"This is how much the law says you need to live on"

GotNoMoney wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, but not a single one shows any actual numbers. I want to see how they arrive at the figure of £67.50 a week.

Comments like "If you looked this hard for a job" are a good way of avoiding the subject.

All I want to see is something like:

Gas bill: £10
Electric bill: £25
Food expenses: £27.50
Travel: £5.00
TOTAL: £67.50

I don't understand why asking such a question should be such a shock to people. I am not the one that said "this is how much the law says you need to live on".

Its like me conning someone into paying me £50 a week then when they come around to asking me why they are paying me this money, I say "because the law says". The first thing they will say is show me which law or where "the" law says that.

As has been said several times before, it wouldn't be possible to produce figures like this. As an example, heating costs in the north of Scotland are going to be considerably higher than in SW England and a vegetarian will spend less on food than a carnivore.

All I know is that your figures are way out and ridiculously inflated for what someone who's unemployed would spend on things.

GotNoMoney wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, but not a single one shows any actual numbers. I want to see how they arrive at the figure of £67.50 a week.

Comments like "If you looked this hard for a job" are a good way of avoiding the subject.

All I want to see is something like:

Gas bill: £10
Electric bill: £25
Food expenses: £27.50
Travel: £5.00
TOTAL: £67.50

I don't understand why asking such a question should be such a shock to people. I am not the one that said "this is how much the law says you need to live on".

Its like me conning someone into paying me £50 a week then when they come around to asking me why they are paying me this money, I say "because the law says". The first thing they will say is show me which law or where "the" law says that.

What if someone worked out these figures properly? We all know the sum would exceed £67.50 by quite a long way once you start bringing clothes and other such items (only ones that are needed) into account.

It would be interesting to see what figure it really amounts to, just out of interest.

There are a couple of downright bare necessities that you havent included there in fact - ie insurance (even someone living in rented accommodation has to insure their own belongings or take the risk of "losing" them if anything happened to them) and also health costs (even at the most basic level - many people now have no option, for instance, but to have a private dentist and therefore have to pay for dental care even if unemployed).

I think you would find that the way to have a basic "calculator" as to how much one needs to just survive on is to use the "calculator" that people who go bankrupt use. There is quite definitely a fixed amount bankrupts are allowed to keep out of any income they get towards basic living costs. I dont know the figures for all categories - but I recall they are allowed £25 per person per week for food for instance (may have gone up recently?).

I suggest you ask on the Bankruptcy Board for the "calculator" they use in those circumstances. The DWP will have some law or other they could quote as to why this figure doesnt apply to the unemployed I'm sure:cool: - even though we all know that there are people in both circumstances that are there voluntarily on the one hand and others that are in that category through no fault/choice of their own. I think its a perfectly fair argument to say "Some bankrupts are bankrupt because of something that WAS their own choice/fault - and yet ALL bankrupts are allowed to have enough to live on (ie legally allowed to keep enough of whatever income they get to cover minimum living expenses) - so the unemployed should be allowed that too".:cool:

EDIT: The Debt Free Wannabee Board often go through peeps SOAs (ie Statement of Affairs). That would be a good Board to put up a query on too as to what is the minimum amount needed on average to live on.

BUT you will still be up against the attitude that the DWP refuses to give a breakdown of what is the minimum amount people need to live on - because they know very well that they would be "setting themselves up for a fall" because the discrepancy between amount needed and amount given would be so noticeable. Employers' organisations would soon be lobbying as well to prevent any such breakdown being given as well - because some employers would instantly be shown up as not paying their employees enough to live on (even in the case of peeps who no longer require money for rent/mortgage).

It IS a fact of life (unfortunately for those claimants who didnt choose to be in this position) that childless people simply arent given enough to live on even at the most basic of levels. I admit to having taken a look at the figures - thought "that simply is NOT possible no matter how many economies I made" and made a decision to work towards having £5,999 in savings (and as much money as possible tied up in "savings" in the form of food/household goods/anything else the DWP cant count in). I know very well I simply could not manage on benefit level try as I might (even without taking into account any financial emergencies, etc) - so mentally divide up my savings into "I've GOT to have at least £40 per week to subsidise my childless person level benefit money to be able to even survive on - therefore my savings have got to be at least £40 per week x number of weeks till retirement age, capped at £5,999".

(NB: I state "number of weeks till retirement age" because I'm getting on a bit in age now...AND know that I would never have a job again if I lost my current one. No employer in their right mind would take me on for an unskilled job if I wanted one - as I so obviously wouldnt fit in......).

cassieB57 wrote: »

Why 5999? The limit you are allowed before income based benefits are affected is 6000!

Oh..okay then...make it £6,000 maybe?

I made it £5,999 because I know about the £6,000 capital limit and am not quite sure whether thats £6,000 upwards or £6,001 upwards.

Just me being "cautious" by £1:rotfl: