What credit crunch?

UK007BullDog

I bet she also has a loan somewhere and some credit cards.

I cannot believe she is getting so many benefits.

Did she visit a broker? If yes, he/she might have helped a bit. Quite unsavory. In divorce cases most of the time (my experience from my customers) she will hit the wall within the next 1 to 2 years and then has to IVA or go Bankrupt. Women are so emotionally attached to the bricks and mortar, they would be better off applying for council housing, especially with 3 kids.

I just cannot believe it. Maybe I should go and stop work. Cannot have any kids though! LOL

Not judging your sister, just the system.

Dan_Collins_2

To be fair, she has a job and is working and is single mum of 3 kids! Being a couple with 1 is hard enough so in this case credits should be given!

There are ppl out there scaming credits when they have children living back home in other countries, lets sort them out first!

epz_2

Strapped wrote: »

Well, I spoke to her about this, and she reckons that, with tax credits, she earns around £23k! So mystery solved. (I am obviously doing something very wrong, and will be kicking DH out and going part-time...!)

it really doesnt pay to work does it these days, !!!!!! 23k now i know where all my wages go, i F'ing hate labour.

Is_You

Just out of interest who is giving her the mortgage?

maninthestreet

Am I the only person wondering why I bother working?

Strapped

She had a choice of lenders, I believe - not sure who she finally went with - Abbey I think.

UK007BullDog, she was told that she wouldn't qualify for council housing, because she would come away from a house sale with some equity. I know she was worried about that, because where she lives, it is very hard to find anywhere to rent privately, and very expensive as there is competition from the holiday market, and demand from transient military families willing to pay artifically high prices. (She has to stay local due to sharing care with the children's father).

Strapped

maninthestreet wrote: »

Am I the only person wondering why I bother working?

She does work, part-time.

space_rider

Maybe the majority of what she gets for wftc is because she has high childcare costs. I have 3 children in full time education work and earn more than your sister and I don`t come out with as much as that per year. My childcare costs are quite low.

Strapped

Two of the children are at school, but she does use breakfast club, and the baby is in nursery. But that's an even more worrying thought, then - because if she is getting a mortgage largely based on tax credits, but the money is earmarked elsewhere (ie childcare) then...well, you do the maths.

Not sure what the solution is here, really. The interest on the mortgage is much cheaper than renting, but if she sold the house then she would have enough to cover renting somewhere decent for at least 5 years - but what when that money has run out? (Just thinking out loud here!)

epz_2

Strapped wrote: »

She does work, part-time.

yeah but still you have to admit pulling in 23k for doing 20 odd hours a week and earning 6k is a bit of a kick in the nuts for many people not bringing in that working full time.

i would be very wary when most of her income is dependant on government grants especially with a black hole in the public finances, recession round the corner and torys looking like the next government.