on my own on a low wage

sharon47

Hi i'm new to this so forgive me if i say the wrong thing i am not here to cause offence to anyone just asking for some help and guidance really
My situ is as follows: I have been working after a divorce and have a son in the middle of exams, a husb that has been written off by the docs but is working but on low wage, i have been sacked on Medical Grounds as i have an Eye Disease and cannot see the tills etc (shop work) i will not get better and i am in pain every day but cus i haven't pd enough NI i can't get Incapacity and because my sons father gives me maintanance i can't get I Support and the only way (if any) to cure me is to remove the eye but cus this is a Immune related disease it could then go to the other eye and i need at least one of them ideally, i want to work im 47 but can only work from home as i dont drive and cannot be in artificial light (house is set for me) im looking for Outwork but cannot find anything thats legit, i cant get job with a disability group (gov scheme) as im not on benefits im at my wits end is there anyone that has any ideas please?

A_fiend_for_life

sharon47 wrote: »

Hi i'm new to this so forgive me if i say the wrong thing i am not here to cause offence to anyone just asking for some help and guidance really
My situ is as follows: I have been working after a divorce and have a son in the middle of exams, a husb that has been written off by the docs but is working but on low wage, i have been sacked on Medical Grounds as i have an Eye Disease and cannot see the tills etc (shop work) i will not get better and i am in pain every day but cus i haven't pd enough NI i can't get Incapacity and because my sons father gives me maintanance i can't get I Support and the only way (if any) to cure me is to remove the eye but cus this is a Immune related disease it could then go to the other eye and i need at least one of them ideally, i want to work im 47 but can only work from home as i dont drive and cannot be in artificial light (house is set for me) im looking for Outwork but cannot find anything thats legit, i cant get job with a disability group (gov scheme) as im not on benefits im at my wits end is there anyone that has any ideas please?

Welcome to MSE sharon47!!

Can I say first of all you might want to start a new thread so that you get a better response. If you go back to the Benefits and Tax Credits page there is a new thread button at the top of the list of threads (same place as the post reply button).

Regarding your vision how bad is your vision? Difficult enough that you can't read the till display I appreciate, but how about online? Do you need to increase the text size on a computer screen or use a screen reader? The reason I ask is one possible role might be accessibility testing of web sites.

More broadly, what kind of job roles are you looking for from home?

Chrysalis

dmg24 wrote: »

They have to set a cut off point somewhere, in the same way that they do for minimum wage, pension credits, child tax credits etc.

Would you like if I turned round and said if there has to be a cutoff why not also cutoff income tax to 25 and over only? I cannot see how anyone sane can justify 18-25 year olds having to pay full tax but then not be entitled to the same benefits.

Fact is and it is fact that single childless adults are treated the worst by this government, they are taxed the highest and helped the least with regards to benefits. The reasons for this are fairly obvious in that that they recieve the least positive media coverage and as such get little sympathy of others whilst they have less negative impact in elections. For example the generous child tax credit pleased every adult in the country that has children, thats a lot of votes gained, whilst single childless adults is a tiny proportion of that.

I also agree that labour are now going for the middle and upper classes, the 10p tax farce is a perfect example, 10p tax rate abolished, everyone above a certian salary benefited, I think around the 20k mark, and everyone below it lost out. When the so called U turn was done then everyone in between the 20k and top tax rate band got another boost and the lowest earners are still losing out. The get a skilled job excuse is laughable, some people are really cut off from reality, that reality been you take on a job that puts a roof over your head, not everyone is born into a easy enough life where they can goto college, university and get the skills required for skilled work, some have to get out in the real world the moment they leave school or be out on the streets.

I also honestly can understand the comments about single mums, although I think the comments went too far and I dont fully agree with them it is true that there is far too much public and government sympathy to children at the moment, the motto is if you have children you need a lot of help, if you dont have children then you pay for those that do.

paid maternity leave
paternity leave
child benefit regardless of wealth
generous child tax credit
increased personal allowance equating to more generous housing benefit/council tax benefit/income support

So even those in full time skilled employment with children are been subsidised.

On disabled people, they are been targeted but they are a weak and vulnerable group which again is a minority of the population so will get little media coverage and are a soft target. Alll this stuff in the news that manipulates the middle class into thinking everyone on benefits is a scrounger, all the coverage given to 18-25 year people on the dole is to fuel the way for forcing them into cheap employment giving employers cheap labourers.

I think this situation isnt going to change in this country unfortenatly.

dmg24

Chrysalis wrote: »

Would you like if I turned round and said if there has to be a cutoff why not also cutoff income tax to 25 and over only? I cannot see how anyone sane can justify 18-25 year olds having to pay full tax but then not be entitled to the same benefits.

Any reason why you are picking on me Chrysalis?

I'm not aware that I am a govt policy maker?

diamonds

under 25's are best to get to college where grants are made not large student loans & work part-time just under the tax thresehold ( currently £5435.00 ) the goverment rewards you under 25 for educating yourself while working part time to invest in your future and make you less dependant on the state in future, better qualifications better standard of life & no need for the state to help out long term

working part time & studying full time you should have an income of £10,000 PA, at least at the end qualifications give you better wages, or work full time for £10,000 with less prospects for the future

Loopy_Girl

If you are 25 and under and have no kids then there is no reason that you can't work hard and make your own money without handouts. No reason why you can't have 2, 3 jobs whatever. You are young and fit and have no responsibilites. I was never as rich in my life than when I was in that age bracket as I had a full time job, a part time job, and was doing a distance learning uni course - but all the money I had was spent on me as I had no responsibilites (my gorgeous small person:)) at that time. That's why I think the cut off is 25.

Now I am saying no more as I got told this wasn't a discussion board on a previous thread. Good to note however that it seems one rule for one and one for another.

Chrysalis

dmg24 wrote: »

Any reason why you are picking on me Chrysalis?

I'm not aware that I am a govt policy maker?

Your comment saying there has to be a cutoff, I countered it saying if they believe financial help should be limited by the same logic those who pay taxes can be limited.

under 25's are best to get to college where grants are made not large student loans & work part-time just under the tax thresehold ( currently £5435.00 ) the goverment rewards you under 25 for educating yourself while working part time to invest in your future and make you less dependant on the state in future, better qualifications better standard of life & no need for the state to help out long term

working part time & studying full time you should have an income of £10,000 PA, at least at the end qualifications give you better wages, or work full time for £10,000 with less prospects for the future

It may be best but not everyone can do that, thats what I mean about people been cutoff from reality. Also even if someone chooses to not go to college that is there choice why should they be punished for it?

If you are 25 and under and have no kids then there is no reason that you can't work hard and make your own money without handouts. No reason why you can't have 2, 3 jobs whatever. You are young and fit and have no responsibilites. I was never as rich in my life than when I was in that age bracket as I had a full time job, a part time job, and was doing a distance learning uni course - but all the money I had was spent on me as I had no responsibilites (my gorgeous small person) at that time. That's why I think the cut off is 25.

Now I am saying no more as I got told this wasn't a discussion board on a previous thread. Good to note however that it seems one rule for one and one for another.

So when you hit 25 you have a reason to not work hard that a 24 doesnt? I am interested to know what it is I think it is extraordinary that you expect people to work 3 jobs and have no life just so they can pay their bills, by that same logic you could say parents could do 3 jobs (1 looking after child) and 2 jobs.

I have been and witnessed various situations, the hardest situation I have been in was living on my own working full time and when I was under 25, life was tough, extremely tough and I was been paid £3 above the min wage. A year before that when I was living with my sister I was in a min wage job and she had to subsidise me. My other sister who has 2 kids who sees me and my sister (who is now single living alone but over 25) said herself she thinks the system is unbalanced and it was very honest of her to say that.

This strange policy on working tax credit actually encourages people under 25 to not work as they can get the dole housing benefit etc. (although more limited than over 25) whilst if they work they get no help. I actually believe the 2 reasons for the policy are that the state is expecting parents to help these people out that they typically dont vote so dont matter.

dmg24

Chrysalis wrote: »

Your comment saying there has to be a cutoff, I countered it saying if they believe financial help should be limited by the same logic those who pay taxes can be limited.

OK, so you haven't been following me round really. :rolleyes: Please stop it, just makes you look silly. I won't be responding to your posts on this thread again, please be polite and do the same with mine.

Titch89

diamonds wrote: »

the goverment rewards you under 25 for educating yourself while working part time to invest in your future and make you less dependant on the state in future, better qualifications better standard of life & no need for the state to help out long term

Not being stupid, but I don't get this. How does the government 'reward' the under 25s? After the age of 18/19, we have to pay for education and health care, unless we're on a low income.

Oldernotwiser

Chrysalis wrote: »

The get a skilled job excuse is laughable, some people are really cut off from reality, that reality been you take on a job that puts a roof over your head, not everyone is born into a easy enough life where they can goto college, university and get the skills required for skilled work, some have to get out in the real world the moment they leave school or be out on the streets.

This is one of the most ridiculous points I've read recently. There never has been a time when there was more financial encouragement and support for young people to go to college to gain skills and qualifications and also to go on to university if appropriate. The only thing stopping them would be unsupportive parents and no government can legislate for that. Even if a young person has to go out to work, part time/evening education is free up til the age of 19 and even beyond that for essential qualifications.

Most people don't have to leave school to work to put a roof over their heads; if you read any of the threads on this subject you'd see that those of us who believe that young people should pay their own way are in a minority, the majority of parents being very loth to take any money off them at all! I'm sorry if you had a tough time when you were younger but, believe me, the vast majority of young people have it very cushy these days, even if they don't think that this is the case!