an average rent area.

Eg Northampton, 2-bed LHA rate is £123.82pw, probably about average.
IS/JSA: £71.70pw
CTC: £115.10pw
CHB:£33.70pw
Free school meals: maybe £7pw x 2 x 38 weeks
Health costs: maybe £200pa
Council tax ben: maybe £1000pa
Total £19,636 a year.

After listening to the news that childcare costs are rising and some pay more per month than their mortgage I can see why some people stay at home as they would be out of pocket. The system is shot and needs radical overhauling by someone other than the political parties involved now. If it is going to be fair to all then the incentive to work rather than not needs to be addressed and that access to services can't be priced out of peoples reach!

zagfles

Mr_Lawnmower wrote: »

The cap doesn't include free school meals, free NHS treatment or Council Tax Help. This makes the annual total in your example that counts towards the cap £11,466.

Eh? The total of those 3 things only comes to £1732. The LHA, IS/JSA, CTC & CHB comes to £17,904

In any event, lone parents are capped at the higher £500 per week figure (£26k per year).

Indeed. I was just pointing out that single parents in perfectly normal/average circumstances can get the sort of amount the OP was on about.

Mr_Lawnmower

zagfles wrote: »

Eh? The total of those 3 things only comes to £1732. The LHA, IS/JSA, CTC & CHB comes to £17,904

Looking back over my calculation, I'd left the LHA out - I've edited my earlier post to correct this with the reason acknowledged. Thanks for pointing out the error.

StormyWeather_2

bigk77irl wrote: »

After listening to the news that childcare costs are rising and some pay more per month than their mortgage I can see why some people stay at home as they would be out of pocket. The system is shot and needs radical overhauling by someone other than the political parties involved now. If it is going to be fair to all then the incentive to work rather than not needs to be addressed and that access to services can't be priced out of peoples reach!

Those on lower incomes get help of up to 70% of childcare costs via tax credits. Though it can still be expensive.

sniggings

bigk77irl wrote: »

In an age where zero hours contracts are becoming the norm rather than the exception, the Tax Credits system seems to be outdated as those who are single and employed on said zero-hours contract are still having to try and work 30 hours a week(in reality most don't even get that magical figure) in order to get the benefit, are being penalised for taking the zero-hours contract.

I'm on one of those said zero hours contract and only get work 3 days a week only getting to the level of 24 hours max(very rare I get that)...6 hours short of the magical 30 hours a week that the tax credits requires to apply for the benefit. Now how is that fair? Employers now are using the zero-hours contract as a mainstay of their workforce rather than full time 30+ hours for it means that they can cut costs and the temporary worker will be the future of business.

I'm in the same boat but remember if you do not qualify for tax credits chances are you will for housing benefit...if I didn't get tax credits I would get housing benefit which would be nearly exactly the same amount as I get in tax credits, they give with one hand and take with another.

Trust me I know where you are coming from, as I too am working and not much better off, I travel over 12 hours a week to work and back, pay £15 a week on a bus ticket and I'm only about £30 a week better off than on the dole so less than a £1 an hour I'm working for, but I do not blame those on the dole, as they make up a very small part of the problem, and if you consider most on the dole will only be out of work for less than 4 months, the problem is not really a problem at all, as said rents and low pay are the issue here, many businesses that make billions do not pay a living wage, the tax payer are paying benefits to those working people, yet they make billions in profit...be angry but be angry at the right people not some poor sod on the dole, don't play into the Tories hands.