david cameron and tax credits

BigAunty

tomtontom wrote: »

You've misread the figures

CTC + WTC make up the £29.9 billion, CB is £12.22 billion.

thanks, got my old specs on so belatedly realised that I inflated the CB bill by 10 billion.

and 'personal tax credits' must be their way of combining all Tax Credits which sound a sensible way of summarising them though why they can't just write 'Tax Credits', I don't know.

bloolagoon

tomtontom wrote: »

CTC + WTC make up around 15% of welfare expenditure. In comparison with other benefits, that is a large percentage.

Well they are issued by HMRC so not likeky to be on the DWP chart.

This split approach often means the true costs are not known - unless anyone does know. Where extra HB, CB are broken down into WTC claimants.

NYM

lyrical_gangster wrote: »

I'm really pleased actually. Some of the members on this board got uppity when I previously posted under a different username about getting a suit funded etc.

Now I'm in a decent job with a decent wage, so why on earth should I subsidise the wage of people who lack ambition and drive (these very people who attacked me) are encouraged by working tax credits to just "settle" , but also generally think they're above unemployed people so keep bleating about how they suffer so I should have too. You still suffer because of the points I mentioned. For me it was just a stopgap because of my situation, but my ambition and drive saw me through it.

Benefits should exist to support people whilst they are in hard times, but they should fund people to exist in a stress free, minimum wage lifestyle.

Enjoy

JustOnce or something like that...? :rotfl:

BigAunty

I got this quote from a newspaper reader's comment section and this is the kind of resentment that in-work benefits have caused.

"The tax credit system has been a disaster in the UK. I worked in retail for a bit doing 47 and a half hours a week, back then the minimum wage meant I took home £183 after stoppages. Other women were only doing 20 hours a week but getting far more money than me because they were being topped up by working and child tax credits, child benefit and things like housing and council tax benefit. Tax credits also gave people nothing to aspire to - why should you move to a job with a better salary when you can stay put and be topped up for it?".

I deeply disliked the way that tax credits launched tens, if not hundreds of thousands, no profit hobby/incompetent businesses. Being truly self-employed is about managing risk and reward. Tax credits crippled the true entrepreneurial spirit because it provided a generous perpetual safety net so some didn't feel the need to run their businesses professionally.

zagfles

rogerblack wrote: »

Tax credits is - in many cases - more general than UC.
UC migration is allegedly happening soon.
Reducing TC rates means that the step over onto UC will be smoother, and that people moving onto UC from TC will not be paid what they would now for a transitional period, but the lower rate, so will have savings going forward.

The untapered rates are similar, even the tapered rates aren't too different, but the one main thing which would smooth the transition would be to introduce capital rules to tax credits. I wouldn't be surprised to see this in the budget...

zagfles

NYM wrote: »

Possibly...but on here it's less argumentative

And people here tend to have a bit of a clue about benefits.

NYM

zagfles wrote: »

And people here tend to have a bit of a clue about benefits.

I'll confess I knew nothing about benefit system but by reading this board I have learnt how the system provides some people with the cushion they need but have also read comments from others asking how they can maximise their 'benefit earnings' ...

It really has been an eye opener to me.

besides, Discussion Time is a scary place to be

stassy23

Wish wages were decent where we live then we wouldn't need tax credits my husband works full time 40 hrs a week i am a carer for my disabled son. I have 3 children my husband earns 15210 before tax so takes home roughly 13500 we don't get wtc as i get carers allowence so just about theshold for that. If I went to work i don't know how i would be able to look after my disabled child. Just hope husbands employer will pay him more.

Robbie64

tomtontom wrote: »

35 hours between two people is not nearly sufficient - it should be 35 hours minimum for one person then a reduced number for a second person with caring responsibilities.

As far as I am aware what you have posted is what will be expected of claimants under Universal Credit.

My understanding is that most claimants will be expected to find work for the following hours if they are claiming UC (paid at minimum wage rate equivalent):

35 hours at minimum wage rate equivalent per person per week unless a restriction is allowed, as follows

where the youngest child is aged at least 12 it will be a minimum of 70 hours (35 hours each) for couples

with a reduction to a minimum of 35 hours per couple where there is at least one child under 5

and a minimum of 51 hours per couple where the youngest is aged between 5 and 11.

Where less than those hours (at NMW rate) are worked couples will be expected to up their hours or risk being sanctioned.

Of course where someone is disabled or in other circumstances there may be no expectation that any work needs to be done or it may be a lower amount of hours (eg if someone is disabled or a carer).

It's probably too late to introduce something similar to the Tax Credits system as it is supposed to be all but phased out by 2017 with more and more people expected to move over to UC.

zagfles

Robbie64 wrote: »

As far as I am aware what you have posted is what will be expected of claimants under Universal Credit.

My understanding is that most claimants will be expected to find work for the following hours if they are claiming UC (paid at minimum wage rate equivalent):

35 hours at minimum wage rate equivalent per person per week unless a restriction is allowed, as follows

where the youngest child is aged at least 12 it will be a minimum of 70 hours (35 hours each) for couples

with a reduction to a minimum of 35 hours per couple where there is at least one child under 5

and a minimum of 51 hours per couple where the youngest is aged between 5 and 11.

Where less than those hours (at NMW rate) are worked couples will be expected to up their hours or risk being sanctioned.

Of course where someone is disabled or in other circumstances there may be no expectation that any work needs to be done or it may be a lower amount of hours (eg if someone is disabled or a carer).

It's probably too late to introduce something similar to the Tax Credits system as it is supposed to be all but phased out by 2017 with more and more people expected to move over to UC.

The big difference with UC is that you only need to be seeking the required number of NMW hours (ie like JSA), rather than actually working them.