No wonder theres loads of people on benefits...

GuruJockStrap

GuruJockStrap

GuruJockStrap

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A former colleague came into work at the weekend to pop in and say hello.

Bit of background. Used to work with me but had a motorcycling accident 2 years ago. Didn't have a accident at speed but simply put his foot down on the floor when stationary and the bike fell on top of his ankle. Left his ankle in a right state.

Anyway, we got onto the subject of how he was coping financially (he has a wife and 3 kids) and I was utterly amazed at what he then said.

He basically said over the last 2 years he was able to claim benefits totally just over £420 a week! :eek: Not only that, but he was provided with a £20k vehicle. Only thing he pays for is petrol. His council tax is also paid for and so is his rent.

He's the type of guy who won't stay on benefits. He's utterly devastated being off work for so long and just wants to get back into it. But you can see why so many people who go on benefits just stay on them for a long time. In his case, he's financially better off claiming than actually returning to work! I imagine that to be the same case for many other people in a similar situation.
 
trojan698 said:
5 people eat a lot of food.
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Out of his £420 a week all he has to pay for is food and petrol?
Rent and council tax are paid for, what about gas, electric etc or are they covered in the rent?

He'll need to be on almost 30k a year just to match the £420 a week handout (factoring in income tax and NI) and he'll need a lot more than that to cover the free rent and council tax. So I guess he won't be going back to work unless he can find a job paying him over £40k.
 
You'd need to make a lot more than 40K to have 420 a week in your back burner after payin the mortgage, car loan, tax etc.
 
Duff-Man said:
£420 per weeks worth?!

That's twice what I earn, and I have two degrees.
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You get a lot more money if you are claiming disability allowance if you have a disability that prevents you from getting work. It doesn't appear that he is getting DLA. He can claim upto an additional £65 a week personally for him if he needs 24/7 care from his wife.

He would also be claiming £18 for the 1st child and then £12 for every other child in child benefit (Everyone is entitled to child benefit regardless of income)
=£66

Then he would receive £45 a week for every child he is has in child tax credits. Working parents receive what is called Working Tax Credits that after child care costs receive about the same amount. (This is a means tested benefit that reduces dependant on your income. You can claim working tax credit of £10 a week if you earn £80,000 a year)
=£225

This leaves a grand total of £65 each for him and his wife. This does not include paying gas, water, electric, etc.

Do you really only have £65 a week to spend on yourself despite having two degrees?
 
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I don't think that story is all that bad considering he has 5 children to maintain. And that he only has £65 a week himself.

Want to know something really shocking.

Your best bet is to become a registered alcoholic or drug addict.

I personally knew of people who after receiving housing benefit, council tax benefit and their income support of £55 a week, also received a further £95 a week because of their condition. I had the odd case of one person receiving an additional £120 a week because they also claimed they had personality issues as well. :mad:

£150 a week to spend. No rent. No council tax. No children to clothe and feed. Just for being a druggie. And you get GRANTS of up to £2,000 from the government to furnish your house rather than LOANS they give to people on JSA and DLA.

NB, I used to do voluntary work for CAB, hence how I know all this.
 
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Duff-Man said:
£420 per weeks worth?!

That's twice what I earn, and I have two degrees.
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What the hell are you doing with your degrees? I earn more than that as a graduate.

KaHn
 
Psycho Sonny said:
you should have done a proper degree then and not 2 stupid ones
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Maths degree from Cambridge, followed by MSc in aeronautical engineering from Imperial. Hardly 'stupid degrees'.

I'll be earning much more soon, but still... kind of depressing that someone on benefits is taking in twice what I am when I have always done pretty much as well as is possible, academically.



KaHn said:
I actually think duff man is doing his PhD so maybe be on about teaching, but still thats shocking.
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Yep :)

What do you do after two degrees and a lifetime of being poor? A third degree of course! :p
 
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Are there any websites that list all the benefits and how to get them?

I am sure there are massive loopholes and just generally massive holes in our benefits system and I would like to exploit them myself rather than letting the chavs have all the fun.

I just need a way of getting pregnant. :confused:
 
Duff-Man said:
Yep :)

What do you do after two degrees and a lifetime of being poor? A third degree of course! :p
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Thats the problem with Academia, which is why I'm holding off doing a PhD..for now..

..if I hadn't had this job come and practically beg me to take it (they did offer me practically everything I wanted and more), I'd probably have ended up doing a PhD anyway.
 
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