DM: Woman spends £3k of benefit money on Xmas

Mr Jack · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:50

div0 said:
AFAIK only JSA is affected by your willingness to work, at least for single mothers. But as she's not claiming JSA, then she can chose not to work for as long as she likes.

The problem here is not the woman herself, as she's quite right - she shouldn't be in a situation where if she chooses to go back to work, it makes her worse off.

While it is true that all work will pay (and I really hope IDS's reforms deliver that), do we actually want to force women with pre-school children into work? Isn't it actually better for them to be looking after their kids?

Semiskimmed · 23 Dec 2010 at 11:27

Mr Jack said:
While it is true that all work will pay (and I really hope IDS's reforms deliver that), do we actually want to force women with pre-school children into work? Isn't it actually better for them to be looking after their kids?

problem is, the whole benefits system is a joke as its easy to abuse it, so just saying lets keep single mums at home is basically giving them a licence to do all this imho.
it cant help the needy anymore as people are making a life out of living on it.
its not just money either, ive known women get rid of their partners/baby's fathers in order to get paid more and get more perks living on their own etc.

its a total sham

Podmonkey · 23 Dec 2010 at 11:36

Anyone else loving the staged photos including dodgy old school mac?

Either way its a joke. How they make themselves out to be the victims in all of this is stupid. Its all a huge joke, the fact these people are allowed to do this and the state makes them think its the best thing to do 'dont worry lass, spoil your kids and have everything you ever wanted, someone else will pick up the tab.'

Dj_Jestar · 23 Dec 2010 at 11:40

Fool parted with money SHOCKER!!1

Tbh, up to her how it is spent. Providing we don't keep bailing her out because of her stupidity.

div0 · 23 Dec 2010 at 11:51

Mr Jack said:
do we actually want to force women with pre-school children into work? Isn't it actually better for them to be looking after their kids?

Who said anything about forcing them back?

But if they chose to go back, then it shouldn't be that they're automatically worse off, unless they can find a circa 30k job. That's just a ridiculous situation to be in, and quite frankly I can see why some people end up with the attitude of the woman in the OP.

Personally I'd like to think that I'd be a bit more grateful in her situation, but I think I'd be lying if I said I'd happily take a 12k job, when I would be better off doing nothing. If I was unfortunate enough to be in her situation, then I'd want to do everything I could to give my kids a chance for a better life. Why would I chose to make myself poorer by getting a job? Unfortunately she doesn't seem to have the kids' future in mind, and is instead just living for the here and now.

Mr Jack · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:13

div0 said:
But if they chose to go back, then it shouldn't be that they're automatically worse off, unless they can find a circa 30k job.

Absolutely (although, tbh, I'd question that 30k claim).

uv · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:16

Dear Lord I hate the Daily Mail user comments.

This is not going to learn her kids about any values at all its pathetic

"learn her kids"? "LEARN HER KIDS"?

neodude · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:20

Oh the irony

Gamefreak501 · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:39

Wow, I'm clearly a Mug for working, when a Single Mother with 4 children can get over £21,000 in benefits a year...

Ah well, that's life!

edit: The review of the Welfare System should be preventing instances where people are better off on Benefits than working, but I'm not sure how well that will work.

Why didn't she get me a pressie!

haha

willhub · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:46

How do people get so much benefits, when I finish uni, I want to live in Manchester, so if I struggle to get a job, I can't see myself been able to live off benefits, I'd have no choice but to move up.

rexehuk · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:47

Any females here wish to meet up and have 4 kids? We can arrange it so that I leave you so we can get 21k a year for free... I'm amazed benefits packages are THAT good...

muon · 23 Dec 2010 at 12:59

rexehuk said:
Any females here wish to meet up and have 4 kids? We can arrange it so that I leave you so we can get 21k a year for free... I'm amazed benefits packages are THAT good...

Unless you wanna treat your kids like crap, they cost money and effort. 3k a year to take care of a kid? No thanks.

Mr Jack · 23 Dec 2010 at 13:40

So I ran some actual numbers through the HMRC site.

A single mother with 4 children of the ages given, earning £21k through work would end up with ~£23k in take home income after child tax credits and child benefit. The claim that she needs to earn £30k to match it is rather exaggerated.

Mind you the marginal tax rates on that income are insane.

Morba · 23 Dec 2010 at 14:18

Mr Jack said:
The claim that she needs to earn £30k to match it is rather exaggerated.

£30k would return around £22k net.

Mr Jack · 23 Dec 2010 at 14:20

Morba said:
£30k would return around £22k net.

Indeed, but she'd continue to receive child tax credits, and child benefits meaning the total she'd get is higher.

Morba · 23 Dec 2010 at 14:23

Mr Jack said:
Indeed, but she'd continue to receive child tax credits, and child benefits meaning the total she'd get is higher.

She'd actually have to earn a LOT more, as she would need to find full time education / care, which is far from cheap.

Sp00n · 23 Dec 2010 at 14:24

The majority of the time it is cheaper for mothers to stay at home and claim benefits than it is for them to go out and get a job, childcare is NOT cheap.