Are we close to neighbours

[wallop79]

Well im a single mum, i went back to work 3 days a week, as with the child tax credit & working tax credit I receive (the system I have paid into for 23 years) I wouldn't be any better off working 5 days a week, so whats the point of working an extra 2 days for nowt, I get to spend time with my little boy. But how people can live off £67.00 per week benefits is beyond me, I spend that on shopping each week.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by wallop79

Well im a single mum, i went back to work 3 days a week, as with the child tax credit & working tax credit I receive (the system I have paid into for 23 years) I wouldn't be any better off working 5 days a week, so whats the point of working an extra 2 days for nowt, I get to spend time with my little boy. But how people can live off £67.00 per week benefits is beyond me, I spend that on shopping each week.

I'm certainly not going to blame anyone for getting the best deal for their family.

It's not the people who are in the wrong.

It's consecutive governments, who take that dubious honour.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by claytonx

I still think the post is being hijacked by peoples political ideas this was not intended.

I see what you mean ... maybe it does seem more than a little insensitive to launch into a political debate over what appears to be a personal tragedy, and a lack of neighbourliness. But, unfortunately, what happened has a strong, wider social and political content. In any discussion on the subject, "politics" is inevitable.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Yes it is,Claytonx...but that is sometimes how it goes........my post, which you quoted was only to answer what Eric had said.
It was Mancie who started the political stuff...yes, name and blame!

As ever

[harwood red]

Originally Posted by claytonx

After a couple have commited suicide after living on just £57 per week were none of there neighbours able to help,? or call for help.Could we see this happening near us and would we do something?

I think yes. What do you think?

What I don't get with this story (and yes I have read the link) is that they weren't claiming everything they could have. This is more down to someone somewhere advising them incorrectly and nothing to do with a couple having to live on £57.00 per week as that is even below a single person's JSA entitlement of £67.50 unless they were paying something else direct from benefit.

If it's a couple where one is claiming JSA (not the other) then the rate is £105.95.

As there seems to be an issue regarding the ladies literacy and mental health issues it wouldn't surprise me to find out she was on benefits (as it seems to imply at bottom of the news story) but it was being paid into an account she wasn't aware of.

So really it's about someone looking out for them I agree, but if they don't accept help then they are the hardest to help as I know only to well in my job.

Really really sad story that should never happen but I agree it probably will happen again

[Gordon Booth]

I don't think we've got the whole story on this aweful tragedy.
Quote-' the DWP said the couple were recieving weekly benefits from the department since Feb 2010- these included money for disability and caring responsabilities as well as out of work support'. That's got to be more than £57 per week.Where is the whole story?
As for the careing neighbours and friends- with friends and neighbours like that who needs enemies? They obviously knew something was wrong and did nothing positive about it.

[wallop79]

Originally Posted by harwood red

What I don't get with this story (and yes I have read the link) is that they weren't claiming everything they could have. This is more down to someone somewhere advising them incorrectly and nothing to do with a couple having to live on £57.00 per week as that is even below a single person's JSA entitlement of £67.50 unless they were paying something else direct from benefit.

If it's a couple where one is claiming JSA (not the other) then the rate is £105.95.

As there seems to be an issue regarding the ladies literacy and mental health issues it wouldn't surprise me to find out she was on benefits (as it seems to imply at bottom of the news story) but it was being paid into an account she wasn't aware of.

So really it's about someone looking out for them I agree, but if they don't accept help then they are the hardest to help as I know only to well in my job.

They wouldn't have been eligable to a joint claim to JSA as she would have to have been actively seeking work herself, and due to her health problems she probably wasn't looking for work. Why she wasn't claiming ESA (no1 can claim Incapacity Benefit anymore) is anyone's guess, again why wasn't she getting DLA, her husband could have then got Income support & carers allowance. The report speaks rubbish in saying she had to be diagnosed with a disorder to claim benefits. It seems more likely that they were frightened to approach her GP for the help needed (i.e to get a medical certificate) to claim the correct benefits as they feared she would have been put into care. All round its a sorry state of affairs, but as I said in earlier post, there's always two sides to every story.

[jaysay]

Well I think the further north you go the friendlier people become, I can remember I uncle who settled in Stanmore Middlesex after the war and I can remember him telling my mother that he had only just got to know his next door neighbour after 15 years and that, although he liked a drink, he stopped going to the local pub because he could stand at the bar for an hour and not one person would engage in a conversation with him, including the barman. In the old days, 50s and 60s, people round here walked in and out of everybody's home, people left their front doors unlocked when the went to the corner shop, and everybody helped one another, don't think that happens today to the same extent, but I do know one think, the number of people, who know my circumstance, who have offered help anytime day or night, is quite remarkable really and is very reassuring in deed, I can't thank you enough

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by wallop79

Well im a single mum, i went back to work 3 days a week, as with the child tax credit & working tax credit I receive (the system I have paid into for 23 years) I wouldn't be any better off working 5 days a week, so whats the point of working an extra 2 days for nowt, I get to spend time with my little boy. But how people can live off £67.00 per week benefits is beyond me, I spend that on shopping each week.

You are to be applauded and congratulated. You are out there helping yourself. Ok, you get some benefits...but you have paid into the system and will do again(probably are doing at the moment).
My gripe is with those who expect the government to do everything......who want to live like the rest of us who pay our way in society(have holidays, TV's etc), but do not want to work for what they get.
The other slice of society who get my goat, are those who come into the country, have paid not a bean into the communal pot, but want us to look after their health, give them homes, child benefit and something to live on.
Other countries don't do it and that is why they come here.
The welfare system is a magnet to them.

[harwood red]

Originally Posted by wallop79

They wouldn't have been eligable to a joint claim to JSA as she would have to have been actively seeking work herself, and due to her health problems she probably wasn't looking for work. Why she wasn't claiming ESA (no1 can claim Incapacity Benefit anymore) is anyone's guess, again why wasn't she getting DLA, her husband could have then got Income support & carers allowance. The report speaks rubbish in saying she had to be diagnosed with a disorder to claim benefits. It seems more likely that they were frightened to approach her GP for the help needed (i.e to get a medical certificate) to claim the correct benefits as they feared she would have been put into care. All round its a sorry state of affairs, but as I said in earlier post, there's always two sides to every story.

I agree with you to a certain extent but this is where the job centre has failed, you can claim couple rate income related jsa even if the partner is not able to work which they have clearly stated she is not able to. If he was on contributory based jsa then the couple rate would come from a top up of income based jsa and yes you are correct in saying it is not a requirement to have a diagnosed illness to be able to get esa. Many people don't claim DLA as they don't really know about it and the carer's allowan.ce would have only kicked in if she got mid rate care.

TBH in all the couple should have been getting esa claimed for her and a claim for DLA if she got mid rate care then he could claim carer's allowance which would have meant he would have been entitled to the income support top up and not required to look for work as he would be deemed as a carer!