Is a single mothers benifits enough

j-baby-scotland

krisskross wrote: »

As pensioners we are not entitled to anything, just to use up our savings until we are below the threshold. However after 80 odd years of contributions behind us I feel that the £200 winter fuel allowance has been paid for many times over. I still think that the reported figure of £123 a week AFTER housing costs is plenty for 1 adult and 1 small person.

The point of my post above is that a single-parent with 1 child will get £123, as you quote, regardless of any differentiate in housing top-up or fuel efficiency comparison.
So, housing association single-parent tenant gets all rent paid & gets the £123, private landlord single-parent tenant doesn't often get anywhere near all the rent paid in housing benefit & still gets the £123, paying straight away perhaps £30 per week in housing costs leaving £93.
The £123 is not AFTER housing costs but after whatever portion of rent is met by housing benefit.

weymuffred

This threas will turn into abenefit bashing thread sooner or later.
You cannot have a life of luxury on benefits.
I would love the chance to return to work but its not viable at the moment, in fact it would end up us loosing our house etc.

krisskross

weymuffred wrote: »

This threas will turn into abenefit bashing thread sooner or later.
You cannot have a life of luxury on benefits.
I would love the chance to return to work but its not viable at the moment, in fact it would end up us loosing our house etc.

No it won't turn into a 'benefit bashing' thread. Why should it? A question was asked in the OP and various posters have contributed their thoughts. Plus it does rather depend on what the ideas of ' a life of luxury' are. Mine is to have a roof over my head, food and warmth. Don't smoke. don't drink, don't drive. We manage very well on what we have as I am sure most of the lone parents do as well.

meester

astonsmummy wrote: »

I dont think so, i dont earn £300 a week, i only work 16 hours and am MUCH better off than being on benefits, i pay rent and council tax and run a car which is essential for my job.

16 hours presumably as that's the number you need to get tax credits.

I bet your income wouldn't double, or even close, if you worked 32 hours.

weymuffred

As soon as people on benefits on here mention they can go on holiday or afford "luxuries", then you know people who work hard will be bitter about it.

Supa_z

Right, heres my 2 pence worth

i am a 20 year old single parent, my little girl is 8 months old, for the forst 4 months non of my benefits came through i struggled by one what i had in the bank.. which was not alot, i budget budget bidget all month long, and with some amazing advice from the AMAZINGLY wise money savers on here i have found that i can get by alot better, i save what i can and i take my daughter on day trips one a month. Its not all about money, but sometimes you cant enjoy the morning smiles because u know you have to count your pennies for nappies... CB CTC and whatever else u get is anough to live on and if your extreamly carfeul u can have a few good days a month

weymuffred

meester wrote: »

16 hours presumably as that's the number you need to get tax credits.

I bet your income wouldn't double, or even close, if you worked 32 hours.

Exactly, it would be financially suicidal for some people to work full time down here in dorset.

nomoneytoday

Why should I bother working??

Whilst at work the government takes my money, if I am lazy and stay at home they will pay me money :j

So instead of contributing I might decide to leech from society instead...

PasturesNew

nottslass wrote: »

That leaves £55 pw to cover school uniform,bus fares,hair cuts,presents when invited to partys (DS had three invites in last 2 weeks) clothes & shoes(children appear to grow before your eyes) repairs or replacement of house hold essentails,birthdays and christmas,household insurance (£16 per month in this area for a 3 bed semi) the cost of glasses (if needed),pocket money,window cleaner,bus fares(no free passes) etc. Thats before other costs such as buying a bed & bedding when child moves from bed to cot and after school activities,school trips and the phone bill !

Yes,I don't doubt that £122 pw will provide a basic standard of living,but People generally seem to have the idea that single parents on benefits are living some kind of high life provided for by the tax payer,not a basic existance .

school uniform - I never had a new one. Mine didn't even fit. Had to keep my jacket on in the summer as my boobies had grown and the zip down the back split open by 4-6"
clothes/shoes - again, I never had new ones until I left school and could buy my own
bus fares - where to?
repairs/replacement of household essentials - we all get that, but what's an essential
glasses - aren't they on the nhs? Or online they're cheap. It's not like you buy glasses every month or two.
pocket money - some go OTT
window cleaner - I had mine cleaned twice in 7 years at my last house. That's a luxury. I couldn't do them myself (I am pathetic/hopeless), I just left it!
After school activities - I never did any
School trips - again, we couldn't afford those when I was a kid

I think too many things these days are taken as "essential" and basics are confused with luxuries.

nottslass wrote: »

I don't doubt that £122 pw will provide a basic standard of living

I'd say so, I'd have killed for that much and I work full time. Even now, working, I have less than that to live on each month - and I have to keep my car on the road to get to/from work. And buy "decent looking work clothes" (charity shop to be honest!) and "smart shoes" (yep ... another great £4 find)

P.S. I will state that right now my circumstances have finally changed. And I have savings and a 2nd income. But I've lived all my life without a bean, so like to stick my oar in for lower income working people (often singles!).

Supa_z

nomoneytoday wrote: »

Why should I bother working??

Whilst at work the government takes my money, if I am lazy and stay at home they will pay me money :j

So instead of contributing I might decide to leech from society instead...

nice....

so are u a single parent?
with a small child?