Re: benifits
 

Hi all, thanks for the replies, I am not sure if I have learned much about disability benefits and help, probably because I didn’t put the question correctly, one thing that comes through is that anyone on the receiving end of benefits is looked down on.
Thanks again
Baz

Re: benifits
 

I think it's just very hard to give general advice as everyones personal circumstances will define the outcome for that individual.
Benefits will be available to you, which ones, not sure. Regarding disability, they have changed IB has been replaced with ESA and DLA is due to change in 2013 to PIP.
However the bottom line is that you will be entitled to the benefits you are legaly entitled to and untill you apply there is no sure wy of predicting those here.
There are dedicated welfare sites to search for more accurate info.

Re: benifits
 

Good post. Most of the Benefits claimants that I know are totally genuine. Some of them are on Benefits through sickness and/or disability (this does not necessarily maen that they do not work), although I do know some who are unemployed. My son's lodger has always worked until he was made redundant last year, and he has applied for loads of jobs, but no success yet. I know one or two people who are on top-up Benefits due to low incomes, but who do work.

I also know someone who claims Jobseekers' Allowance but does not declare the income from two lodgers (she told me this herself), and someone else who claims as a single parent despite having a live-in partner (her dad told me). But these are the only two I know about who are fraudulent claimants.

Re: benifits
 

well there will be loads living below the poverty line in the UK because going by the link below with housing cost taken care of.
It seems a very high poverty line to me.

Single person, no children £124
Couple with no children £214
Lone parent with two children (aged 5 and 14) £256
Couple with two children (aged 5 and 14) £348

Whereas Spain the poverty line for a couple with 2 kidies is 13332euros, with housing costs not taken into cosiderate.

So if the povertyline in Spain was at the same level there would be millions more under it.

We often have posters telling u show bad the income and levels are in the UK, but after being in Spain and seeing how bad it is for the unemployed, sick and disabled, I dont think anyone in the UK would ever moan again about the "pittance" they receive from the UK government.

They would count their lucks stars, believe me.

http://www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/

Whereas in Spain the poverty line is

Re: benifits
 

I thought I answered your question in my post number 12.

Is ther any Benefit in particular you wanted to know about?

Re: benifits
 

Apart from those living at home and being subsidised by their parents, I can't imagine how any one can survive on JSA alone.

Re: benifits
 

Well to be fair, they don't just get JSA do they, if renting they get their rent and Council Tax paid too, and there's help with mortgages too after twelve weeks on the Benefit, but it's still not a huge amount to live on. We had to subsidise our son when he was unemployed.

My friend who does not declare the income from the lodgers, when she told me this, I suggested that she gave up the JSA because as well as not declaring the income she isn't even looking for a job (there's a clue in the name of the Benefit , JobSEEKERS' Allowance), but she would not do this because she would lose the freebies such as free dental treatment. She could live on the lodgers' rents,she has no rent or mortgage herself, her house is paid for. So she choses to commit Benefit fraud.

Re: benifits
 

Fair comment but 2 wrongs don't make a right.
The appauling state of welfare help here does not enrich the lives of those in the UK, the comparison is unfair.

Re: benifits
 

And the lack of welfare help here does not enrich the lives of those in Spain either

I am just saying that if the recipients of welfare benefits in the UK saw what their counterparts get in Spain, they would realise that in comparison they arevery lucky.

And why is the comparison unfair.?

Re: benifits
 

Very few countries (possible none) give so much money to those who cannot financially support themselves as the UK. It leads to an interesting Q of how much you should give people who cannot support themselves.

Too much and it leads to culture of people not wanting to go to work as there is no point, they are better off on benefits

Not enough and people suffer unduly

I severely doubt there are people going hungry in the UK. People are fattest in the poorest areas for a start (just like they are in Spain). The challenge is giving opportunities to people who find themselves in such a position and then motivating them to want to improve their lives when there are only rubbish jobs about. I can only see this situation getting worse.

If it were up to me, I'd make people work for their benefits i.e. if they cant get a job then they can clean the streets or retrain at community colleges with free state nurseries to help with childcare. I dont like the idea of giving people what accounts to a lot of money for doing nothing, this creates a bad attitude and a culture of entitlement

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Good post.

Eye to eye me and you? , that must mean one or both of us is/are mellowing..:eek::eek:

Re: benifits
 

My son did voluntary work whilst he was unemployed, both at a Computer Training Company and for Christian Aid.

He had his Benefits stopped when he did the work for Christian Aid (over a Bank Holiday weekend) as they said he was not available for work.:eek:

I believe they encourage voluntary work now, quite rightly.

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a jobsworth now doubt, sticking to the rules to the letter.:thumbdown:

I think such work should be encouraged too because if, (big IF in some cases) a job oportunity comes along, I am sure the genuine jobseekers would take it.

But in the meantime everyone benefits from the voluntary work being done instead of sitting at home waiting for a job.

Re: benifits
 

My son was not able to get a paid job through either of the places he volunteered at BUT the Computer company gave him a reference for the job he DID get. :) They were able to talk about his workplace skills demonstrated in the voluntary work.

I too think it is better to volunteer than do nothing.

Re: benifits
 

I have to be honest, friend or no friend I would be on the phone straight away. The whole situation makes me very angry whether it be politicians or the council house tennant. I remember a next door neighbour I had, was forced to take a job he lasted half a day then came home and said let them work who want to. Unfortunately for him he said it to the wrong person who was so incensed he decked him. I knew him for a further three years but he never took another job just kept claiming for his wife and three kids.
Think of all the good that could be done if the cheats, scroungers and fiddlers were stopped.

Graham

Graham