Tax credits cut petition

swingaloo

Mrs_Gloomy wrote: »

I am a single parent (through no fault of my own) with a child in high school. I have no family to provide childcare and work an hour from home so work 20 hours a week. I have tried to find more hours but have so far all jobs pay less than I earn now for more hours. I have worked for 24 years and never claimed any form of benefit even when we have been entitled to it. The tax credit cuts, for me, mean I can no longer afford to pay my mortgage and bills so I will now have no choice but to sell my home and rent. In my area, there are no houses who will rent to someone who has 2 dogs so I will need to rehome my dogs and pay more in travel costs and rent than I currently pay. I have worked hard all my life and for me, the tax credit cuts are hitting people who genuinely need help for a while. As soon as my daughter is old enough to be left on her own for a couple of hours, I will go back to work full time but for now, that is not possible. The cost of childcare in the area makes it unrealistic and I cannot afford it. This is not a self pity post but the reality of feeling like I have always worked and contributed and never asked for anything back but now, when I really need it, it is being taken away.

Wouldnt it be more sensible to get rid of the dogs thus saving on food, vet fees etc rather than lose your home. Especially if you are going to be able to start full time hours soon.

swingaloo

tberry6686 wrote: »

I will not be signing this. The truth is the country cannot afford the current benefits bill and so cuts need to be made. Just because some people will have a drop in subsidy does not make the cuts wrong.

Personally, I would go a lot further and means test all benefits with a cut off of £15k.

I quite agree with this. Our household income is less than that and we have to pay full rent whilst working for minimum wage. We get no benefits help at all but manage. We just didnt have children we could not afford.

[Deleted User]

My 11 year old has recently had her father move out, her nan (my mum) has been diagnosed with 2 separate cancers and to be honest, the dogs are family and I will do anything to not have to rehome them. One is old and would likely never get to be rehomed. I know a lot of people think that dogs are a luxury but they are family and I think she has been through enough recently without going through anything else.

beecher2

Mrs_Gloomy wrote: »

I am a single parent (through no fault of my own) with a child in high school. I have no family to provide childcare and work an hour from home so work 20 hours a week. I have tried to find more hours but have so far all jobs pay less than I earn now for more hours. I have worked for 24 years and never claimed any form of benefit even when we have been entitled to it. The tax credit cuts, for me, mean I can no longer afford to pay my mortgage and bills so I will now have no choice but to sell my home and rent. In my area, there are no houses who will rent to someone who has 2 dogs so I will need to rehome my dogs and pay more in travel costs and rent than I currently pay. I have worked hard all my life and for me, the tax credit cuts are hitting people who genuinely need help for a while. As soon as my daughter is old enough to be left on her own for a couple of hours, I will go back to work full time but for now, that is not possible. The cost of childcare in the area makes it unrealistic and I cannot afford it. This is not a self pity post but the reality of feeling like I have always worked and contributed and never asked for anything back but now, when I really need it, it is being taken away.

If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend posting a Statement of Affairs on Debt Free Wannabe for help on how to prepare for the cuts. You may get help on cutbacks elsewhere to allow you to continue to afford your mortgage. Otherwise better to sell up now rather than wait until you can't afford it.

Would've thought your child could've been left home for a few hours soon if they are 11 - I was 8 when I first went home to an empty house - but realise all families are different.

SandC

Does an 11 year old need childcare? I presume you are just talking about after school?

Blue22

rogerblack wrote: »

A large fraction of the highest earners (70-90% of the population) are significantly gaining due to these changes.
This is because they have a second earner in the house on minimum wage, and too high an income for tax credits.
The minimum wage increase is not undermined by reduction of benefit for these people.

70-90%? Seems rather high and presumably these households have either very low or no childcare costs if they are working at, or near to the minimum wage.

But I do take your point that a good outcome of these changes will be to lift families out of the tax credit system so they can see a decent return for each £ earned.

I just feel particularly sorry for those at the higher end who haven't a hope in hell of raising their income high enough to escape tax credits. This could be because of high childcare costs, disability in the family or just larger than average families. Some of these will see their tax credit awards go down by 3 or 4 thousand and I'm not sure that many are aware of it yet.

[Deleted User]

Personally, I think 11 is too young to be left the an hour before school and 3 hours after school especially during the winter months when it is dark late in the morning and early afternoon. I wouldn't feel comfortable going to work and leaving my daughter in a house on her own in the dark to get her own breakfast and get herself off to school. Maybe people will think I'm overprotective but I'd rather that than a call from the school to say she never got there. I am currently looking at cutting back to ensure I can stay in my home. My point was that there are people who abuse the benefits system and people who only use it when a genuine need arises. I think cutting tax credits across the board has the potential to punish the wrong people. The government want parents to be responsible and encourages people to work part time or stay at home with older and younger children but for people like me, it feels as though I am being penalised. I don't want to live on handouts which is why I am trying to make cutbacks and work extra as and where I can but the reality is finding a job that can accommodate 12 weeks holiday plus teacher training days is very difficult. Even with both my ex husbands holiday and mine out together we will still fall short of the 12+ weeks required and I wouldn't be happy leaving an 11 year old home alone each today. I don't agree with people claiming for every penny when it's not needed but I do support people who genuinely need help for a circumstance beyond their control.

bloolagoon

Mrs_Gloomy wrote: »

Personally, I think 11 is too young to be left the an hour before school and 3 hours after school especially during the winter months when it is dark late in the morning and early afternoon. I wouldn't feel comfortable going to work and leaving my daughter in a house on her own in the dark to get her own breakfast and get herself off to school. Maybe people will think I'm overprotective but I'd rather that than a call from the school to say she never got there. I am currently looking at cutting back to ensure I can stay in my home. My point was that there are people who abuse the benefits system and people who only use it when a genuine need arises. I think cutting tax credits across the board has the potential to punish the wrong people. The government want parents to be responsible and encourages people to work part time or stay at home with older and younger children but for people like me, it feels as though I am being penalised. I don't want to live on handouts which is why I am trying to make cutbacks and work extra as and where I can but the reality is finding a job that can accommodate 12 weeks holiday plus teacher training days is very difficult. Even with both my ex husbands holiday and mine out together we will still fall short of the 12+ weeks required and I wouldn't be happy leaving an 11 year old home alone each today. I don't agree with people claiming for every penny when it's not needed but I do support people who genuinely need help for a circumstance beyond their control.

I genuinely do sympathise but many of what you post dual working families also have. As she is at high school can she not go to the library until you pick her up? That is what I have done for mine since they started high school though there are often other clubs on too. Can you arrange childcare with a friend so if you have a Monday and they have a Friday do the tea for each on those days?

davholla

swingaloo wrote: »

I quite agree with this. Our household income is less than that and we have to pay full rent whilst working for minimum wage. We get no benefits help at all but manage. We just didnt have children we could not afford.

You'd be better off if you had children and one of you became a pro single parent.
As a tax payer thanks a lot for not doing that and I hope you get a better job in the future.

davholla

I know a single mum who only works 15 hours (she could work weekends when the father has the kid). I guess because she gets tax credits. It doesn't seem fair to me. Sadly the tax and benefit system is so badly messed up (thanks Gordon) that fixing it will be a nightmare. Sadly unlike in 1997 this is not the best time to do it (thanks again Gordon).