better of working or on benefits?

mattcanary

nannytone wrote: »

all i can say is that in 1990 i became a single parent of a 6 year old and a 9 year old.
at the time it was allowedd for a lone parent to receive income support until the youngest child was 16.
at the time i worked, and continued to work full time even though i could have sat at home and legitimately claimed benefit.
i didnt because i believed that they were my children and my responsibility.

nd you probably earned more in most of that time, than you would have if you had just claimed Income Support.

mattcanary

Heffi1 wrote: »

You have not started your job yet, but already you are planning for when you are sick. Accidents happen and we all sometimes get ill, but to plan for it is taking the !!!! somewhat.


It is time for you to manage your affairs responsibly without the safety net of benefits to back you up with every decision you have to make in life.


What will you do when you cannot claim benefits, will you have learned to stand on your own two feet, or expect others to dig you out of the mess you make of your life.


You are a father, it is your job to show those kids how to live responsibly, showing that working hard brings rewards, not putting out your hand and expecting other people to pay up.

I'm sorry - but what a load of rubbish.


Everyone should plan for what would happen if they are really ill or badly injured and can't work for a period of time. Whether that be by claiming benefits (always risky because the benefits system changes regularly), through putting money aside in savings or through paying into an income protection scheme.

mattcanary

bloolagoon wrote: »

You've worked for 3 years?


To answer this part of your moral query you take out insurance to cover illness and loss of employment.

I can't comment on your moral enquiry as I'm at a loss for words not necessarily because of you but the situation and the fact that people can have up to 8 children with no thought as to how to pay for them whilst I work my bottom off to pay taxes to support them.

The system is a complete mess when people need to think twice to take a job nearly double NMW.

You probably don't live in London or the south-east, do you?

nannytone_2

mattcanary wrote: »

nd you probably earned more in most of that time, than you would have if you had just claimed Income Support.

you'd think so but by the time i'd paid rent, travel and childcare i was no better off than if id been on income support.
but it gave me purpose and self respect and set a good example to my children... all of which are priceless.
more people should try it

Danny30

Hi all. I have a question regarding HB. Basically we were getting paid paid every 2 weeks until Monday when I told them that I was getting a new job starting on Tuesday and they suspended all our HB. Now my wife is very stressed because the money she was meant to get next Monday from HB to pay the rent will presumably not be paid. Can someone please advise me what this means? Nannytone mentioned above that the HB when decided will backdated to when I started my job. Will this mean that the shortfall of HB that we will now presumably not receive next Monday will be offset by my new wages?
I am so confused with the payments and the timings now and am totally lost.

nannytone_2

because you are starting a new job, they suspend your HB to make sure that they dont make an overpayment and so leave you with a debt to repay.
your claim is suspended but not stopped and so you will receive the correct amount that is due onnce you provide them with all the information that they need to recalculate your entitlement,
it will be backdated to cover the period that your hb is suspended.
i would suggest talking to your landlord and explaining the situation, as a delay in payment make be arranged rather than them jusrt thinking that you havent paid your rent

chris1973

What sort of example does it set to your children, that you've chosen a life on benefits instead of working?

Whatever example it sets, it sets it to them in a warm house, where the rent gets paid and food gets put on the table, something which is a daily uphill struggle for most people who work for a living.

You can't really blame those people who accept a lifestyle which is made available to them (however tempting it is), its the people who offer it, who need to be told that in society, its not acceptable to earn more from benefits than it is to work a 39 or 40 hour week.

Unfortunately this Country lacks any solidarity and a collective backbone, and as long as Coronation Street is on, and Facebook is up people are content to just leave the campaigning against all that is unfair or unacceptable to somebody else. So don't expect it to change anytime soon, in fact its probably wise not to hold your breath on that score at all!.

Sadly, the days of working hard to pay off a mortgage and accrue some savings, so as to have something to leave your kids when you pop your clogs are resigned to Granny and Grandad's era along, it seems, with the work ethic.