Better off working or not?

MrsE_2

cornishfairy wrote: »

Not really understanding your point HC. Are you honestly saying that if the Government paid you the same to look after your child as you were paid to work and pay someone else to look after your child, then you would be more honourable than I and work? .

My daughter is 20 now, but when she was about 2 her father (my first husband) & I separated. I went to the DHSS (as was then) as I was alone & virtually penniless. It was an awful degrading experience & I went to my old pre-baby employer & asked for my old job back, as I was not prepared to go back in the DHSS again cap-in-hand.
Yes, I found it more Honorable to work.
I never actually expected the government to pay me to stay at home anyway.

It may be a strange concept, but when my daughter was young the government did not pay you the same to stay at home as to work. I expected to have to feed & clothe my child, I didn't expect that others should have to do it.

cornishfairy wrote: »

Fine, if that's how you wish to live your life but I would prefer to educate and nourish my child rather than let a stranger do it.

You may be educating your child, but as long as you are using benefits towards their keep the tax payer is also "nourishing" & providing.

You have freely admitted you have a job to go to, childcare in place & are able to do it, but choose not to, because its easier to draw benefits.

It should NEVER be more profitable to draw benefits.

I think this is absolute proof to anyone who may still have any doubts, that benefits in this country are far too high.

Benefits should be less than the current minimum wage.
The benefit system actually perpetuates the minimum wage being kept so far short of real living & housing costs.

madmaxine47

I did not have my children until I could afford to stay at home and look after them myself, I got a job at a supermarket shelf filling from 8pm until midnight 4 evenings a week, could not get a job any earlier than that as my husband did not get home from work until 6.45pm and he started work at 7.00 am, we did not expext the tax payer to support our children, but that was 30 years ago, and that was what people did in those days.

Loopy_Girl

madmaxine47 wrote: »

I did not have my children until I could afford to stay at home and look after them myself, I got a job at a supermarket shelf filling from 8pm until midnight 4 evenings a week, could not get a job any earlier than that as my husband did not get home from work until 6.45pm and he started work at 7.00 am, we did not expext the tax payer to support our children, but that was 30 years ago, and that was what people did in those days.

And I bet you still struggled. Many many parents work now, but it has been recognised that the family unit is important as well so there is help to make life more comfortable.

It's an interesting subject and I have enjoyed reading everyone's view's on this

p.s I take it the people who don't like benefits for having children didn;t claim child benefit then? or family allowance as it was called years ago, after all a benefit is a benefit.:D

MrsE_2

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

And I bet you still struggled. Many many parents work now, but it has been recognised that the family unit is important as well so there is help to make life more comfortable.

It's an interesting subject and I have enjoyed reading everyone's view's on this

p.s I take it the people who don't like benefits for having children didn;t claim child benefit then? or family allowance as it was called years ago, after all a benefit is a benefit.:D

I wouldn't class child benefit as a benefit anymore than the pension.

Perhaps they should scrap child benefit & give a TA for the first one or two children anyway.

I think it would also do more to promote family life if they brought back the old married mans tax allowance, but allowed either party to claim it.
Its a sad country that makes it more profitable to be a single parent than a married couple.

Loopy_Girl

MrsE wrote: »

I wouldn't class child benefit as a benefit anymore than the pension.

Where do you think the money comes from to pay for state pensions and child benefit? From exactly the same place as all the other benefits!!!

Quite why you think child benefit is not a benefit giggles me.

I merely used that as an example for all the people on their high horses looking down at 'the younger generation', that just like you were entitled to your child benefit and claimed it (which came from the same source as all the other benefits now) we are entitled to the benefits available to us.

Loopy_Girl

MrsE wrote: »

Its a sad country that makes it more profitable to be a single parent than a married couple.

Not all single parents are single by choice and thank god we live in a society where a woman is not expected to stay in a relationship 'to save face' even if he is beating 10 bells out of her and drinking all the money for example.

And you don't have to be married to be in a couple either.

MrsE_2

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Not all single parents are single by choice and thank god we live in a society where a woman is not expected to stay in a relationship 'to save face' even if he is beating 10 bells out of her and drinking all the money for example.

And you don't have to be married to be in a couple either.

Post 32:rotfl:

HC_2

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Not all single parents are single by choice and thank god we live in a society where a woman is not expected to stay in a relationship 'to save face' even if he is beating 10 bells out of her and drinking all the money for example.

I would say that this scenario is exactly the type of situation for which the benefit system is (or should be) designed. A system to help the woman provide a decent life for her children while she gets back on her feet (even if that takes years, until her children are grown up).

As for Child Benefit, remember this is not means-tested; everyone gets exactly the same amount whether they are unemployed or earning a million a year. So it is in quite a different category to claiming benefit instead of working.

pebbles88

Hi,

after reading this thread i can understand why so many people are p****d off at the scroungers that do screw the benefit system, a person on my DH's side of family actually laughs at how much she gets, she doesnt work as she has 3 children (1 is disabled) and her partner doesnt work as he claims he is 'agoraphobic', funny how he makes it out of the house for cash in hand jobs though :rolleyes: the majority of her family are furious about it too but none of them will say anything!!!!

This kind of thing is infuriating, it makes my blood boil, we all work blinkin hard and they just sit on their bums and get everything handed to em!

but on the flip side, I myself have come across this judgemental attitude recently. I have recently had to leave work on medical grounds, and had to claim IB whilst i was waiting for an operation. It wasnt a pleasant experience nor something i was proud of having to do but my DH is working all the hours poss and ends still werent meeting...

anyhow, i have now had the op, but unfortunately it looks like the nhs have got it wrong as it has not fixed the problem, so im having to be referred again. 4 weeks after my op, i am still claiming IB, and during these few weeks that i have been claiming, both mine and my DH's family have been making the the most awful comments about me, even to my face.

one even went as far as to say their was nothing wrong with me and that i had the op just to get out of having to work etc. Yes like i chose to be cut open and in utter agony :mad: . and some of these comments are from the people that wont even say anything to their own family about their benefit cheating (see above)!!

this week i have attended an interview at the jobcentre where they are helping me to retrain to find a job that will work around my disability. They were really helpful. I hope to get started with new employment as soon as possible.

to cut a long story short, No, i havent enjoyed claiming IB, it has been a uncomfortable experience, but I am also thankfull that I was able to get some help, otherwise we could have lost the roof over our heads.

no doubt someone will come back with a snide comment on this, I agree with the post on here saying how people get attacked for asking honest questions, they arent villains, they are just seeking advice.

I hope the OP does what she thinks is best for her and her family.

HC_2

pebbles88 wrote: »

Hi,

after reading this thread i can understand why so many people are p****d off at the scroungers that do screw the benefit system, a person on my DH's side of family actually laughs at how much she gets, she doesnt work as she has 3 children (1 is disabled) and her partner doesnt work as he claims he is 'agoraphobic', funny how he makes it out of the house for cash in hand jobs though :rolleyes: the majority of her family are furious about it too but none of them will say anything!!!!

This kind of thing is infuriating, it makes my blood boil, we all work blinkin hard and they just sit on their bums and get everything handed to em!

but on the flip side, I myself have come across this judgemental attitude recently. I have recently had to leave work on medical grounds, and had to claim IB whilst i was waiting for an operation. It wasnt a pleasant experience nor something i was proud of having to do but my DH is working all the hours poss and ends still werent meeting...

anyhow, i have now had the op, but unfortunately it looks like the nhs have got it wrong as it has not fixed the problem, so im having to be referred again. 4 weeks after my op, i am still claiming IB, and during these few weeks that i have been claiming, both mine and my DH's family have been making the the most awful comments about me, even to my face.

one even went as far as to say their was nothing wrong with me and that i had the op just to get out of having to work etc. Yes like i chose to be cut open and in utter agony :mad: . and some of these comments are from the people that wont even say anything to their own family about their benefit cheating (see above)!!

this week i have attended an interview at the jobcentre where they are helping me to retrain to find a job that will work around my disability. They were really helpful. I hope to get started with new employment as soon as possible.

to cut a long story short, No, i havent enjoyed claiming IB, it has been a uncomfortable experience, but I am also thankfull that I was able to get some help, otherwise we could have lost the roof over our heads.

no doubt someone will come back with a snide comment on this, I agree with the post on here saying how people get attacked for asking honest questions, they arent villains, they are just seeking advice.

I hope the OP does what she thinks is best for her and her family.

As you yourself know, you have nothing at all to feel uncomfortable or ashamed about. That's why the system is there, to provide a cushion of security for genuine claimants.

Nobody wants to go back to the days of the workhouse, for heaven's sake.