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blimey it’s catching . . . texts, calls, callers, flowers and now followers :lol:
not playing anymore . . tis not fair *stamps feet
goes off to find myself a stalker
mumbles mutters rambles . . . wanders off
@eve wrote:
This is not a reply to any particular post as i have my own political opinions and will keep them .
I would just like to make a point about benefits and the difficulty in coming off them and finding work, due to the anomally of the beneftits system.
If a person is claiming Job seekers allowance and takes work of 16 hours it is considered by they JSA to be full time work and their benefits stop. However, it is not possible to claim Working Tax Credit unless a person is working for 32 hours because the WTC regard 32 hours as full time.
In the current economical climate most firms seem to prefer to take on 16 hour workers. i have been told that this is because the “paperwork” involved for the employer is so much less . It may also be that , if an employer has 2 16 hour workers rather than one 32 hour worker there is more flexibility for cover for hols and illness etc.
Whatever the government are doing with benefits it would make a big difference to a persons abiltity to come off benefits and start work if the above anomally was addressed.
Hou
Tax credits were originally only available to parents ( of children in full time education until the age of 19 ) who work 16 hours or more. This is still the case, and a higher award is generally given the less hours they work.
In recent years pension credit and tax credits have become available to people outside of the above bracket, with different rules regarding the number of hours worked. I have no idea what was in place for people who only worked 16 hours ( or less than 32 ) prior to the introduction of tax credits for all, but no doubt it is reflected by the 32 hour ruling for claimants. So probably an ongoing issue. I supose the thinking is that if you have no parental responsibilities to restrict you then you are able to work the 32+ hours !
That said, I agree eve, for many years now employers have taken to giving out part time jobs rather than full time, not just for the flexibility, but the lack of need to pay employers NI and other costs and benefits ! So not always easy to find ‘full time’ employment.
Tis a crazy world we live in !!!
:lol: :lol:
bored . . going back to being a domestic goddess !!!
@Velvet 1 wrote:
@susieq wrote:
@Velvet 1 wrote:
Visions of 3 middle aged woman whistling and chuckling together…. i’m not naming names :-
:-
waits for you know who to arrive :D ( bet shes getting a text or something pfffft)
whilst deep in a lovely m s n converation, drinking a lovely drink brought to her unexpected from someone nice :lol:
My two penneth . . for what it’s worth . . having now experienced both sides of the coin !
Until a few months ago I was a full time employee and a full time mother. I had a pretty good salary and also received the so called ‘chidcare help’ from the government in the form of tax credits. Supposedly covering 90% of costs. Far from it! Not only is childcare really expensive, it’s hard to find and many childcare facilities are not available at the times of day required, which, when a single parent makes it even harder to juggle. School holidays are any parents worst nightmare if they are working. If you’re lucky enough to find a playscheme or childcare facility, the cost of providing a full day can range from £20 – £30 per day, and that’s just for 1 child !!!! Being able to take time off during school holidays is not always possible, it’s the most popular time and often it’s on a rota basis ( you had last year so it’s so n so’s turn this year ) or first come first served basis, sometimes it’s not allowed at all !
Not only that, but because I did work and had a good salary, my older children were not entitled to grants for their university studies.
I paid my taxes like anyone else, I paid my own way, and although it wasn’t a lavish life I did manage to save and enjoy a holiday or two, or not worry if my child needed new shoes etc.
However, in some ways now, I can see why many chose not to work.
As some of you know, I have given up working to return to university myself. I don’t start my course until September and in the meantime I am living on benefits ( claiming on my NI contributions as someone so nicely put it ). I have never lived on benefits before and don’t plan to again I can tell you. But, I get my rent paid, no council tax to pay, and a whole whopping £65 a week plus child benefit. Hardly the high life really! And not one I wish to live again!
I did initially look for work when I moved, and was successful in that search too. However, when I looked into childcare, tax credits and the like, bearing in mind the hassles of childcare ( as mentioned above ) the fact I would no longer recieve housing benefit and would be liable for council tax and childcare fees, financially I was going to be £10 a month better off !! Now ask yourself why so many don’t work !!!
The government is changing benefits, the age of a child to which a single parent needs to return to work, making it harder to ‘swing the lead’ on incapacity benefit, capping housing benefit, reducing tax credits, freezing child benefit. Sounds like everyone’s worst nightmare . . however you have to read further into it:
Tax credits are being reduced, yes. Currently household incomes of 30K plus can recieve tax credits, they are lowering this income level, hardly hitting the poor really!
Housing benefit is being capped, yes. They are targetting people who live in large or luxury homes when they could easily live in a smaller one or two bedroomed property. Why should councils pay peoples rent so they can live in a big house and only really use the one or two rooms. It’s only serving to put pressure on their budgets and help real people in real need.
Forcing parents back to work when their child now starts full time school ( previously 16, then later reduced to 12 ) is all well and good, providing they put extra emphasis on providing available and quality childcare with reasonable costs and subsidies available.
Of course I have only focussed here on issues about children, but that’s because that is mainly where I am effected.
Income tax . . tax the rich to help the poor ? I agree with Kenty on this one! CEO’s etc on grossly exaggerated salaries are a joke ! But, many many people have made a good life for themselves, worked hard for their position and what they have and the salary they earn justified, why should they be penalised ? They pay a relatively high income tax as it is. My previous employment entitled me to a car, I don’t drive, so was offered a travel allowance instead. I refused this as it would have taken me into the next income tax bracket and I would have paid more in tax than the allowance was worth !
VAT will rise, taxes will rise, the cost of living rises, there will always be people who chose not to work because they are better off, and there are those who will suffer financially through no fault of their own . . it’s life, it can’t all be even. No matter which government, which policy . .
We all have the power to try and influence the power and policy . . and we will all have differing opinions as to who what why where and when . . and no matter what the outcome there will always be much to debate !!!!
I don’t complain though . . I just get on with it and make the best of it I can, that’s all we can do ! :?
@Velvet 1 wrote:
Visions of 3 middle aged woman whistling and chuckling together…. i’m not naming names :-
:-
:lol: :lol:
