Can you save for your children and be on benefits .

tea-bag

FBaby wrote: »

Because you can easily get a similar diposable income on disability benefits with children than if you worked and hit the 40% tax bracket.

This is why there is a worry that Cameron might also look at disability benefits, because whereas no-one would argue that disabled people should be able to enjoy a similar life to the average non disabled person, it now comes across that many get to enjoy a life that the average person couldn't possibly afford. Saving £3k a year? How many people on £25K working and supporting children get to do so even when living frugally.

I have been saying this for years! I have just moved to a disability hot spot (17% claiming some form of disability benefit) in Wales (cheap rental while house is renovate), it is a joke. New cars outside, smoking ,walking the dog, down the pub, there is nothing wrong with these people. In two weeks of living here my wife has found a job in a shop so there is work. Most of the time the only thing wrong with these people is they are bone idle. And please don't give it all the "0.5% fraud rate", and the "do you realise how hard it is to claim" thes people all talk together and know how to play the system. Why work? It is also very hard to take benefits away from the disabled but they are TOO GENEROUS and we can't afford them. I would say AT LEAST half of the claiming working age could work.

lukieboy96

£140 electricity is the 'Warm Home Discount' if on certain benefits

mel48rose

tea-bag wrote: »

I have been saying this for years! I have just moved to a disability hot spot (17% claiming some form of disability benefit) in Wales (cheap rental while house is renovate), it is a joke. New cars outside, smoking ,walking the dog, down the pub, there is nothing wrong with these people. In two weeks of living here my wife has found a job in a shop so there is work. Most of the time the only thing wrong with these people is they are bone idle. And please don't give it all the "0.5% fraud rate", and the "do you realise how hard it is to claim" thes people all talk together and know how to play the system. Why work? It is also very hard to take benefits away from the disabled but they are TOO GENEROUS and we can't afford them. I would say AT LEAST half of the claiming working age could work.

Glad our taxes are going to people that need them:eek:

Anny_2

Still the same old crowd then. Envying all of those on disability benefits on the strength of the posts on here, or the 'truth' in the media and crying 'Cut the disability benefits'. Knowing you would all claim everything going if you could only have that one chance of being disabled or one of your children being disabled - it is so not fair, is it?

Perhaps the OP is helped with groceries and such by a family member and so saves that money. I mean to ring the DWP and say' I do not need £40 or so of my benefits' would not be accepted, for if they receive the grocery money in vouchers, it is perfectly OK.

Policy is policy and life is life and I am sure you all know you have my full and total sympathy for being fit and healthy enough to work and for your children being fit and healthy enough to play.

Be careful what you wish for. There may could come a day when you are changing your 14 year olds nappy when you think ' I don't mind this I am getting loads in benefits. I can cope with my once fit and healthy child having the needs of a 2 year old and all the screaming and the drooling. I am on a winner' or perhaps you may think 'Why was I such a judgemental piece of s*** before my child was in that road accident. No amount of money would ever make up for what my child lost that day' - You never know and yet you want ALL disability benefits cutting?

I year and 5 months since I last was on the site and the same old, same old industrious workers are still stewing about a comparatively small number of people who may be ripping off the system. I take it you have all taken direct action to remedy what you believe to be wrong with the welfare system? ID's measures not enough for you yet? I take it you have lobbied him? Or have you just sat on your a**** and whined and moaned on here? No, let me guess I can also have assumptions...can I not?

Yet another 'Pity party'. Some of you really need to get your facts straight and grow up!

shoe*diva79

missapril75 wrote: »

Able to save £3k between now and next year eh? What's that, between £50 and £100 a week?

Remarkable to do that on means tested benefits. Well done.:cool:

Easily done if the OP was single and in receipt of CM from children's father at a decent and reliable rate.

tea-bag

Anny wrote: »

Still the same old crowd then. Envying all of those on disability benefits on the strength of the posts on here, or the 'truth' in the media and crying 'Cut the disability benefits'. Knowing you would all claim everything going if you could only have that one chance of being disabled or one of your children being disabled - it is so not fair, is it?

Perhaps the OP is helped with groceries and such by a family member and so saves that money. I mean to ring the DWP and say' I do not need £40 or so of my benefits' would not be accepted, for if they receive the grocery money in vouchers, it is perfectly OK.

Policy is policy and life is life and I am sure you all know you have my full and total sympathy for being fit and healthy enough to work and for your children being fit and healthy enough to play.

Be careful what you wish for. There may could come a day when you are changing your 14 year olds nappy when you think ' I don't mind this I am getting loads in benefits. I can cope with my once fit and healthy child having the needs of a 2 year old and all the screaming and the drooling. I am on a winner' or perhaps you may think 'Why was I such a judgemental piece of s*** before my child was in that road accident. No amount of money would ever make up for what my child lost that day' - You never know and yet you want ALL disability benefits cutting?

I year and 5 months since I last was on the site and the same old, same old industrious workers are still stewing about a comparatively small number of people who may be ripping off the system. I take it you have all taken direct action to remedy what you believe to be wrong with the welfare system? ID's measures not enough for you yet? I take it you have lobbied him? Or have you just sat on your a**** and whined and moaned on here? No, let me guess I can also have assumptions...can I not?

