Could you live decently on £14,400 a year?

pawsies

plenty of people live on less than 14k. In fact it is a luxury for some!

itch_for_a_glitch

enabledebra wrote: »

That's never been my point. I don't care how much better off I am than someone carrying water from a well 5 miles away. I want a fair share of my own country's wealth. I don't expect my mates to contribute 50p to the round and tell me that's worth £500 in Outer Mongolia.

So your equality only extends to the boundaries of the UK ? Thats handy.

enabledebra

itch_for_a_glitch wrote: »

So your equality only extends to the boundaries of the UK ? Thats handy.

Ohh rude. No, I simply mean we should claim a fair cut based on what we generate as a sovereign nation.
In reality we should share the whole lot globally. Yes I know that would mean poverty for all but the elite via the monetary system, that's why it must go.

steve-L

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

People working full time + on NMW are on less than this. So what motivation is there for working? Maybe having just enough to exist on rather than struggling is not sufficient motivation when you add in all the costs involved with working.

Once children are factored in, the motivation is reduced still further.

There is non,
The motivation should be
a) To be better off than not working
b) To then be able to progress to a better paid job

a) Already scuppered if you have kids
b) Pointless as you will just lose benefits/pay more tax without seeing any real increase in disposable

Mrs_Arcanum

steve-L wrote: »

There is non,
The motivation should be
a) To be better off than not working
b) To then be able to progress to a better paid job

a) Already scuppered if you have kids
b) Pointless as you will just lose benefits/pay more tax without seeing any real increase in disposable

Exactly. In this respect I blame the Labour obsession with tackling child poverty by throwing money at the parents. This is what it has lead to.

UKGuy

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Exactly. In this respect I blame the Labour obsession with tackling child poverty by throwing money at the parents. This is what it has lead to.

So is the answer to now take away what has been given or improve what is offered to those who choose to work hard to try and better themselves?

Marisco

UKGuy wrote: »

So is the answer to now take away what has been given or improve what is offered to those who choose to work hard to try and better themselves?

No, it shouldn't be taken away from those who already receive it, but for the future, child related benefits should be limited to the first 2 kids, and CTC should be stopped. IMO it's ridiculous to get money just for having kids! WTC is different, as you actually get it if you're working, but on a low wage.

Richard_Cranium

Marisco wrote: »

No, it shouldn't be taken away from those who already receive it, but for the future, child related benefits should be limited to the first 2 kids, and CTC should be stopped. IMO it's ridiculous to get money just for having kids! WTC is different, as you actually get it if you're working, but on a low wage.

A good start would be to means test CB, too many claim it that patently don't need the money. Then move on to means testing pensions, lets have some cuts in areas that have been Teflon coated for far too long.

Podge52

The way I see it is that the government realise that we need more growth in the population to continue to support the growing number of pensioners. I think the generosity in child benefits is to encourage people to have more children.

Marisco

Podge52 wrote: »

The way I see it is that the government realise that we need more growth in the population to continue to support the growing number of pensioners. I think the generosity in child benefits is to encourage people to have more children.

At the risk of sounding "elitist", the problem is that the "wrong" people are having the houseful of kids though. Most working people know what they can afford, and tend not to have child after child, even with all the benefits available.

I don't think actual SRP should be means tested, but certainly the "peripherals" should be, i.e WFA, bus passes, free TV licenses etc.