Leave my family allowance alone

[Jennyonaplate]

To be fair, it's not the claimants we should be blaming, it's the flawed system that allows people some people to claim and others not.

 

[mumtheshopper]

Exactly Moom. That trip is £400.00. My monthly salary nearly. I wouldn't expect it to be free. Byut to say your income is low enough for help, with this, free school meals, string lessons and so much more, but because you earn that money instead of claim it, you can't have help so tough. I just don't see the logic. I'm sure there must be one, but I can't find it. One thing I do know, is that I would be better off not working, but what sort of example is that to my children. HAve thought sbout giving up work and doing voluntary work instead though.

 

[mockridge13]

My life would be so so different with 32k a year.

Have been there everyday to take my kids to school and pick them up never used child minders or clubs my kids would have hated it. Have worked at the same supermarket for 16 years. Started working 8.30pm to midnight when they were little and have gradually changed to 10.00pm to 6.00am. Could have stayed working days and earn't more but wanted to be there for my kids. However i admire people that can do both just know i couldn't so filling shelves it is.

 

[sarahm85]

They (the govt) really need to revise the system so that honest hard working people can claim and the bone idle people who would rather sit on their a*se all day and pretend to be ill instead of work can't take the mickey out of the system.

My OH's mum is very ill at the moment but is having to work full time as she can't claim a penny. She applied for DLA so she could go part time instead and got refused, she appealed and got refused again. It's heartbreaking to see her in this ill health and having to work full time, yet there's people out there pretending to be disabled and what-not and getting away with it.

It really makes my blood boil too.

 

[Jennyonaplate]

They (the govt) really need to revise the system so that honest hard working people can claim and the bone idle people who would rather sit on their a*se all day and pretend to be ill instead of work can't take the mickey out of the system.

My OH's mum is very ill at the moment but is having to work full time as she can't claim a penny. She applied for DLA so she could go part time instead and got refused, she appealed and got refused again. It's heartbreaking to see her in this ill health and having to work full time, yet there's people out there pretending to be disabled and what-not and getting away with it.

It really makes my blood boil too.

If your OH's mum gets signed off of work she may be entitled to Incapacity Benefit, or Employment and Support Allowance as it's now called. Being on this benefit means you can work up to 16 hours a week and earn up to £92 (I think) and still keep your benefit (Usually between £65 a week and £115). Also, if you then do more than 16 hours after being on ESA, your ESA stops, but you get Return to Work Credit (£40 per week) paid for 1 year if you earn less than £15,000 a year.

 

[mumtheshopper]

Have been there everyday to take my kids to school and pick them up never used child minders or clubs my kids would have hated it. Have worked at the same supermarket for 16 years. Started working 8.30pm to midnight when they were little and have gradually changed to 10.00pm to 6.00am. Could have stayed working days and earn't more but wanted to be there for my kids. However i admire people that can do both just know i couldn't so filling shelves it is.

It was by no means a dig, sorry if it sounded like it. We all make our choices. I would never knock anyone for doing what they think best, even if it was something I couldn't do. My biggest mistake was a misjudgement on who I married. One of those things. The guilt you ahve when you realise your kids are gonna grow up in a broken home is just indescriibable. No doubt I overcompensate. Trying to be there for every little thing, and putting them above all else in a wya I may not do if there were two of us!

 

[avisk]

I was talking to someone from our local council the other day and she said that lots of people are entitled to benefits that they don't claim because they don't know about them, or understand the process. She was specifically referring to older people (because that is what the meeting was about) but it is probably true for other age groups and circumstances too. Some local councils have an advice service, or there is always the Citizens Advice Bureau. It is always worth asking, and double-checking.

 

[mockridge13]

It was by no means a dig, sorry if it sounded like it. We all make our choices. I would never knock anyone for doing what they think best

no offence taken would still do it all again knowing what i know now.

but if i could go backwards would eat a lot healthier lol

 

[fillymum]

It seems there is no fairness in the very generous system. No other country has such a generous system. It is a pity there are always people who are going to cheat, lie and steal. Look at the recent politicians scandals, it doesn't apply to just the working class scoundrel, but scoundrels at every level.

I know of one couple who divorced to get bigger benefits, she claims income support, everything and anything that can be claimed and has a second home. A holiday home. Holidays........what are they !!???

It is the system that is flawed, it needs policing strictly, strongly. The people the benefits were supposed to be for are you, the ones who have posted on here, honest, hard working and caring people.

I think you should all petition your local M.P.'s. They are a new government and need to be seen to be doing what is right and correct.

If DH and I returned to the U.K. to live we would not be eligible for any health treatment, nothing, for 6 months. If we were new immigrants from another European Union country, benefits would start immediately. Both DH and I have lived and worked in the U.K. and paid into the system.......... and we are British !!!

Some thing radical needs to happen. This government can not just axe benefits.They need to judge each case on it's merits. Time consuming and costly ??? Yes, but just look at what they would save by sniffing out the fraudsters.

Rant over..............for now.

xxx

 

[~Lucky~]

I do think that some of the higher paid families shouldn't be entitled to the child benefit. I'm not sure whether £32k is the correct ceiling but it certainly shouldn't be available to all since benefits are meant to be there to help with everyday living expenses and not cushion an already comfortable lifestyle.

