Serious question, benefit cuts.

dippy3103

specialboy wrote: »

Reading all the replies so far it looks like benefits haven't really been cut unless you are a high earner so why is there such a big outcry each and every day against the cuts? JSA is still the same, tax credits are still generous, DLA hasn't been reduced, ESA is still there etched etc so what's the problem?

I think it's not so much the amount paid to someone, but the number of people who's benefits have been stopped.

For example my friend and her husband are only just over £26k with one child (both work, him full time her the twilight shift) and they used their family only element to pay for treats. It was only £550 ish a year but it hit them when it stopped. We lost ours under similar circumstances- we both work full time so child care is high- that was our days out money.

zagfles

dippy3103 wrote: »

I think it's not so much the amount paid to someone, but the number of people who's benefits have been stopped.

For example my friend and her husband are only just over £26k with one child (both work, him full time her the twilight shift) and they used their family only element to pay for treats. It was only £550 ish a year but it hit them when it stopped. We lost ours under similar circumstances- we both work full time so child care is high- that was our days out money.

Though the rises in the personal allowance should have easily compensated for that - if they both earn over £10k then that'll have saved them £1400.

dippy3103

I thought it replaced married mans tax allowance.

I think it's unfair that my friend (they both work) can't afford to treat her child from time to time. Once everything has been paid they have very little left.

specialboy

But why is it the taxpayers job to provide the treats?

dippy3103

specialboy wrote: »

But why is it the taxpayers job to provide the treats?

It's not. It's the parents job. But when the tax credits stopped they could no longer afford treats. Everything has shot up in price leaving families struggling- which off set any increase in personal allowance. That £10 a week made a massive difference to some working families.

dippy3103

Married mans tax allowance was when you had a slightly higher tax code when you had kids.

Yes I accept that there are people out there who really need the money. My point was that it is affecting lots of people in small ways as well as the more widely discussed issues.

You live within your means and when those means reduce its difficult to get used to

GirlFromMars_2

rogerblack wrote: »

The utter incompetence with the introduction of PIP means that the government have effectively borrowed free, several hundred million pounds from the disabled.
This is money that they will be entitled to, but just aren't being given yet due to the delays exceeding 9 months in most claims.

The changes in the appeals process for most benefits is designed to be confusing, and to intentionally reduce numbers continuing through the appeals process - without actually improving outcomes.
The pegging to 1% of most benefits affects even those in the ESA support group who have been found to have no realistic prospect of working - though admittedly they get a rise of 1.2%, not 1%.

The same for ESA ... the lengthy appeal process, and the huge number of cases where errors were made mean that people are being kept on the basic rate for months, sometimes over a year, and are having to live on that lower rate for all that time, even though they are ill, and if the DWP got their award correct in the first place, it would be obvious that they needed more money to live off.

Benefits are provided at the rate that the government deems necessary for someone to live off ... people erroneously placed in the fit for work group are having to live on £30 less than the government say they need for up to a year ... that is simply too long, and amounts to thousands of pounds over the time they wait for appeal ... add into that the bedroom tax & council tax problems and people are going to get into debt, and go hungry. And even when the huge back payment comes it probably isn't going to be enough to cover the debts, or make up for the fact that they've not had money to heat or eat for months, which will impact further on their health.

Mandatory Reconsideration means that everyone in this group also have to juggle between benefits, or go without any money for weeks while the DWP let the computer say "no" again.

Add to that the fact that the people failed by the ESA process, and rigid descriptors, are still likely to have the same problems the next time their ESA comes up for renewal, maybe three months, maybe three years. But chances are high that they will once again be deemed fit to work, and have their money cut until someone sensible like a judge has another look at their case.

Unless your illness neatly fits one of the DWP's ESA descriptors, there is no security on ESA, it's like waiting for a ticking clock to roll over and punch you in the face once again. I know the effect this has had on my health, and I'm quite sure I'm not alone. This is causing people extreme anxiety, and actually hurting their chances of getting back into work.

Don't even get me started on the WRAG-ESA 365 rule, it is horrific.

These may not be new changes, but the slow roll out means they are hitting more people every day!

tomtontom

dippy3103 wrote: »

I think it's not so much the amount paid to someone, but the number of people who's benefits have been stopped.

For example my friend and her husband are only just over £26k with one child (both work, him full time her the twilight shift) and they used their family only element to pay for treats. It was only £550 ish a year but it hit them when it stopped. We lost ours under similar circumstances- we both work full time so child care is high- that was our days out money.

Unless already on the bread line, surely we could all find ways to make/ save £10 a week ourselves? Cashback sites, down branding, selling things we no longer need? I know I could.

dippy3103

In their case they are on the breadline. High mortgage. Just out of means tested benefits & my friend works evenings to avoid paying for child care. They saved their £10 by cutting back on days out & treats.

Yes in our case losing the family element wasn't a disaster. We coped in exactly the way tomtom described.

evenasus

atlantis187 wrote: »

No cuts here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2595815/I-know-s-easy-benefits-England-Gipsies-Britain-reveal-claim-thousands-pounds-month-bundle-benefits-not-workxxx.html

Or here...

Your benefits system is crazy. It's like finding a sackful of cash left on the road

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2559776/This-week-Eurocrat-told-Britain-benefit-tourism-myth-read-Rudi-huge-Romanian-family-say-new-home-Your-benefits-crazy-Its-like-finding-sackful-cash-left-road.html#ixzz2xv1GEy4X