On the Benefit

[croyde]

There was a story in the papers yesterday about how single Poles are heading home because of the credit crunch but families were staying here in the UK because of unemployment benefit being better than back in Poland.

The figure quoted was £714 a week in benefits for a family of four. That can't be right but if it is, where do I sign on as that is more than I am struggling to make at the mo'.

[DaveL485]

croyde said:

There was a story in the papers yesterday about how single Poles are heading home because of the credit crunch but families were staying here in the UK because of unemployment benefit being better than back in Poland.

The figure quoted was £714 a week in benefits for a family of four. That can't be right but if it is, where do I sign on as that is more than I am struggling to make at the mo'.

£714 a WEEK?

F*ck me, where do I sign?

[moles]

Is probably correct, the more people that start scrounging off the government the better imo. Hope the whole house of cards comes crashing down and they are forced to change the way the system works.

[Hedders]

The single men are only going home to find good polish brides..then they are coming back here to raise their families :P

[cqueen]

SHHHHerly NOT?!

[grumbledoak]

(Rent+) £700+ for nothing? Per week? Sign me up! OH can knock out a few more, if necessary.


If this is true, we really are fked. Why work?

[croyde]

moles said:

Is probably correct, the more people that start scrounging off the government the better imo. Hope the whole house of cards comes crashing down and they are forced to change the way the system works.

I thought that dole as about £50 a week, a bit for the kids and then maybe your rent paid but not your mortgage. The rest being free prescriptions, dentist, school dinners etc.

[oobster]

Job Seekers Allowance is £60.50 per week.

[RDE]

croyde said:

There was a story in the papers yesterday about how single Poles are heading home because of the credit crunch but families were staying here in the UK because of unemployment benefit being better than back in Poland.

The figure quoted was £714 a week in benefits for a family of four. That can't be right but if it is, where do I sign on as that is more than I am struggling to make at the mo'.

Hello?! It was in the papers. They don't print bullst, do they?

[moles]

Dole might be £60 a week I think but you get housing benefits and other stuff. Probably not £700+ a week but as said above it seems to be enough to not encourage people to go back to work so something is wrong.

croyde said:

moles said:

Is probably correct, the more people that start scrounging off the government the better imo. Hope the whole house of cards comes crashing down and they are forced to change the way the system works.

I thought that dole as about £50 a week, a bit for the kids and then maybe your rent paid but not your mortgage. The rest being free prescriptions, dentist, school dinners etc.

[Super Bad]

£714 a week - £2856 a month FFS!

[Famous Graham]

moles said:

Dole might be £60 a week I think but you get housing benefits and other stuff. Probably not £700+ a week but as said above it seems to be enough to not encourage people to go back to work so something is wrong.

Yep, you get housing and council tax benefit too. The former depends on a lot of things like postcode, type of house/flat, what facilities you have to yourself or share etc.

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month. Only my room is "my own", as we obviously share living room, kitchen and bathroom. Housing Benefit gives me 290 a month or thereabouts and I'm exempted from council tax.

Unfortunately that means I have to allocate one week's JSA to cover the shortfall. And that's before bills too. So my net monthly disposable income is 180 quid to cover my portion of the bills, food and anything else. It's not quite as cushy as the Daily Mail would have you believe. Of course, it was my choice to rent this particular place. No doubt there are cheaper places, but still.

The big figures come about when you get kids into the equation.

Edited by Famous Graham on Friday 9th January 20:09

[croyde]

Famous Graham said:

moles said:

Dole might be £60 a week I think but you get housing benefits and other stuff. Probably not £700+ a week but as said above it seems to be enough to not encourage people to go back to work so something is wrong.

Yep, you get housing and council tax benefit too. The former depends on a lot of things like postcode, type of house/flat, what facilities you have to yourself or share etc.

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month. Only my room is "my own", as we obviously share living room, kitchen and bathroom. Housing Benefit gives me 290 a month or thereabouts and I'm exempted from council tax.

Unfortunately that means I have to allocate one week's JSA to cover the shortfall. And that's before bills too. So my net monthly disposable income is 180 quid to cover my portion of the bills, food and anything else. It's not quite as cushy as the Daily Mail would have you believe. Of course, it was my choice to rent this particular place. No doubt there are cheaper places, but still.

The big figures come about when you get kids into the equation.

Edited by Famous Graham on Friday 9th January 20:09

I did presume that the Mail would be rounding figures up but I did wonder as I always have presumed that we would be fooked if I did not bring home the bacon but that figure would be a good safety net, if true.

Edited by croyde on Friday 9th January 20:14

[Hedders]

Famous Graham said:

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month.

You are missing a trick here. If you withheld a few months rent and you should be able to purchase your own Edinburgh Flat, no?

[The Moose]

do you have to pay any tax on that money? cause if not thats like 73/74k...!

[jas xjr]

i may have it totaly wrong but i thought the polish could work here but not claim benefits? or is there a qualifying period?

[elster]

Hedders said:

Famous Graham said:

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month.

You are missing a trick here. If you withheld a few months rent and you should be able to purchase your own Edinburgh Flat, no?

You're missing a bigger trick!

Start sleeping with the woman, then get free rent

[Famous Graham]

Hedders said:

Famous Graham said:

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month.

You are missing a trick here. If you withheld a few months rent and you should be able to purchase your own Edinburgh Flat, no?

I'm missing something there I'd need to withhold a fair few years of rent

[Famous Graham]

elster said:

Hedders said:

Famous Graham said:

For example, I share a two bedroom flat in Edinburgh with the woman who owns it, paying her rent of 350 a month.

You are missing a trick here. If you withheld a few months rent and you should be able to purchase your own Edinburgh Flat, no?

You're missing a bigger trick!

Start sleeping with the woman, then get free rent

No ta

[ypauly]

dole maybe £60 for a single male but a family can expect more.
in the region of £90 then you have
family allowance (2 kids £124 monthly)
tax credits(£120 weekly)
then rent (average (£500 monthly)
council tax (average £1400 yearly)
prescriptions
school meals
dental/eye care
travel passes for looking for jobs and school.
and if you have a bad back for a while they give you another £100 weekly and throw in a brand new car
did I miss anything??