It's almost a pity that it's actually sensible for many stay at home parents to claim the child benefit even if as a household they earn enough for it to not be necessary. If they don't claim their NI isn't being covered for that period so they could come into trouble in later life when they really need it and if they do claim they're covered personally but are draining an already overextended system.

 

[missgalaxy]

Both me and my OH worked fulltime, our children go to nursery 3 days a week and we pay for EVERYTHING within the home with any extras such as a holiday meaning lots of overtime!

However, the next door neighbour is the same age as me (27) is pregnant with her third child, has never done a days work in her life and gets every benefit going - even has the council coming in to cut her grass!!

It makes my blood BOIL that we work our backsides off to give all we can and do our best whilst she and her kids are walking round in designer gear on my taxes!!!!!!!!

Im certainly not having a go at anyone who claims benefits who do genurally need and desrve the extra help and support,but for my neighbour who is perfectly capable of getting a job but choses to spend her days shopping and sunbathing in the garden and is abusing the system makes me angry.

xxx

 

[Jennyonaplate]

If we were new immigrants from another European Union country, benefits would start immediately.

Having worked closely with the JCP in my previous job, Immigrants are no more entitled to benefits than anybody else. They may be given emergency housing, however this would be available to anybody in the same situation. I worked in in area with high levels of immigrants, however rarely saw any in my office claiming benefits. I used to have claimants who had never worked a day in their life complaining about foreigners claiming benefits they were not entitled to, was quite interesting to watch their faces when I pointed out that they had worked and paid into the system, whereas the person complaining had never done that!

I had to leave my last job and i'm not entitled to claim for another 4 months (been two months already) - So I know just how frustrating the system is, trying to exist on absolutely nothing is just not possible!

Sorry, not trying to say it's ok for immigrants to come in and claim or anything, just in my experience of working with people on claimants - the real problem begins at home!

And for those that are working and struggling to make ends meet - Your children will all grow up with a good work ethic, understand responsibility, and will have honest, proud and hard-working parents as role models to aspire to be like. Those that are raised in families on benefits are far more likely to become future claimants themselves.

 

[missyxx]

my 2p worth is that this is the so called "change" that the conservatives wanted make the richer richer and the poorer poorer ,labour is for the working class which yes i know ppl might say they messed up a bit but hey i wouldnt be where i am now if it wasnt for them and most people are better off under labour government

 

[fillymum]

I think the point I was trying to make, and obviously badly, was that whilst we have both paid into the British system we would not be entitled to health care even for the first 6 months, whilst those from other European Union countries are.

Thank you for pointing out to me that the only entitlement is emergency housing. I truly believed that benefits were made available to them until they were self supporting.

I agree one hundred percent with you about that the example starts at home.

xxx

 

[Jennyonaplate]

The media has a very cunning way of manipulating what we're led to believe - I learnt a whole lot about how our welfare state worked during that job, and it changed my opinions about a lot of things too!

 

[jaylou]

I really think there needs to be a cut off at some point - just like there is with the tax credit system.
I always worked full time, my daughter had childminders, nursery and after school club and I received the minimum tax credit due to the threshold. As soon as OH moved in I lost it even though I don't get his money (we go halves on everything). I'm not sure this is fair but it's the way it is.
I get child benefit, as does someone who earns 250k! but I'm not sure I need it (yes we earn over 32k jointly). I use it but I could manage without it so I do think there needs to be a cut off. Our school and health system could do with a boost in my opinion.

Let's not forget though that it is just a proposition.

 

[Cloggy]

in my opinion this is very non-Tory, as I see it they are removing benefits from the people with a bit more money, which sounds very labour to me

I find that Jen very much mirrors my idea's of the system in the UK.

Here in the Netherlands we don't have family allowance as such but there are just as many other benefits to compensate the less well off, single mums included.

In the coming months I'm afraid more benefits will be cut as the governments have to pay back a lot of money

We recently had a general election over here and we are still waiting for a government coalition to be formed (the joys of proportional representation), everyone is waiting with baited breath to hear what is to be cut, obviously some people will be more effected than others.

We don't have a national health service over here but a government regulated medical insurance system, anyone on a low income or unemployed have their contributions paid by the government.If I moved back to the UK I too would have to pay 6 months contributions before being allowed to rejoin the national health system.

The weird thing is the national health won't accept my medical insurance (to pay my bills) when I'm in the UK as they consider it too much paper work this way many foreigners get seen as being scroungers especially by the media who often leave out all the facts (when it suits them).

Anyway I really hope that the coming cuts don't effect any of you guys too drastically.

 

[becks201003]

I didn't know this, but don't follow politics that well. I hope they do not take this money away from families, it is hard these days but the reason this country is so down and out is due to those people that claim what they should not. If they clamped down on those who should not be claiming there would be more genuine claims around and not as much negative balance in the country.

 

[Jennyonaplate]

The problem isn't that people are claiming things they shouldn't - it's that it's available to people it shouldn't be, and the system make it easy for the unemployed to stay unemployed.

I had numerous people who had to turn down jobs because they would've been significantly worse off accepting it, than they would've been on benefits. That's just one of the areas where the goverment fails to help people return to work. The fact they don't get any help for 12 months is another!

 

[becks201003]

I suppose that's what I meant in a a roundabout way. Hopefully the new government will turn it around and not penalise the innocent and deserving in the process.