Is a single mothers benifits enough

moonrakermagpie

Hi there,

Could I ask a general question.

A single mother with one three year old.

Her only income is her benifits, she is getting all of her rent paid and council tax, and is receiving all of her other benifits. she has no other income other than a sub from us now and then (that she does not need to pay back, this amounts to around £20 a month.

She does not have a car and does not spend money on bus fairs, or holidays or going out or anything really other than "living"

The question is - should she be able to live reasonably well or is her benifits only just enough to survive on.

Many thanks

Steve

PasturesNew

If you could, or were expected to, "live reasonably well" on benefits, then all single people would be popping out to get pregnant.

Benefits are supposed to keep the roof over your head and some food on the table + enough to cover basic bills if you don't go mad.

Some people DO live very well on their benefits, but that's personal achievement. Many spend, spend, spend, then whine.

It's down to the individual to budget and manage the money wisely.

viktory

Living on benefits is not supposed to be a lifestyle choice, with enough money for cars, holidays etc. It is supposed to be (as the previous poster said) to enable a person to live/eat etc. The idea should always be that living on benefits is a short term option, with the aim of going to work as soon as possible.

If a person wants luxuries then they have to work and earn the money for them.

minimadtrix

Sorry to sound cinical, but you do realise that she should really declare the £20 a month to those providing her with benefits as this is classed as an income and not declaring it means she is committing benefit fraud! It's as good as working cash in hand.

Morglin

Although she should declare the £20 per month to keep the paperwork straight, this amount would have no effect on her Income Support.

Lin

minimadtrix

But may do on her Housing Benefits

custardy

yup as said,its supposed to allow you to live not live it up.
however i understand being a single parent makes the work v home balance trickier

penguin83

It sounds reasonable to me.

It covers rent, council tax, food and heating - the same as many working people can afford.

She may be better off with a part time job with help towards her childcare costs x

Garnet_Gem

A single mother who has no partner and can't work because of child care doesn't have a great lifestyle. "Single" mothers who have partners but don't declare this, have "on the side" jobs etc have a lifestyle better than many hard-working folk. Each case is different.

cattie

I had to live on IS for quite a few years after my ex walked out on my son & I & paid no maintenance. By careful budgeting & cutting out unecessary expenditure it's possible to have a reasonable existence on income support I think.

LondonDiva

Yes it is as it is suppossed to be a stop gap until the mother has a job or the father has made arrangements to contribute to the raising of his child.

Has the father been reported to the CSA for not paying maintainance or has the mother contacted a solicitor to sort out a maintainance agreement?