Yet another 'Pity party'. Some of you really need to get your facts straight and grow up!

Actually if you read carefully all my posts I NEVER say take away disability benefits from those who need and deserve them in some cases more money should be made available. However there is a growing crowd of people taking the money YOU deserve. Through forums and friends, self diagnosing made up illnesses nobody can prove so they can sit at home all day suddenly having "bad days" when the need to be assessed. As i have always said sit and watch disabled parking bays in a supermarket for 10 mins it will shock you the amount of healthy looking people jumping out of a brand new car without a care in the world. (PLEASE REMEMBER WHY PEOPLE GET HRM).

The system is a joke and needs to change NOW getting the disability label is the highest top trump in some sections of the community.

FBaby

Yet another 'Pity party'. Some of you really need to get your facts straight and grow up!

So you think it is acceptable that people should receive tax payer's money on the basis of their disability, but that they actually do not need, for the benefit of their disability or even every day living and therefore that it is right they should have this money to build up savings without any restrictions?

It's not even about disable vs non disable, but about fairness of benefit allocation. Some disabled people can't afford the services they need to help them with their disability. These are often the most severely disabled. Are they being envious too?

HappyMJ

scootw1 wrote: »

i take it you are having a laugh? 62 I get after bedroom tax for all bills and food and toiletries. Near impossible no matter how frugal you are. Of course if you have kids or on top rate ESA then this is probably a different story

Not laughing at all. I'm working at the moment taking home around £294 per week between us. After rent and council tax is paid we are left with the a very similar amount as couples rate income based JSA. I do live frugally but we do ensure we go on a day trip once a week and we visit the pub regularly a couple of times a week and also occasionally have the odd smoke.... The £294 pays the rent and all the bills and we have just a little more left over as if we were on full benefits and having the rent and council tax paid with all the side benefits I mentioned earlier. Weekly earnings £342 (£9 an hour - 38 hours/week) less tax and NI leaves £292 less rent of £110 per week less council tax of £23 per week, add an extra £3 per week on to the electricity bill as we are now no longer entitled to the warm home discount, less the £4 per week we are paying for a PPC, less the £4 weekly contribution to a savings account to pay for the 6 monthly dental check ups and 2 yearly eye tests and new glasses which were free, I also have to pay to get to work an expense I wouldn't have had if weren't working. That weekly bus ticket costs £25 a week. That leaves £123 per week only £10 a week more than the £114.85 a couple gets on income based JSA which when I was on income based JSA I had the time to be even more frugal by cooking from scratch more often, eating less due to not being on my feet all day and shopping around more to get better deals.

Bedroom tax? You don't get that living in a private rental and in a property suitable for the size of the household....i.e a couple in a 1 bedroom flat.

scootw1

HappyMJ wrote: »

Not laughing at all. I'm working at the moment taking home around £294 per week between us. After rent and council tax is paid we are left with the a very similar amount as couples rate income based JSA. I do live frugally but we do ensure we go on a day trip once a week and we visit the pub regularly a couple of times a week and also occasionally have the odd smoke.... The £294 pays the rent and all the bills and we have just a little more left over as if we were on full benefits and having the rent and council tax paid with all the side benefits I mentioned earlier. Weekly earnings £342 (£9 an hour - 38 hours/week) less tax and NI leaves £292 less rent of £110 per week less council tax of £23 per week, add an extra £3 per week on to the electricity bill as we are now no longer entitled to the warm home discount, less the £4 per week we are paying for a PPC, less the £4 weekly contribution to a savings account to pay for the 6 monthly dental check ups and 2 yearly eye tests and new glasses which were free, I also have to pay to get to work an expense I wouldn't have had if weren't working. That weekly bus ticket costs £25 a week. That leaves £123 per week only £10 a week more than the £114.85 a couple gets on income based JSA which when I was on income based JSA I had the time to be even more frugal by cooking from scratch more often, eating less due to not being on my feet all day and shopping around more to get better deals.

Bedroom tax? You don't get that living in a private rental and in a property suitable for the size of the household....i.e a couple in a 1 bedroom flat.

No TV licence? Electricity and gas do not seem to figure here which is a huge cost. Food, toiletries, cleaning stuff. Can't see you getting all that out if 114.85 a week and go out to the pub and smoke as well. If you cam I would love to know how. Something doesn't add up.

HappyMJ

scootw1 wrote: »

No TV licence? Electricity and gas do not seem to figure here which is a huge cost. Food, toiletries, cleaning stuff. Can't see you getting all that out if 114.85 a week and go out to the pub and smoke as well. If you cam I would love to know how. Something doesn't add up.

TV Licence £13 pm, Food and other groceries £210 pm, Gas/Electricity £55 pm (what it would cost on income based jsa it's £67 if I'm working that's 12,000kWh gas and 2,500kWh electricity), water £23 pm, Mobiles £24 pm, home phone and broadband £18 pm plus £182 pm (£3 per day each) random spends on misc items, days out, meals out, visits to pub, ciggies (don't smoke many), self insurance (don't have any insurance) and savings - Total £525 pm (£121 per week). When on income based JSA I'll just cut the drinking by 1 pint a week each and that should balance the budget perfectly or in reality I'd just raid the penny jar.